FOR BIRMINGHAM, a much needed first victory of the season over a club already perceived, a touch harshly, maybe, to be on their way back to the Championship. Cameron Jerome scored twice, making a point or two to his manager after being overlooked in the opening fortnight, and indeed, could well have had a hat-trick. A scoreline of 1-4 or 1-5 would not have been out of place, such was the inadequate marking of Derby’s central defenders.

As if still recoiling from Spurs having scored four times against them the previous weekend, when accusations of poor defending were rife, Derby immediately conceded another goal.

Andy Todd, the focus of an extensive feature in the match programme, which included the obvious mention of family history via his former manager father, completely failed to dispossess Jerome, who tucked his left-footed shot neatly past Stephen Bywater from a tight angle on the left of the penalty area. All in under a minute.

It would be too trite and even unfair to say that Colin Todd, Andy’s father, would not have lost his man so early in the match, but doubtless several of the older supporters did so. Perhaps at this stage of the season, a time when Derby are not so much looking to consolidate in the Premiership as fret about avoiding an instant return to the Championship, such a comparison with one of the club’s greatest players is best avoided.

Inevitably after that, there was an element of panic. How could it be otherwise when, two weeks into the season, the assumption already was that the team which lost this fixture might well be facing relegation?

Midway through the second half Birmingham should have been two if not three goals to the good. Mikael Forssell, again poorly marked, spun away from Derby’s central defenders and was foiled only by an excellent, smothering save by Bywater.

Then Radhi Jaidi, the centre-half from Tunisia via Bolton, headed against the crossbar, without, unluckily for him, the ball rebounding into a packed penalty area. By now, the 20th minute, Derby had had scant possession and just one shot, from some 20 yards by Gary Teale, the ball covered by Maik Taylor as it veered beyond his right-hand post. Often, though, there was more activity on the touchline, not least during a spat between two managers, Billy Davies and Steve Bruce, who were jumping up and down like the Flowerpot Men.

Birmingham had one further chance to extend their lead in the first half, when, just before the interval, Gary McSheffrey played Fabrice Muamba clear through the middle, and, instead of dribbling round the goalkeeper, as many a forward with a nose for goal would have done, he attempted a shot that was relatively easily parried.

So, 0-4 would not have been out of the question at this stage of the match. For that matter, 0-5 might not have appeared an exaggeration a minute after half-time. Jerome looked to play Forssell clear but overhit the pass a fraction, not allowing his fellow striker sufficient time to pick his spot.

Straight after that, Jerome made the mistake of laying the ball off rather than having a shot himself from a promising position. So when Derby equalised, Matt Oakley driving Eddie Lewis’ left-wing cross into the far corner, it was a surprise indeed.

After 62 minutes, though, Jerome scored his second. He had something to prove, of course, having been left on the substitutes bench for Birmingham’s first three matches of the season.

Now, when a cross from Stephen Kelly was flicked on by Sebastian Larsson to him at the far post, he was poorly marked once more. The finish, a hooked shot as he fell away to his left, was finely taken.

Derby utilised all three of their substitutes, but to no effect. In fact the goal they scored was through one of only three shots they had on target throughout the match.

It hardly needs stating that at home, at this level, and, it could be added, against this opposition in the lower reaches of the Premiership table, that simply will not do. They are now in bottom place, and they do not look like improving on that situation in the immediate future.

Player ratings: Derby: Bywater 6; Griffin 6,Todd 5, Davis 5 (Moore, 60min, 5), McEveley 6; Teale 6 (Leacock, 85min, 5), Pearson 6, Oakley 6, Lewis 6 (Earnshaw, 73min, 5); Howard 5, Fagan 5.

Birmingham: Taylor 6; Kelly 6, Jaidi 6, Ridgewell 6, Parnaby 6; Kapo 6, Muamba 6 (Sadler, 85min, 5), Djourou 6, McSheffrey 6 (Nafti, 73min, 5); Forssell 6 (Larsson, 60min, 5 ), Jerome 7.