Darren Bent boosts Derby to victory at MK Dons
Darren Bent struck late on to secure Derby a 3-1 Sky Bet Championship victory over MK Dons in the clubs' first ever competitive meeting.
Bradley Johnson fired the Rams ahead early in the second half of the game in Milton Keynes but Josh Murphy ensured that lead lasted just seven minutes.
Dons were, however, left to lament a wasteful afternoon in front of goal - only four of their 26 efforts hit the target - as Bent won it in the 89th minute and Tom Ince added a stoppage-time third.
Both sides started conservatively during the opening exchanges but it was the visitors who were the first to register a shot on target inside 15 minutes.
Russell Martin brought down a loose ball in the Dons box before fizzing a low volley straight into the gloves of his namesake David.
The hosts reacted in almost perfect style when Simon Church ran onto Jake Forster-Caskey's through ball and slotted home past Scott Carson two minutes later, but an offside flag denied the Welshman a second league goal.
And in the end-to-end 10-minute period that followed, both sides had chances to snatch an opener but for some excellent shot-stopping from both goalkeepers.
Church was again denied from close range but it was Carson this time who proved the difference before Ince played through Martin and saw his low shot well parried.
Dons skipper Dean Lewington crashed a volley into the side netting, before Ince's strike sailed high over the bar before the break for County.
The Rams took the lead 14 minutes after the restart courtesy of Johnson's first goal of the season.
The midfielder, who joined Derby from Norwich for a club record fee of B#6million, curled home a low Stephen Warnock cross from the edge of the area.
But Karl Robinson's side were rewarded for their attacking play with a deserved equaliser courtesy of Norwich loanee Murphy.
Ben Reeves sent a searching ball out wide for Church who crossed in for Murphy to smash home his second goal of an impressive loan spell.
Murphy then sent in a weighty corner from the left, which found Lewington lurking at the back post, but the skipper's effort cannoned back off the crossbar.
It was the visitors' turn to go close seven minutes from time with a long-range effort from Johnny Russell, but he too saw his strike smack against the bar.
Two of Paul Clement's substitutions linked up to put the visitors ahead a minute from time, when Andreas Weimann crossed to Bent from the by-line before the well-travelled forward tapped home.
And Ince made sure of the win deep into stoppage time after winning a loose ball from Diego Poyet in midfield and slotting past Martin.
Source: PA
