Both of these sides had been knocked out of the FA Cup last weekend with Preston losing at home to Wigan and the Rams losing 3-1 to Leeds at Elland Road.
Yet only one bounced back from that disappointment with Derby hitting their straps early on and largely keeping a flat Preston outfit on the backfoot all afternoon.
The chances, such as they were in a goalless first half, mostly went Derby’s way with Sonder Langas seeing an early headed effort saved and Matt Clarke heading wide in the first quarter of the game.
Preston were effectively shackled for much of the opening period with Milutin Osmajic going closest, forcing a decent stop from Jacob Widell Zetterstrom two minutes before the break.
Shortly after the teams reappeared Agyemang was to miss the chance of the afternoon, at least up until then, after Ben Brereton Diaz rolled the ball invitingly across the area only for the striker to lift his shot over with the goal gaping from seven yards out.
It was therefore to Agyemang’s credit that he refused to let that blunder define his afternoon’s work.
Brereton Diaz and Bobby Clarke had attempted to spare his blushes on 51 minutes and 65 minutes respectively, Jack Walton needing to dive low to deny the latter in the bottom corner.
Eight minutes from time Brereton Diaz crossed for United States international Agyemang who rose above planted Preston defenders to head home unchallenged and seal the points.
Preston were aggrieved not to get a penalty or at least a red card when Lewis Dobbin clashed with Derby’s Bobby Clark on the edge of the box just after the hour mark only for the referee to deem the former’s fall simulation.
It summed up an afternoon when nothing much went right for the hosts in a disappointingly tame display as Derby become the first side to turn over the Lilywhites at home in the league since November.
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