Full-time: Craig Bryson gives Derby County victory over 10-man Nottingham Forest

CRAIG Bryson's second-half strike gave Derby County a 1-0 victory over arch rivals Nottingham Forest at the City Ground.

Bryson netted the winner in the 55th minute after Forest striker Dexter Blackstock had been sent off immediately after half-time.

The 10 men pushed for an equaliser but the Rams held on to record their first away win of the season.

Derby manager Nigel Clough named the same side that started the 2-1 home loss to Burnley.

His opposite number, Sean O'Driscoll, made two changes in the wake of Forest's first league defeat of the season at Leeds, with Chris Cohen and Lewis McGugan replacing Guy Moussi and James Coppinger.

The Rams forced an early corner but it was Forest who had the best of a scrappy opening.

The hosts had a penalty shout waved away in the seventh minute when they claimed Simon Cox's cross had struck the arm of Jake Buxton.

At the other end, Conor Sammon broke into the area but his chipped cross was too high for Jamie Ward.

Frank Fielding was tested after 14 minutes but comfortably held Cohen's 20-yard curler.

A series of fouls broke up the flow of the game.

Referee Robert Madley had words with Buxton, Ward and Bryson before Andy Reid was booked for a foul on Buxton.

Buxton was soon in the book himself, for a late challenge on Blackstock.

McGugan blasted a free kick into the wall from just outside the box, before Greg Halford's long throw flew across the face of goal, with nobody able to get a touch on it.

Gareth Roberts was booked for a bad tackle on Cohen and Fielding was forced into a hurried punch from Reid's resulting free kick.

As the first half entered added time, Danny Collins powered a header against the bar from another Halford missile but the whistle had gone for a foul to Derby.

Moments later, Sammon flashed a shot narrowly over from 30 yards, while Cox was not too far away with a similar effort just before the half-time whistle blew.

The second period got off to a dramatic start as Forest were reduced to 10 men after only 20 seconds.

Blackstock caught Keogh with an elbow as they went for a header and the referee did not hesitate in brandishing the red card.

Clough had moved Will Hughes in central midfield, with Ward moving to wide left.

The switch allowed Bryson to get further forward and this paid off in the 55th minute.

The Scot started and finished the move, finding Coutts on the right and then forcing in his low cross from close range, after Sammon had got the faintest of touches first.

The injured Ward had to be replaced by Michael Jacobs, who fired a free kick over after after Bryson had been brought down by Simon Gillett.

Moments earlier, Lee Camp had parried Bryson's firm shot from 20 yards.

There was a heart-stopping moment for Rams fans after 77 minutes when Fielding fumbled a Cohen free kick into the box but the keeper grabbed the ball at the second attempt just before Collins could pounce.

Keogh was then called upon to make a vital block to deny substitute Billy Sharp.

The home side almost levelled in the 88th minute but Fielding made a great save to keep out Gillett's fierce drive from the edge of the box.

NOTTINGHAM FOREST: Camp, Halford (Moloney, 78), Ayala, Collins, Harding, Gillett, Cohen, McGugan (Lansbury, 75), Reid (Sharp, 75), Blackstock, Cox. Other subs: Evtimov (gk), Moussi, Coppinger, Majewski.

DERBY COUNTY: Fielding, Brayford, Keogh, Buxton, Roberts (O'Connor, 79), Coutts, Hendrick, Bryson, Hughes, Ward (Jacobs, 66), Sammon (Robinson, 82). Other subs: Legzdins (gk), Gjokaj, Freeman, Tyson.

REFEREE: R Madley (West Yorkshire).

ATTENDANCE: 28,707 (4,389 away fans).