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CHAMPIONSHIP: DERBY COUNTY 2, SWANSEA CITY 0

- By LEIGH CURTIS

GOALS from Rhian Brewster and Patrick Agyemang moved Derby County into the Championship playoff positions as they beat Swansea City 2-0 at Pride Park Stadium.

After a quiet first half, the Rams took the lead when Brewster fired in after a Callum Elder corner and John Eustace's side then doubled their advantage when Patrick Agyemang scored with a super header for his 10th goal of the season.

While Swansea enjoyed large spells of possession, Rams keeper Josh Vickers remained largely untroubled until the second half when he had to make a save to thwart Malick Yalcouye.

Derby had started the game with some purpose and won a free kick right on the edge of the box.

The ball was worked to Sam Szmodics whose effort was cleared but it didn't matter as the referee's assistant raised his flag.

Joe Ward was next to try his luck and this time forced a good save from Lawrence Vigouroux who got down to his left to prevent the Ram from taking the lead.

Swansea then controlled possession for large spells with Ji-Sung Eom a particular nuisance with his movement.

Ward had to block a shot from Eom before Liam Cullen bent a free-kick just inches wide of the top corner. Eom then cut inside from the left with the space opening up in front of him but curled his shot wide of the upright.

Derby knew they needed to improve in the final third after the break and when Szmodics' deflected shot went behind for a corner, the Rams moved in front.

Elder's delivery was curled into the box where Brewster's header came back to him and he drilled the followup past Vigouroux.

It was to get better for the Rams when Agyemang made it 2-0 with a towering header from another Elder delivery.