Ipswich form falters as Derby win

'I will stay here for three months and then I will look for somewhere else to go. That's my mission - to take Derby away from relegation. 'My religion and my belief helps me and it can help the other players too. I think Darryl Powell has a strong belief but not many of the others have. Faith in God would help them. It would give them strength in life and in football.' Powell, always a good barometer for feelings inside Derby's dressing-room, insisted that the win will mean nothing unless his team capitalise on it. As such, he argued, the club's position in January will be a better guide.

By then, West will be nearing the final month of his stay in the Premiership and his arrival has certainly brought some experience to Smith's side. It may be no coincidence that Derby have now kept four clean sheets in five Premiership games.

As a result, Derby's confidence is beginning to grow and they showed great tenacity to hang on to Delap's goal as the emergency striker cut in from the left to score via a deflection. Ipswich, however, were short of the form that had had taken them to third position before play and they threatened only on three occasions. James Scowcroft tried an overhead kick, Mark Venus dashed clear to bring a low save from Mart Poom and John McGreal should have scored at the far post.

For once, though, it was not their day and the few boos that were heard at full-time said everything for the way expectations have been raised in Suffolk.