Barclays Premier League
Gareth Davis reports from Pride Park Stadium

A quickfire double from Roque Santa Cruz and David Bentley saw Blackburn turn things around and earn a 2-1 win at Pride Park after they had fallen behind to Matt Oakley's third goal of the season.

The skipper struck on 26 minutes with a firm finish through Brad Friedel's legs after being fed by Giles Barnes.

Friedel then showed his prowess when facing a penalty with an excellent low save to his right from Steve Howard's spot-kick, seconds before Santa Cruz tapped in the leveller.

A Bentley effort from distance four minutes before the interval saw Blackburn take a lead they wouldn't relinquish, and they had chances to extend it through Santa Cruz and McCarthy.

Claude Davis came closest to a second-half equaliser for the Rams.

Claude Davis and Matt Oakley were passed fit before kick-off having both missed the draw at Newcastle and the defeat to Liverpool with knee and thigh injuries respectively.

And there was a return to the starting line-up for Michael Johnson, after a substitute appearance against Liverpool on Boxing Day, while Jon Macken - recalled early from his loan at Barnsley - was among the substitutes.

But Robert Earnshaw, Stephen Pearson, Stephen Bywater, David Jones, Andy Griffin and Andy Todd were still on the sidelines with their own injury problems.

The visitors recalled striker Benni McCarthy to partner in-form Roque Santa Cruz, while they were without giant defender Christopher Samba whose wife is due to give birth any time.

There was a slightly unexpected shape to Derby's midfield with skipper Oakley wider on the right and Giles Barnes in the middle, rather than the other way around as they had been previously this season.

Both sets of players were sporting black armbands in memory of Phil O'Donnell, who had tragically collapsed and died while playing for Motherwell the previous day.

The 35-year-old had been a player under Paul Jewell at Sheffield Wednesday during the 2000/01 season.

Derby had an escape on five minutes. David Bentley lifted over a corner from the left that Santa Cruz met with a glancing header, only to see Tyrone Mears clear his effort off the line, and from the follow-up McCarthy's shot was blocked by Johnson.

The neater football was certainly coming from Blackburn though neither side was seriously threatening to break through by the quarter-hour mark.

A couple of Eddie Lewis free-kicks for Derby caused some concern in the visiting area, while David Bentley was looking likely to create something for Rovers.

Lewis Price was called into action for the first time on 18 minutes though he wasn't seriously tested by McCarthy's turn and shot from the penalty spot.

Blackburn had the ball in the net on 19, as Santa Cruz powered home a header, but the flag was already up to signal that Bentley's cross had gone over the line for a goal-kick before coming back in to play.

But Derby rallied after a spell of Blackburn pressure and opened the scoring on 26 minutes.

Mears chipped in a ball from the right and Oakley stepped over it inside the box, allowing Barnes to play him back in so that he could finish well through Brad Friedel's legs from ten yards.

The goal saw Oakley draw level with Kenny Miller on three for the season, though it was his first since August.

Matt Oakley celebrates opening the scoring. Picture by EMPICS Sport

Blackburn captain Ryan Nelsen was first to see referee Peter Walton's yellow card, for a foul on Miller that left the Rams with a great chance from a free-kick right on the edge of the box, but to the right of goal.

Up stepped Lewis, but the American's strike was blocked by the well-placed defensive wall.

Price was then left scrambling across goal as Bentley's half-volley was deflected just past the post with the visitors looking for a quick response.

But on 36 a quick break upfield saw Miller charge into the area and he was hauled down by Nelsen, already on a yellow, leaving Walton no option but to give the Rams their first penalty of the season.

Up stepped Howard but his powerful effort was well saved by Friedel, diving low to his right.

Steve Howard sets his sights from the spot only to be denied by Brad Friedel. Picture by EMPICS Sport

The ball came loose and Lewis picked up a booking for catching Friedel with a late challenge as both men tried to get there first.

