Two unbeaten records went head-to-head in this afternoon's East Midlands derby in the Championship.
Nottingham Forest had three wins and a draw at home while Derby had the same record on their travels going into the game.
It was Forest who continued their fine form by seeing off rivals Derby by a single goal at the City Ground.
Read how it all unfolded in our minute-by-minute updates below.
Morning all! The first Football League game of the day is a really tasty affair between rivals Forest and Derby in the second tier. No time to waste, let's get to the teams...
FOREST XI: Darlow; Lichaj, Collins, Hobbs, Cohen; Moussi, Lansbury, Reid; Mackie, Henderson, Majewski
DERBY XI: Grant; Smith, Keogh, Buxton, Forsyth; Eustace, Bryson, Hughes; Ward, Martin, Russell
SUBS! And the two benches this afternoon:
FOREST: De Vries, Halford, Harding, Jara, Derbyshire, Abdoun, Cox
DERBY: Deeney, Gjokaj, Freeman, Bennett, Davies, Sammon, Jacobs
FOREST: De Vries, Halford, Harding, Jara, Derbyshire, Abdoun, Cox
DERBY: Deeney, Gjokaj, Freeman, Bennett, Davies, Sammon, Jacobs
Plenty of change in the Forest side there. Kelvin Wilson hasn't recovered from a back injury so Danny Collins continues in the centre of defence. There's also no place in the squad for Nathaniel Chalobah, who was expected to make his home debut.
Derby, meanwhile, continue with the same XI that were seen off by Reading a week ago.
The #dcfc matchday squad play a possession game at the City Ground ahead of kick-off https://t.co/PVjcgewbpD
— Derby County (@dcfcofficial) September 28, 2013
As you can see from that Vine, it's a lovely day in Nottingham. The stands look pretty sparse at the moment but the City Ground will be rocking in 15 minutes' time when the two sides stride out for kickoff.
REFEREE WATCH! The man in charge today is Simon Hooper. He's yet to award a red card in games he's officiated this season but it could be a fiery affair today!
The last match both sides played was in the Capital One Cup in midweek. Both were knocked out by fellow Championship clubs as Forest went down 2-1 at Burnley while Derby lost by the same scoreline at Leicester.
Forest manager Billy Davies tells Sky Sports News that today is a wonderful day for football. Opposite number Nigel Clough says that he will tell his players to do what they've done against Forest in the last few games. They've not lost to Forest in the last four outings, winning three of those.
PREDICTION! Just five minutes separates us from kickoff at the City Ground. I don't expect both sides to still have their respective unbeaten home and away records come two o'clock, there will be a result either way. I fancy Forest to continue their sizzling home form and am going for a 2-0 home win.
Before we get underway, let me just point you in the direction of our live coverage of the lunchtime game in the Premier League between Spurs and Chelsea. Kickoff there is in half an hour but our buildup is well underway with Jack Prescott here.
HUGE reception for the two sides as they walk out of the tunnel.
KICKOFF! The two sides change ends before Forest get us underway in the sunshine. Let's hope for a match worthy of the legendary Brian Clough name that is associated with both of these sides.
A foul inside the first 10 seconds as Reid chases a ball to the corner and slides in carelessly on Smith. Fantastic atmosphere!
Mighty roar from the Forest fans as they win a corner. Majewski takes it but doesn't beat the first man.
I wonder who made the decision to switch ends. Most players would prefer to shoot towards their own fans in the second half but it's the other way round today.
Forest are the side doing all of the attacking at the moment. Both Cohen and Mackie have had good openings to cross but overhit their centres.
Reid shows them how it's done with a brilliant cross from the touchline that Keogh heads clear with Henderson ready to pounce.
Henderson picks out Mackie on the right of the area with a clever switch of play. The former QPR man sizes up Forsyth but can't get past the Derby left-back.
SAVE! Reid feeds it to Majewski, who has acres of space on the edge of the box. He hits it early with his left, forcing Grant in a fingertip save with the ball heading for the corner.
