Two first-half Derby goals were enough to take our unwanted run to 13 successive Championship defeats in a 2-1 reverse at Pride Park this afternoon.

We can certainly take heart from a decent first-half display against one of the play-off chasers but conceded what proved to be the winner from yet another cross into the box and, despite some encouraging forward play in the second 45 minutes, it mostly petered out in the final third as our search for a second league win of the season stretched to 30 games.

Dominic Iorfa headed a good opening wide after just two minutes but the home side were ahead nine minutes later when Ben Brereton-Diaz was sent clear of the Wednesday defence by Rhian Brewster and he slotted home past Pierce Charles.

The goalscorer missed a great chance to double the lead soon afterwards when he shot over from close range and Wednesday, backed by a raucous sellout following of 3200 fans, made them pay for that on 17 minutes.

Jamal Lowe’s centre from the left-hand side picked out former Derby loanee Jerry Yates and the striker finished in style with a firm header at the near post for his second goal in successive games.

Brewster sent a header over the bar when he should have hit the target midway through the half but Derby restored their lead just before the interval when Matt Clarke sent a flicked header into the far corner of the net from Joe Ward’s cross.

We began the second half in encouraging fashion but largely lacked a cutting edge in the final third and it was Derby who went closest to adding to their two goals, Patrick Agyemang shooting just wide before Liam Palmer made a vital block late on to foil Bobby Clark’s goalbound effort and so keep the final scoreline to 2-1.

Charles, Fusire (Ugbo 88), Palmer, Iorfa, Otegbayo, Adamarola, Ingelsson, Heskey, McNeill (Ndala 73), J Lowe, Yates (Thornton 84). Unused subs: Stretch, McGhee, Emery, Johnson, Nakamba, Grainger.