And the Rams were punished two minutes later. Bentley's ball in from the right was picked up by McCarthy, on the edge of the six-yard box, but his effort was well-saved by Price.

However, Santa Cruz was left unmarked to steal in and roll the loose ball into an empty net from no more than two yards.

That's Premier League football in a nutshell - an opportunity is missed at one end, and the opposition steam forward to make the most of a let-off.

And amazingly the visitors turned it around to go in front four minutes before the interval.

Derby failed to clear as Blackburn attacked down the left and Bentley cut inside on to his right foot before smashing a superb low effort that found Price's bottom corner.

The England hopeful is always dangerous from such positions, as he has shown on many occasions over the last couple of years.

Oakley threatened with a pair of half-volleys, the second palmed around the post by Friedel, but Derby failed - as they had done throughout the first half - to make the most of a corner.

There was a half-time change for the Rams as Benny Feilhaber took over from Deann Leacock in the middle of midfield.

The American almost made a quick impact as he picked up the ball in the centre circle and made ground to the edge of the D, where he fired in a swerving effort that Friedel did exceptionally well to push away.

A fantastic block from Johnson prevented Morten Gamst Pedersen from extending Blackburn's lead and they were almost made to pay as Miller broke inside the box, only to lose his footing at the vital moment.

Benny Feilhaber tries to get a foot in on David Bentley. Picture by EMPICS Sport

Aaron Mokoena then saw yellow on 51 for a foul on Oakley.

Another good opportunity went to the visitors as Bentley stormed forward and slipped the ball through to McCarthy, who saw his shot expertly blocked by Price, before controversy followed as Mokoena caught Oakley with another dangerous challenge but Walton was unmoved.

The Rams were forced into a re-shuffle shortly before the hour as Johnson hobbled off after pulling up, and was replaced by Craig Fagan.

Lewis dropped in at left-back, McEveley moved across to the centre, while Fagan took up a position on the right of a front three with Miller and Howard.

And with things still settling down, Pedersen stepped up some 20 yards out and whipped a free-kick just past the post that Price was not reaching had it been on target.

Stephen Warnock was the next to go into the book, Oakley once again the recipient of a late challenge, though the free-kick in a dangerous position on the right came to nothing.

Mears lifted Pride Park with a galloping run down the right, showcasing some remarkable pace as he sped past Pedersen and Warnock, though Friedel was there to claim his low cross just ahead of Barnes.

A fine tip over by Price, from Santa Cruz's header after a Bentley cross, stopped the visitors making it 3-1 on 73 minutes, though they kept up the pressure as Oakley cleared a scrambled Pedersen effort off the line and Bentley then struck a post.

Claude Davis gets up with Roque Santa Cruz. Picture by EMPICS Sport

The Rams' final throw of the substitution dice saw Macken make his first appearance in a Derby shirt since the second leg of the play-off semi-final when he came on for Miller with 11 minutes left.

Macken had scored three goals in his final two games of a loan spell with Coca-Cola Championship side Barnsley before being recalled due to Derby's injury problems.

He was quickly in the action with a knock-back for Oakley, who struck his 20-yard shot narrowly too high.

Macken was the provider once again on 87 as he picked up Barnes's over-hit corner and lifted it back into the middle, where Davis rose but glanced his header just past the post.

Derby had the ball inside the Blackburn box with a couple of dangerous stoppage-time set-pieces but ultimately their efforts came to nothing.

DERBY: Price, McEveley, Leacock (Feilhaber HT), Johnson (Fagan 58), Oakley (C), Howard, Miller (Macken 79), Lewis, Davis, Mears, Barnes.

SUBSTITUTES: Hinchliffe (GK), Teale.

BLACKBURN: Friedel, Warnock, Tugay (Dunn 90), Nelsen (C), Emerton, Santa Cruz, McCarthy (Derbyshire 87), Bentley, Pedersen (Olsson 83), Khizanishvili, Mokoena.

SUBSTITUTES: Brown (GK), Berner.

ATTENDANCE: 30,048 (1,229 visiting fans).