Town find themselves a goal behind to Chris Martin’s 13th minute goal at half-time at Derby County.
Leicester target David McGoldrick was missing from the Town squad having not made the trip after suffering a dead leg in training on Thursday. Whether the 26-year-old would have been considered fit enough to be involved in normal circumstances was the subject of much pre-match discussion.
Elsewhere in the side, Mick McCarthy handed Jonny Parr his Blues debut at left-back, while Teddy Bishop was given his full debut and Kevin Bru his full league debut in midfield.
Tyrone Mings dropped to the bench with Cole Skuse missing out having been ill overnight and Elliott Hewitt, due to injury.
The Blues matched Derby’s formation with Murphy the lone striker and Bishop, Hyam and the more advanced Bru forming a central midfield three with Jay Tabb and Paul Anderson on the left and right respectively.
Chances were rare in a cagey opening spell. Bru created Town’s first opportunity in the eighth minute when he exchanged passes with Murphy before being tripped by Cyrus Christie on the left. Town top scorer Christophe Berra won Tabb’s freekick to the far post but having committed a foul, according to referee Eddie Ilderton.
Derby began to take control, Martin failing to get enough on Jamie Ward’s cross from the left before Parr cut out a subsequent cross from the former Sheffield United man. From the resultant corner, Dean Gerken dropped the ball inside his six-yard box but the Blues eventually scrambled it away.
But a Rams goal wasn’t too long in coming and once again as a result of a defensive horror show from Town.
As the game moved into the 13th minute Ward again escaped down the left and cut the ball across. Tommy Smith blocked but Hyam’s attempted clearance flew straight up in the air inside the area to Martin, who beat Berra and headed goalwards.
Gerken saved across to his right, Parr blocked Johnny Russell’s headed rebound on the line but former Canary Martin was on hand to tuck the loose ball home.
Derby felt they ought to have been awarded a penalty in the 20th minute when Jeff Hendrick went down as Berra looked to challenge. A spotkick would have been very harsh and the Scotland international eventually won the ball.
Hendrick suffered an arm injury in the incident and was forced off with England U21 international Will Hughes taking over.
The Blues, with 18-year-old Bishop increasingly involved, came more into it after the break for the injury, winning a number of corners but without testing Rams keeper Lee Grant.
On 40 Bishop made a strong run through the middle of the Derby midfield before Richard Keogh slid in to dispossess him.
Moments after the fourth official had signalled six additional minutes Martin saw a shot deflect over, then Ward curled a 20-yard strike into Gerken’s arms.
Shortly before the whistle, Christie did well to find himself space on the Derby right before sending over a low ball which Ward diverted wide at the near post.
Town couldn’t complain about the scoreline at the break, particularly given the nature of the goal which was the difference between the teams.
Derby had threatened to get their noses in front prior to the goal and continued to look the most likely scorers of the game’s second goal.
The Blues started to look more of an attacking threat after the interruption for Hendrick’s injury, albeit without creating anything significant in open play and while failing to make the most of a number of corners.
Of the debutants, Bishop had made the biggest impact with Bru finding it hard to get on the ball in the role ahead of the other two central midfielders after a bright start. Parr had got forward on several occasions but so far without sending in a telling ball.
Derby: Grant, Christie, Keogh, Buxton, Forsyth, Eustace, Bryson, Hendrick (Hughes 26), Ward, Russell, Martin. Subs: Roos, Shotton, Whitbread, Dawkins, Best, Mascarell.
Town: Gerken, Parr, Chambers (c), Smith, Berra, Bru, Bishop, Hyam, Anderson, Tabb, Murphy. Subs: Bialkowski, Mings, Bajner, Henshall, McQueen, Clarke, Nouble. Referee: Eddie Ilderton (Tyne and Wear).