Derby climbed to fourth in League One with an impressive 4-0 demolition of Accrington, who remain just above the relegation zone.
County pushed Accrington back from the start and went ahead in the seventh minute when Lewis Dobbin’s cross was deflected to Tom Barkhuizen who scored from eight yards.
It was all Derby and they scored again in the 16th minute when Conor Hourihane finished a slick passing move with a precise low shot from just inside the area.
And the game was over on the stroke of half-time when the Rams added a third goal from the penalty spot.
Craig Forsyth’s shot hit the arm of Ethan Hamilton and David McGoldrick sent Toby Savin the wrong way from 12 yards.
It got worse for Accrington straight from the restart after half-time when Liam Coyle’s back pass was intercepted by Jason Knight who played in Barkhuizen to find the empty net.
But an otherwise good day for Derby was soured when striker William Osula was given a straight red card 11 minutes from the end for kicking Coyle.