WASTE! Huge chance for Derby on the counter. Russell streaks forward down th left and feeds it inside to Bryson. All the midfielder has to do is poke it on for the unmarked Hughes but he plays it behind the youngster.
YELLOW! First booking of the game goes to Keogh. The Derby skipper is a little unlucky as he slipped over but then clipped Majewski who was about to get past and bear down on the area.
It's clear that Derby are happy to let Forest have the ball but they are always looking to counter-attack. Again they outnumber the red shirts but mess up the final ball once more.
FOREST SUB: The hosts are forced into an early change as Moussi has picked up an injury. Left-back Dan Harding comes on in his place and that means that Cohen will now move up into midfield.
Derby are the more threatening side at the moment but they keep fluffing their lines in the final third. This time it's Ward who can't quite get on the end of a ball in the area.
"BOOOOOO" go the Forest fans as Bryson escapes a booking for denying Forest a quick free kick. Odd for Hooper not to caution the Derby man there.
Forest tweet: "Plenty of blood and thunder here so far but not many goalscoring opportunities." Blood and thunder!
SHOT! Bryson lets fly from at least 30 yards and has Darlow worried as his low shot bounces a yard or so wide of the left-hand post.
Quick reminder to open this link in a new tab and follow Jack's coverage of the London derby between Spurs and Chelsea, which is kicking off momentarily. I'll let you know of any goals/incidents at White Hart Lane.
Ward bursts forward and has a pop from outside the area that's blocked by Hobbs. After that bright start from Forest you have to congratulate Derby for taking the game to the hosts in the last quarter of an hour or so.
Forest's tweet about blood was right! Mackie is bleeding from the forehead after an accidental clash of heads between him and Buxton. He might need stitches on that.
Mackie has been bandaged up and is back in the game. Good to see. Down the other end and Derby have a free kick 30 yards from goal after a soft foul from Collins on Hughes.
Ward takes it and blazes it high and wide. Poor effort.
More Derby pressure sees them earn their first corner. Again Ward is the man on the set piece but it doesn't result in anything as Forest head away.
In the last 10 minutes Derby have had a whopping 68% of the ball!
CHANCE! Best chance of the match so far as Forsyth crosses from the left and Russell gets in front of his man but misses the header! It hits Harding and still forces Darlow into a save but it's an easy one.
GOAL! FOREST 1-0 DERBY (HOBBS)
The City Ground is sent crazy as Hobbs is left completely unmarked to run onto Reid's corner and bullet a header into the net.
What on earth were Derby doing there?! They've been playing really well but ruined all that good work by leaving Hobbs on his own.
Both Hughes and Ward try their luck from distance but don't test Darlow with shots that rise high over the bar.
FOUR minutes of time added on.
Ward has seen plenty of the ball but continues to be wasteful. His cross this time is caught by Darlow under the bar.
CHANCE! Forest almost double their lead as a cross falls to Mackie, whose shot is blocked and then just about scrambled clear.
HALF-TIME: FOREST 1-0 DERBY
It's Forest who lead thanks to Hobbs's 41st-minute header. Derby will feel hard done by but only have themselves to blame for such poor marking.
If you're only just joining us and want a short summary of the opening 45, click here to read our HT report.
UPDATE! In the London derby Spurs have just taken the lead thanks to a well-worked goal finished off by Gylfi Sigurdsson. Live coverage here.
The stats suggest that it's been a pretty even half with possession 51-49% in Forest's favour while it's 6-7 in the shot count. Forest have got 50% of those efforts on target though while Derby are yet to test Darlow.
As it stands, Forest are going second in the table with a win while Derby will be seven points behind their rivals if it stays this way. Click here for full table.
KICKOFF! We're back underway at the City Ground. No changes from either side at the break.
Instant chance for Derby as Russell is left on his own on the left of the area but can only find a red shirt with his low cross.
Majewski has a go from distance but doesn't trouble Grant with a shot that almost goes out of the ground!
Little action of note in the last five minutes or so. Forest have slowed down the pace of the game and Derby are doing little going forward.
