Goals for Kerry Mayo are as rare as wins for Albion have been this season.

The stalwart defender's biggest claim to scoring fame was putting through his own net at Hereford five years ago, which threatened to dump the Seagulls out of the Football League.

Not any more. The Ginger Prince notched the tenth and most valuable goal of his 214 League game career with the club a minute from time to devastate ten-man Derby.

It was his first since September 2000 at Orient and, come the relegation reckoning in May, it could prove absolutely vital.

Mayo's close-range drive, after his header from a Simon Rodger corner hit a post, prised two extra points when boss Steve Coppell would have been content with one.

It capped an eventful afternoon for Mayo. He thought he had scored five minutes before the break, but it was ruled out when a linesman deemed his shot had brushed the chest of a colleague in an offside position.

Two minutes later, Mayo found himself moving from leftback to the middle of defence to cover for the loss of Dean Blackwell's teenage deputy Adam Hinshelwood with a dislocated shoulder.

Albion's second successive home win was another tactical triumph for the astute Coppell.

His decision to stick throughout the match with a back five, which worked so well at Wolves five days earlier, was vindicated by the outcome.

It would have been even if it had ended 0-0. That would still have been a good result for a patched up side, despite Derby playing most of the second half without the red carded Malcolm Christie.

Albion must keep more clean sheets if they are to survive and this was their first since the only other one in the opening home game against Coventry.

Coppell was twice tempted to revert to his favoured 4-4-2, first when Hinshelwood was forced off and then when Christie was sent-off.

Discretion proved better than valour. He was concerned about Derby's aerial power at set pieces from their own trio of centre halves and they still had enough talent on the pitch to catch Albion on the break.

Coppell's caution was justified. Steve Elliott, one of the sturdy stoppers, squandered Derby's best chance by miskicking from close range from a corner soon after Christie's dismissal.

John Gregory whinged afterwards that he couldn't remember Albion having a shot in the whole game. That was rich considering his team didn't manage one on target.

They went close on only one other occasion, Michel Kuipers doing just enough to put Deon Burton off in the first half from Christie's low cross.

Christie, returning from a knee injury, was booked in the 32nd minute for a bone-crunching challenge on Kuipers.

The crowd bayed for a straight red card, but Christie's pace got him to the ball at the same time as the Dutchman after he had looked second favourite.

Gregory felt that caution was harsh and he accused ref Richard Beeby of a lack of common sense when Christie received his marching orders six minutes into the restart.

Gregory argued he was returning the ball back to where an Albion free-kick should have been taken when he rolled it in the general direction of Paul Watson, but it was asking for trouble.

Gregory's mood could not have been helped by Fabrizio Ravanelli crying off from his anticipated return to the starting line-up from a long-term Achilles problem. A slight thigh strain restricted him to the bench.

What a stark contrast that was to the attitude of Bobby Zamora. Doubtful before the match because of Achilles and ankle injuries, he battled on until the last few minutes.

"Bobby was struggling all through the second half and shouldn't really have come back out, but it just shows his commitment to the cause that he was prepared to give it a bash," Coppell said.

Albion missed the buzzing enthusiasm of Graham Barrett, who failed a late fitness test on his injured knee.

Steve Sidwell, the Seagulls' other loan signing from Arsenal, made an industrious debut in Barrett's absence, blemished only by a bad late miss. He blazed over from the penalty spot after a Gary Hart cross hit the upright, but fellow red-head Mayo spared his blushes five minutes later.

"We stick together," Sidwell joked. "I just said thank you very much to him. Apparently he doesn't get on the scoresheet a lot, so there was a bit of banter flying around in the dressing room. He said he has got his tally for the season."

Coppell said: "It was a strange week for us. The massive build up for the TV game at Wolves put us on an emotional high and I was very aware there might be a bit of a let down after that.

"After a very slow start we managed to hang in there and we were just getting hold of the game when the course of it was transformed by the sending off.

"Derby have got some terrific players. One of them (Ravanelli) allegedly earns more than the whole of our squad put together and they have a lot of other big money earners with proven records.

"Most teams playing with five at the back have got one floating midfielder, we have got three hard-working midfielders. If we had a Paul Merson or someone like that we could chop and change a bit more.

"The clean sheet has been a long time coming and I'm delighted with that. I would have settled for a point, but it just shows if you keep on going you have got a chance of picking up all three."

Albion (5-3-2): Kuipers (gk) 7, Watson (rwb) 7, Mayo (lwb) 8, Cullip (cd) 9, Hart (f) 7, Carpenter (cm) 7, Pethick (cd) 7, Hinshelwood (cd) 6, Zamora (f) 7, Rodger (lm) 7, Sidwell (rm) 7. Subs: Oatway, Brooker, Petterson, Jones 6 for Hinshelwood (injured 42), Webb for Zamora (injured 87).

Scorers: Mayo (89).

Bookings: Sidwell (64) foul.

Fan's View: Vic Faulkner (Ashington).

At last the Albion, after some wretched luck, finally get the rub of the green.

Derby might feel aggrieved at the sending off of Christie but I think he should have gone for the foul on Kuipers and the bottom line is they didn't really deserve anything from this game. They were very poor and look like they are in a post-Premiership tailspin.

Kerry Mayo certainly doesn't get many goals and I wonder how important his last-gasp winner will be come the shake up after 46 games?

A worry is the depth of the squad. If we get a number of injuries and suspensions, will we have enough quality in the squad?

If there is no more money from the board then fair enough, the fans have got to keep going with the Forty Note Fund. I've sent my cheque in, what about the rest of you?