AFTER Elland Road elation came Pride Park frustration for Middlesbrough.

Michael Carrick’s side had more than two thirds of the ball and six times as many shots as Derby but it was the hosts who picked up all three points on Saturday.

What made it even more difficult for Boro to stomach was the fact the only goal of the game was a gift for the hosts, Isaiah Jones’ 14th minute error punished by Kayden Jackson.

From that point onwards it was one-way traffic as Boro pushed for a leveller they’ll no doubt feel their dominance deserved, but the stubborn and organised Rams were defensively firm and at times fortunate. Delano Burgzorg’s shot crashed back off the post at the midway stage of the second half not long after the summer signing – in the team in place of the injured Riley McGree – had headed home only to be denied by the offside flag.

Boro were denied by home keeper Josh Vickers on a few occasions but lacked the clinical touch needed in the front third. Only four of their 20 shots on goal were on target.

Carrick turned to Tommy Conway in the final stages, the striker introduced from the bench after completing his move from Bristol City 24 hours earlier, but there was no dream start for the 22-year-old. Boro will be left wondering how they didn’t manage to hit the net at least once – a frustrating end to what had been a perfect first week of the campaign on and off the pitch.

McGree’s niggle meant a first league start for Burgzorg and the former Huddersfield loanee created Boro’s first chance of the game, beating two men to create a yard for himself on the edge of the box before Hayden Hackney teed up Jones, whose cross just evaded Emmanuel Latte Lath.

After almost creating the opening goal for Boro, Jones gifted Derby the lead. Under little pressure, the winger – and last man - opted to pass back to Seny Dieng when a Boro corner was headed clear. But Jones failed to get anywhere near enough substance on his pass, allowing Jackson to pounce on his loose ball, race clear, round Dieng and slot home.

Two forced changes prevented Derby from building any momentum after their opening goal but the Rams were happy to sit deep and frustrate Boro, who had almost two thirds of the possession in the first half and more than three times as many shots on goal as the hosts but struggled to carve out any clear cut chances.

Finn Azaz looked Boro’s likeliest route to a leveller and peppered Derby’s goal with efforts from distance but couldn’t force the equaliser, while Jones attempted to make amends for his error, picking out Morris, whose cross somehow evaded everyone is it flashed across goal before forcing home keeper Vickers into a smart save in the last minute of stoppage time.

Moments earlier, Vickers had been warned by referee Bobby Madley for timewasting, an indication of what Boro were to expect after the break.

Other than an early chance for Ben Osborn, the early stages of the second half were played in the Derby half: Boro probing, the hosts sitting. Latte Lath headed just wide from an Ayling effort before Morris and Azaz both tried their luck from the edge of the box, both dragging their shots wide.

Hackney was denied by a superb Vickers save and from the resulting corner the midfielder’s lofted ball was headed in by Burgzorg but the forward was denied an equaliser by the offside flag. Boro kept pushing but it started to have the feel of one of those days when Burgzorg’s shot crashed back off the post at the midway point of the second half.

That came just moments after Carrick had turned to his bench, Dan Barlaser and Micah Hamilton introduced. And 10 minutes later Conway followed, on for his debut. And in the 90th minute Josh Coburn was thrown into the action but Derby saw it out.