Barclays Premier League
Gareth Davis reports from Villa Park

Second-half goals from Martin Laursen and Ashley Young sent Derby to a 2-0 defeat at Aston Villa this afternoon.

The Rams had started well enough and Steve Howard came close with just over a minute on the clock as he forced Scott Carson into a fine save.

Craig Fagan also threatened to open the scoring while Gabriel Agbonlahor was nearest to netting for the home side.

But two simple strikes in a four-minute period after the break were enough to ensure that Derby remained at the foot of the table.

Kenny Miller's hamstring wasn't well enough for the Scot to take part against Aston Villa so his place in attack was taken by Steve Howard, still searching for his first Premier League goal.

There were also recalls for Andy Griffin, in at right-back with Tyrone Mears on the bench, while Dean Leacock returned to take the holding midfield role.

Eddie Lewis was the other player to miss out as Derby made three changes to the side beaten at home to Everton six days previously.

Howard set his sights on that opening strike with just 65 seconds on the clock as he turned some 20 yards out and smashed a shot goalwards that Scott Carson could only fumble over the crossbar for a corner.

Villa then roared back and forced a flag-kick of their own that Zat Knight rose to meet but while his first effort was blocked, the ball bounced back to him and he slammed it into the chest of Stephen Bywater from close-range.

The chances continued on six minutes as Jay McEveley's free-kick reached the home box, where it was nodded on by Howard and then touched down by Giles Barnes, but Craig Fagan couldn't keep his shot on target.

Gareth Barry saw a shot deflected wide off Luke Moore, and on 19 minutes the skipper helped set up his younger colleague on the edge of the box but Moore's effort never threatened to find the back of the net.

Gabriel Agbonlahor then poked a shot agonisingly wide of the far post after Wilfred Bouma's cross was deflected skywards.

Derby had a spell of living dangerously inside their own box and they somehow survived despite some sliced and frantic clearances.

Craig Fagan breaks past Nigel Reo-Coker and Stiliyan Petrov. Picture by EMPICS Sport

Eventually Villa forced a corner that Barry swung in and Martin Laursen met with a downward header that Bywater dived to grab.

Griffin and Barnes both needed treatment and replacement shirts due to pouring blood - Griffin from his nose, Barnes from a cut just above the eye.

Ashley Young was the next to threaten, cutting in from the left on 31 minutes before firing a 20-yard shot into the side-netting at Bywater's near post.

The England squad member was more accurate with his next effort, a 30-yard free-kick that Bywater dived low to his right to push away.

Griffin's 42nd-minute challenge on Young earned the Derby full-back the first yellow card of the afternoon.

There was a half-time change for the Rams as Gary Teale took over from Claude Davis, and that saw the Rams re-organise to 4-4-2.

Leacock dropped back alongside Darren Moore, Barnes in the centre of midfield with Matt Oakley, Fagan up alongside Howard and the width provided by Pearson and Teale.

Moore was soon into the notebook for a foul on Agbonlahor that gave Villa a free-kick in a dangerous area on the left, though they failed to make the most of the opportunity.

Both sides forced a couple of corners in the early stages of the second period but neither could take advantage.

But the opening goal arrived in simple style on 56 minutes.

Young's deep free-kick was allowed to sail all the way over to the far post where England ace Barry was left with plenty of time.

It looked as though he would head for goal but instead he nodded the ball back across for Laursen - who was also left all on his own - to smash it into the net.

And Villa's lead was doubled some four minutes later.

Agbonlahor stole in on a loose pass down the right and although his first shot was saved by Bywater, the ball came back to Nigel Reo-Coker who lifted it over to the far post where Young was on hand to finish from close range.

Ashley Young celebrates scoring the second. Picture by EMPICS Sport

Derby responded by throwing on Robert Earnshaw in place of Fagan.

The Welshman was soon sent scampering away by Barnes but Olof Mellberg recovered to get a vital touch on Earnshaw's shot that sent it spinning just past the post.

Howard directed a header just past the post as Derby looked for a way back into things but the home side appeared to have the game largely under control.

They could have completely wrapped it up on 81 as Agbonlahor cut in from the left and forced Bywater into a smart low save at his near post.

Earnshaw fired over from Howard's flick-on but the game was petering out to a tame ending, though there was a booking for Howard after a number of fouls culminating in a lunge on Mellberg.

VILLA: Carson, Bouma, Mellberg, Laursen, Barry (C), Young (Maloney 68), L Moore (Berger 77), Agbonlahor, Knight (Davies 87), Petrov, Reo-Coker.

SUBS: Taylor (GK), Gardner.

DERBY: Bywater, McEveley, Leacock, Oakley (C), Howard, Fagan (Earnshaw 66), Griffin, Davis, D Moore, Pearson, Barnes.

SUBS: Price (GK), Jones, Mears.

ATTENDANCE: 40,938.