Derby County's goal hero Jason Knight apologised to Krystian Bielik for his "lazy" pass in the lead-up to the sending off against Charlton.

The 19-year-old, whose brace inspired 10-man Derby to a 2-1 victory, saw his pass go astray before Bielik lunged in recklessly against Conor Gallagher.

Referee Jeremy Simpson showed the former Charlton loanee a straight red card which reduced the hosts to 10 men.

Knight had edged the hosts in front prior to the sending off, but then grabbed just his second-ever senior goal after half-time, before Lyle Taylor's late penalty set up a tense finish at Pride Park.

Knight told the club's website: “I was frustrated in myself because it would be a lazy pass and I went in and said sorry to Krystian and apologised to him [afterwards].

“We reacted well to it and we got on with the game very well.”

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It failed to detract from a special night for him nonetheless as he reacted fastest to a loose ball inside the Charlton penalty area to head in the opener after 11 minutes.

After goalkeeper Dillon Phillips thwarted Martyn Waghorn at close-range from Andre Wisdom's inviting cross, the ball looped into the air before Knight scrambled to it and nodded home.

The midfielder said: “I’ll take what I can get, really. If it goes in off my head then I will take it. I saw the ball drop and I just thought I would throw myself at it and see what happens.

“I got a nice boot out of it in the face but that happens sometimes.”

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That was before he combined with fellow 19-year-old Max Bird to score the second, wandering in unmarked at the back post for an easy finish.

He added: “I gave Max Bird a lot of praise to pick me out in that situation. There were a lot of bodies running at him in that situation and then it was a nice little finish from myself and it was nice to get a second goal to secure the win at the end.”

Bielik helped Charlton win promotion to the Championship last season via the League One play-offs when he joined on loan from Arsenal.

He then left the Gunners to join beaten play-off Championship finalists Derby that summer on a five-year deal for an undisclosed fee.