Derby County 2 West Brom 1: Life without Carlos Corberan begins with defeat

The Baggies looked well short of their organised and regimented selves following the Spaniard's dramatic late Christmas Eve departure to Valencia and hosts Derby were worthy Boxing Day winners.

A woeful first period saw the hosts ahead through Jerry Yates. Just as the managerless Baggies seemed to have rallied in the second period a Kayden Jackson strike deflected in off Mason Holgate for an own goal.

It meant the caretaker team of Chris Brunt, Boaz Myhill and Damia Abella, led by the former, tasted a tough defeat in their first outing.

Grady Diangana was a bright substitute and headed in to halve the deficit but a late surge proved fruitless.

Once again this Christmas week - just like Corberan's exit - timing contrived against the Baggies with the scoring of Derby's second.

Abella prowled the technical area, as he had during the entirety of Corberan's reign. The statistical analyst is the sole member of Corberan's staff that will remain at The Hawthorns at least for the interim period.

It did not take the sold-out away allocation in the far corner of the stadium long to break into a chorus of "Ole ole..." in honour of interim head coach Brunt.

It looked like a bright start in the fog for the Baggies, but it proved to be a false dawn as bar a very early Tom Fellows shot over, it was almost all the Rams.

Albion lined up in the 4-4-2 used by the former boss in recent weeks, with John Swift pushed right up next to Josh Maja - but almost immediately the visitors were so open.

Goalkeeper Alex Palmer was far busier than the Baggies would fancy. He made a close-range stop to smother Yates in the opening minutes from one of several fine right-sided deliveries from ex-Baggie junior Kane Wilson.

The shot-stopper was then at his best to react low to his right and keep out a sharp effort from Rams defender Nat Phillips.

Albion tried to take the sting out of the contest but struggled to find or maintain any control. Home captain Nathaniel Mendez-Laing blazed badly over after errors from the poor Uros Racic and Kyle Bartley's misplaced headed clearance.

Brunt tried to motivate from the technical area and, moments later, right-back Darnell Furlong cracked the foot of the left post with a wicked drive from 25 yards.

It wasn't the start of better to come, though, as the Rams earned a deserved lead moments later.

The Baggies were far too generous at Christmas with the space offered out in midfield and Derby's final third. Midfielders were not tracked as Mikey Johnston lost the ball and Derby moved it forward and out left with ease.

Kenzo Goudmijn's through ball was a peach and Yates had space on the left side of the box but still had to convert a pinpoint finish across goal and in off the far post.

Yates was in the mood and almost conjured a quickfire second with a clever flick from a corner that Palmer had to tip over.

Albion were at sea before the interval but came within a coat of paint of an equaliser as Swift's free-kick from 25 yards clipped the outside of the post. Swift had been as bright as anybody in Baggies pink.

The visiting interim team unsurprisingly decided to hook Racic at the break for Jayson Molumby and an energetic start to the second period almost delivered an equaliser but for Callum Elder's stunning block challenge on Fellows. Goudmijn then curled wide from an Albion error in an open clash.

The Baggies tried to up the ante attacking towards the corner housing the away fans.

Johnston had a shot blocked in a crowded box before Jacob Zetterstrom parried Mowatt's strike from range.

Furlong skied Albion's best chance just before the midpoint of the second half after ghosting into the box. Brunt and co. prepared to introduce Karlan Grant and Grady Diangana.

But, not for the first time in recent days, the timing was woeful for Albion.

Heggem lost the ball poorly at left-back. Wilson's shot was blocked by Kyle Bartley but Kayden Jackson's angled strike flew in off Holgate.

Derby substitute Tawanda Chirewa, on loan from Wolves, tested Palmer as Derby hunted a third.

Albion looked down and out but Diangana headed in well at the back post from Fellows' cross with nine minutes left.

A late charge saw Diangana feed Grant but he was denied in a crowded box. The scale of the challenge ahead for Brunt and co. - and owners Bilkul Football was laid bare.

Derby County (4-2-3-1): Zetterstrom; Wilson, Phillips, Nelson, Elder (Bradley, 83) Goudmijn, Adams; Jackson (Forsyth, 71), Harness, Mendez-Laing (c) (Chirewa, 71); Yates.

Subs not used: Vickers, Barkhuizen, Collins, Ward, Blackett-Taylor, Brown. 

Albion (4-4-2): Palmer; Furlong, Bartley, Holgate (Styles, 75), Heggem; Fellows, Racic (Molumby, 45), Mowatt, Johnston (Grant, 69); Swift (Diangana, 69), Maja.

Subs not used: Wildsmith, Frabotta, Diakite, Wallace, Cole.

Attendance: 31,267

Referee: Jarred Gillett