A ROUND-UP of the key stats and performances from the game at Pride Park.

TEAMS:

Rovers (4-4-2): from right to left

Friedel

Curtis, Berg, Short, Bjornebye

Gillespie, Flitcroft, Dunn, Duff

Jansen, Grabbi

Subs: Hignett (for Dunn, 45), Blake (for Bjornebye, 63), Bent (for Grabbi, 63) Not used: Taylor, Filan (gk)

Derby County (4-3-3):

Poom

Daino, Riggott, Higginbotham, Boertien

Burley, O'Neil, Powell

Christie, Ravanelli, Morris

Subs: Kinkladze (for Morris, 63), Not used: Bolder, Jackson, Blatsis, Oakes (gk) FRIEDEL: Left clutching thin air after Ravanelli stepped up to curl home a stunning opener...7 CURTIS: Mr Reliable again down the right as Derby struggled to create much going forward...7 BJORNEBYE: Delivered a couple of telling crosses in a competent display...7 SHORT: Blotted his copybook with a reckless challenge which led to Ravanelli's wonder strike...6 BERG: Rarely looked in trouble against a punchless Derby attack...7 *FLITCROFT: Another all-action performance from the skipper. Held things together in the centre...8 DUNN: Looked bright until a challenge from Ravanelli brought his afternoon to a premature end...7 GILLESPIE: Rovers' biggest threat but should have done better with a chance in the opening minute...7 JANSEN: Worked his socks off up front and should have been rewarded with a late equaliser...7 GRABBI: Disappointing as far as debuts go but needs time to settle in at his new club...5 DUFF: Looked a threat whenever he ran at the Derby defence but didn't see enough of the ball in the final third...7 Subs: HIGNETT: Possibly his best 45 minutes in a Rovers shirt...7

BLAKE: Pepped things up...7

BENT: Caused problems with his direct approach...6

OPPOSITE CAMP:

POOM...Calm and assured 7

O'NEIL...Busy in midfield 7

POWELL...Very workmanlike 6

RIGGOTT...Solid at the back 7

BURLEY...Quiet by his standards 6

RAVANELLI...Scored a stunning opener 7

CHRISTIE...Buzzed about upfront 7

MORRIS...Fairly anonymous on the left 5

HIGGINBOTHAM...A gritty performer 7

DAINO...Solid and dependable 6

BOERTIEN...Made a couple of vital interceptions 6

SUBS: KINKLADZE...Had a hand in the second 7

STATS:

Goal Attempts: Rovers 16 Derby 6

Shots on target: Rovers 6 Derby 3

Woodwork: Rovers 0 Derby 0

Offsides: Rovers 2 Derby 2

Corners: Rovers 10 Derby 4

Free kicks: Rovers 10 Derby 10

REFEREE...P Durkin 5

ATTENDANCE...28,236

YELLOW CARDS: Rovers -- None Derby -- Powell (foul)

RED CARDS: None

TIME FOR ACTION: 01Derby keeper Mart Poom denies Keith Gillespie a first minute opener

07Gillespie whips over a corner from the right but Craig Short mistimes his header with the goal at his mercy

31Henning Berg concedes possession allowing Malcolm Christie to release Fabrizio Ravanelli but the Italian shoots over

44David Dunn limps out of the action after getting injured in a clash with Ravanelli

45Ravanelli announces his Premiership return with a stunning free kick to put Derby one up

52Short outjumps the Derby defence again but his header sails over

64It's 2-0 as Georgi Kinkladze and Craig Burley combine to set up an opening for Christie to fire past Brad Friedel

67Substitute Craig Hignett volleys just over after a cross from Damien Duff is only half cleared

68Matt Jansen flashes a header wide after a great cross from Garry Flitcroft

72Nathan Blake hands Rovers a lifeline as he sweeps home a clever through ball from Hignett

90Short sees two goal-bound efforts blocked as Derby survive an almighty goal-mouth scramble

90Jansen can't believe it as a linesman's flag denies him an equaliser

TALKING TACTICS:

Rovers looked solid and compact playing 4-4-2. Wide-men Keith Gillespie and Damien Duff got through a tremendous amount of work down the flanks and looked threatening throughout.

KEY MOMENT:

Referee Paul Durkin's failure to spot Ravanelli's foul on David Dunn. Instead, Derby went straight up the other end and scored the opener themselves from a set-piece