First-half goals from Chris Martin and Tom Ince have helped Derby County secure a 2-0 win over Brentford in the Championship.
David Button was the busier of the two goalkeepers in the opening stages, pulling off a save to deny Cyrus Christie at the far post with eight minutes on the clock.
Derby took the lead in the 20th minute when Christie's measured cross picked out Martin in front of goal and the Rams hitman scrambled the ball home.
Brentford's best chance to equalise came 10 minutes before the break when Akaki Gogia let fly from close range, only to see his shot blocked by Jason Shackell.
The chance went begging, and Brentford would go on to rue that miss as Ince doubled Derby's lead one minute before the break, capping off a swift counter with a composed finish.
Derby went in search of a third in the opening stages of the second half as Craig Forsyth's cross picked out Martin in the box, but the forward's header was deflected wide for a corner.
Philipp Hofmann almost pulled a goal back for the Bees in the 67th minute but Derby goalkeeper Scott Carson was equal to his strike from inside the six-yard box.
Hofmann had a shot cleared off the line in the dying stages by Christie, but Derby held on comfortably to secure the win that fired them up to seventh in the table.
Mark Langshaw
