Barclays Premier League
Gareth Davis reports from Pride Park Stadium

Matt Oakley scored his second goal of the season but it wasn't enough to earn Derby a point against Birmingham.

The visitors went in front through Cameron Jerome with only 32 seconds on the clock as Pride Park was shell-shocked by a disastrous start.

Gary Teale came close in the first half before Oakley levelled matters six minutes after the break thanks to an Eddie Lewis assist.

But the decisive moment came on 63 as Jerome smashed home his second of the afternoon.

Craig Fagan saw a shot saved by Maik Taylor, who also pushed away Oakley's stoppage-time drive.

Eddie Lewis came in for his Derby County debut against Birmingham - but the game couldn't have got off to a worse start for the home side.

There were just 32 seconds showing on the clock when Steve Bruce's Blues went in front.

Mikael Forssell picked up the ball on the edge of the Derby box and slipped it through to Cameron Jerome, who looked to have the angle against him but found the slightest of gaps at Stephen Bywater's far post.

There had barely been time to digest the team news that saw Craig Fagan partnering Steve Howard in attack, Lewis on the left of midfield with the returning Gary Teale on the right, Andy Griffin taking over from the injured Tyrone Mears at right-back and Claude Davis partnering Andy Todd in the centre of defence.

Derby's search for a quick response found the feet of Fagan on six minutes, after Teale's fine pass, but the former Birmingham man's turn and shot was snuffed out at source against his old club.

Teale saw a low skimming effort turned wide on 11 minutes by Maik Taylor but curiously referee Lee Probert awarded a goal-kick to the visitors - denying Taylor credit for what was an excellent save.

Jay McEveley tries to get to grips with Stephen Kelly. Picture by EMPICS Sport

Derby threatened with a series of balls into the box from Teale and Jay McEveley but neither's deliveries were met by a white shirt.

At the other end Olivier Kapo drove a 14th-minute free-kick into the Derby wall from a few yards outside the penalty area.

The visitors should have doubled their lead on 23 as Forssell was sent clear by a pass over the top but took too long and was denied by a fine Bywater save.

From the resulting corner Radhi Jaidi rose at the far post and smacked a header against the crossbar.

Lewis's first real chance to deliver a ball into the box came on the half-hour and though his corner wasn't great, it did produce a good opportunity.

Kapo's header down at the near post only came to Teale, who never really had the ball sitting down for him and he blazed it into the side-netting.

On 38 the Rams could have done a lot better than eventually produce a long-range Matt Oakley effort that bobbled wide.

Lewis was involved down the left and he slipped the ball inside to Pearson, who in turn touched it on to Fagan.

The former Birmingham man couldn't gather but it found its way to Howard, who wasn't able to get the ball fully under control eight yards from goal and the chance was snuffed out, before Oakley had his crack.

Derby were split open on 43 by McSheffrey's pass through the middle which sent Muamba clear but Bywater was out to the edge of his box to block.

And the home side quickly broke for a move which ended in Teale hooking Pearson's deflected cross narrowly past the far post with Taylor beaten.

Derby forced the second period's first corner but it almost saw them fall two behind.

Birmingham cleared their lines and broke two on two with Jerome carrying the ball forward, and he played a perfectly-timed pass through to Forssell.

But the Fin didn't take advantage of the opportunity and slipped in the process of shooting wide.

Derby had another escape on 49 as Jerome again broke quickly but was forced wide, allowing the Rams time to regroup, and Forssell then saw his shot deflected past the post.

But within seconds they were level.

Lewis found space on the left and bided his time before lifting the ball across to the far post, where Oakley was on hand to drive it into the back of the net.

The action continued as Jerome was once again involved to lift the ball over to the far post where McSheffrey nodded it down for Forssell, who once again missed the target.

But the goal had clearly lifted Derby and Pearson was next to charge into the box, only to be denied by a combination of Taylor and Jaidi.

Derby's first change came on the hour as a straight swap saw Darren Moore take over from Davis, who appeared to still be feeling the effects of his rib injury as he left the field.

Birmingham switched things around at the same time as Forssell hobbled off, his place taken by Sebastian Larsson.

But some slack defending saw Derby fall behind again shortly afterwards.

Stephen Kelly clipped a ball in from the right and Larsson was given too much space as he nodded it on to Jerome, who finished expertly from 12 yards as the ball rose up in front of him.

Stephen Bywater is beaten as Birmingham go 2-1 up. Picture by EMPICS Sport

And Jerome had a good chance to complete his hat-trick on 64 from McSheffrey's inviting low cross, but the number ten could only fire over the bar while under pressure from Moore.

Jaidi picked up the game's first yellow card with 20 minutes to go for a foul on Fagan.

Lewis's afternoon came to an end on 73 as he was replaced by Robert Earnshaw, with Fagan moving out to the left, while the visitors threw on Medhi Nafti in place of McSheffrey.

Birmingham should have added a third soon afterwards as Djourou met Larsson's free-kick, but the on-loan Arsenal man only managed to plant his free header past the post.

The feet of Taylor denied Fagan an equaliser with eight on the clock as the forward's thunderous volley threatened to find a gap at the near post.

Substitutions were once again timed to perfection as Matt Sadler took over from Muamba, and Dean Leacock replaced Teale with five minutes to go.

The move meant that Moore would play out the final stages of the game up with the forwards to give some extra physical presence in attack.

But it was skipper Oakley who came closest to an equaliser with a low stoppage-time effort that Taylor dived to push wide of his right-hand post.

Bywater went up for the resulting corner and despite the ball heading towards the Birmingham box with regularity there was to be no late recovery.

DERBY: Bywater, Griffin, Davis (Moore 60), Todd, McEveley, Teale, Oakley (C), Pearson, Lewis (Earnshaw 73), Howard, Fagan.

SUBS: Price (GK), Jones.

BIRMINGHAM: Taylor, Kelly, Ridgewell (C), Forssell (Larsson 60), Jerome, McSheffrey (Nafti 73), Djourou, Parnaby, Kapo, Jaidi, Muamba (Sadler 85).

SUBS: Kingson (GK), O'Connor.

ATTENDANCE: 31,117 (1,901 visiting fans).