Lichaj with an outrageous 35-yard volley that, unsurprisingly for a right-back, goes nowhere near the goal.
YELLOW! Harding is booked for bringing down Russell who was looking to break and get a shot away.
DERBY SUB: Clough makes his first change by brining on Connor Sammon for Russell up front.
Here's Hobbs celebrating that emphatic header:
© Getty Images
© Getty Images
WHAT A MISS! Henderson has just missed an absolute sitter to double Forest's lead. Reid sent in a cross that Henderson simply had to head home from six yards under no pressure whatsoever. Somehow he missed the target.
Derby win a free kick left of the area but once again Ward is disappointing with the delivery as he makes it easy for Darlow to catch.
FOREST SUB: Second change of the match for the hosts sees Djamel Abdoun come on for Majewski.
Another chance for Henderson as Lansbury heads a cross high into the air that Henderson manages to get to ahead of Buxton, but can only head straight at Grant.
UPDATE! In the capital it's 1-0 Spurs at half time. Click here to read our HT report.
Derby work a short corner that Hughes cuts back for Martin. The number 9 shifts the ball onto his right foot before firing over the top. Replays show that the ball did take a nick off a Forest boot but Hooper didn't see and awarded a goal kick.
Lichaj isn't booked for a late tackle on Ward as we enter the final quarter of the game.
For all their solid play in midfield, Derby have been pretty blunt up top. Granted, Forest's defence has been good but they're still yet to have a shot on target.
YELLOW! Forest sub Abdoun is booked for a challenge right on the edge of the area. Big chance for Derby here...
Hughes curls it over the wall but Darlow's gone across and makes a comfortable save. It's Derby's first shot on target after 75 minutes.
YELLOW! Another booking for a man in red as Mackie slides in and is late on Forsyth.
PENALTY TO FOREST!
KEOGH SENT OFF FOR DERBY!
HENDERSON'S PENALTY SAVED BY GRANT!
Superb stop from Grant to tip Henderson's penalty around the right-hand post. Hooper pointed to the spot after Keogh had slid in and then sent off the Derby skipper for a second yellow.
Derby will be buoyed by that but are a man light now so a late comeback in the final 10 minutes will be difficult.
Eustace has dropped from midfield into defence to fill the gap left by Keogh.
FOREST SUB: Davies makes his final change by bringing on Greg Halford for Henderson, who's had a torrid afternoon, missing that easy header and then having his penalty saved.
YELLOW! Cohen is the latest Forest man to be be booked for bringing down Hughes right on the edge of the area.
Bryson takes it but can't beat the wall. Time running out for the Rams.
Ward gets in behind down the right but yet again his delivery is disappointing and blocked out for a corner.
Harding's deep cross is headed back across the area by Halford where Abdoun can't get to the ball first.
Ward is fuming with referee Hooper after his shot takes a deflection but a goal kick is given.
FIVE minutes of time added on at the end.
UPDATE! Chelsea equalise at White Hart Lane as John Terry gets the slightest of touches on Juan Mata's free kick.
Clough almost has something to celebrate as Sammon half-volleys at goal from the edge of the box. It's a little too close to Darlow though who holds well.
YELLOW! Forsyth is cautioned for bringing down Halford. Just a couple more minutes left.
CHANCE! Late opening for Forest as Reid is played in on goal. He curls for the corner but can't beat Grant's strong hands.
FULL-TIME: FOREST 1-0 DERBY
Billy Davies's men go second in the Championship as they extend their unbeaten home run to five games.
Jack Hobbs's 41st-minute header settles it at the City Ground. Derby actually played quite well but simply weren't clinical enough up front.
Reid tells Sky Sports News that this victory was "for the fans" as they haven't beaten their rivals for a couple of years. "It doesn't matter if it's 1-0 or 10-0," adds Reid.
Thanks for joining SM this afternoon. We now have live coverage of the Premier League as well as the feature Championship match between Millwall and Leeds, which will be live on site in around 10 minutes' time. Stick around!
Written by
Pascal Lemesre
Pascal Lemesre
