STRUGGLING Derby County were booed off for a second successive home league game after losing 1-0 to Southampton this afternoon.
David McGoldrick scored the Saints’ winner just short of the hour mark to leave the Rams with one point from nine in the Championship.
Southampton’s youngsters handed woeful Derby a football leasson for long periods of the game at Pride Park Stadium and would have won by four or five with better finishing.
Derby enjoyed a bright opening 10 minutes but could have been two down inside 20 as Southampton took charge of the first half with some slick football.
A slip by Jay McEveley saw Jamie White put former Rams winger Lee Holmes through on goal. His effort struck the advancing Roy Carroll and was looping towards the net until McEveley recovered to head off the line.
McGoldrick raced clear nine minutes later but wasted a golden opportunity to put the Saints ahead, his attempt deflecting off Carroll and behind for a corner.
Skipper Robbie Savage side-footed over from 15 yards in a rare Rams attack before Carroll was called on again to keep Southampton out, this time saving from Adam Lallana.
Emanuel Villa, in for Nathan Ellington, went close on the stroke of half time when he met a Kris Commons’ corner only to see Kelvin Davis produce a fine one-handed save to keep out his header.
Derby were fortunate to go in level at the break after a poor 45 minutes.
Nacer Barazite came on for his debut, replacing Stephen Davies, and Dean Leacock took over at centre-back from Claude Davis.
But the visitors continued to look most likely to score and went in front on 57 minutes.
Their goal came on a counter attack after Saints’ keeper Davis had denied Commons. The ball was moved quickly downfield and into the Derby area. Lallana’s shot crashed down off the underside of the bar and may have crossed the line but McGoldrick was on hand to make sure, heading in the loose ball.
McGoldrick was unlucky not to score twice more with headers. One hit the bar and another was brilliantly tipped over by Carroll.
Chants of “what a load of rubbish” came from the stands in the closing stages and the sequence without a league win is now 35 matches.
DERBY COUNTY: Carroll; Mears, Albrechtsen, Davis (Leacock, 46), McEveley; Commons, Savage, Green, Davies (Barazite, 46); Hulse (Ellington, 60), Villa.
Others subs: Kazmierczak, Bywater (gk).
SOUTHAMPTON: Davis; James (Cork, 71), Perry, Svensson, Surman; Gillett, Lallana, Schneiderlin; White (Wotton, 67), Holmes (Jhn, 84); McGoldrick.
Other subs: Dyer, Bialkowski (gk).
REFEREE: G Laws (Tyne & Wear).
ATTENDANCE: 27,032 (away fans 1,098).