Derby County 2 Birmingham 1

Birmingham let slip a one-goal lead to suffer an opening day defeat against Derby County at Pride Park.

Curtis Davies had got Blues' Championship campaign off to the perfect start by headed in Jordon Mutch's 18th minute corner.

But goals from Jason Shackell and Steven Davies before half-time turned the game on its head and Blues simply never recovered.

As expected, it was a very different Blues team that walked out at Pride Park to the one which ended last season so tragically in the Premier League at White Hart Lane.

There were six notable absentees from that fateful line-up in May with Ben Foster, Roger Johnson, Craig Gardner, Sebastian Larsson and Barry Ferguson all departing St Andrews, either on loan or permanently.

Cameron Jerome also remains out injured, along with fellow striker Nikola Zigic and new signing Marlon King.

Manager Chris Hughton handed club league debuts to four of his 'Bosman Blues' summer signings with Steven Caldwell, Chris Burke, Morgaro Gomis and Adam Rooney all making the starting line-up.

Loan signing Boaz Myhill also played in goal while another borrowed player from Albion, last-minute sgning Chris Wood, could only make the bench.

The signing bolstered Hughton's threadbare striking options but the Blues boss opted to play Rooney as a loan striker, with a five-man midfield in support.

One familiar face on the Derby team sheet was former Albion star Kevin Kilbane, who joined the Rams on loan in the summer from Hull.

The home side started with vigour and could have taken the lead as early as the opening minute ,when Lee Croft fired over from a decent position inside the box.

Burke responded by floating over an inviting cross 10 minutes later, which Keith Fahey could only nod wide under pressure from close range.

Goalkeeper Frank Fielding showed his agility to turn away a strong Liam Ridgewell header shortly afterwards, but Davies put the visitors ahead when by nodding home Mutch's left-wing corner.

But Blues lead lasted all of eight minutes, before Shackell fired in the equaliser from a very well-executed Ben Davies free-kick.

At the other end, Jean Beausejour and Rooney drew decent saves from Fielding within a minute of each other, as Blues responded strongly.

When Derby made what appeared to be an enforced change 10 minutes before the break, swapping Russell Anderson for Mark O'Brien, it appeared the momentum was swinging back towards the visitors.

Jamie Ward went into the book late on for a late challenge on Gomis, as things appeared to be unravelling for Nigel Clough's side.

But Davies completed a Derby fight-back with a thumping long-range drive three minutes before the break. The midfielder was given too much space and his dipping effort beat Myhill from distance.

Ward missed a superb chance for Derby within three minutes of the restart, mis-kicking from virtually on the goal-line.

Steven Davies earned the second booking of the game after bundling over Burke just outside the box shortly afterwards, but Mutch though wasted the free-kick firing well over.

However, Mutch almost made amends with a decent run into the box minutes later, but Fahey lobbed the youngster's bobbling pass over Fielding's bar.

Ward should have sown the game up for Derby with 10 minutes gone but somehow headed against the bar, again from virtually point blank range.

With just over half an hour remaining Hughton swapped Fahey for Wood, switching to 4-4-2 in a bid to salvage a result.

Mutch dragged a speculative free kick wide and Rooney then headed into Fielding's hands, as Blues increased the pressure.

Curtis Davies went into the book for a wild challenge on Ward in the middle of the park, as Blues fans got that sinking feeling.

If they didn't by then, they certainly did when Burke struck the bar with 21 minutes left, after a superb run from deep in the Derby half.

The rebound fell to Carr but the Irishman fired wide from about eight yards. It was as close as Blues came to a second.

Blues hearts were then in mouths when Myhill just tipped away Steven Davies long range grass cutter, as the game entered its final 15 minutes.

Fielding later did well to punch away Beausejour's dangerous free-kick eight minutes from time at the other end.

Davies missed the chance to double his tally for the game three minutes from time, only nodding Beausejour's cross wide from inside the box.

In the end, Blues could have few complaints as they ran out of ideas against a hard-working but unspectacular side.