Leicester City came out on top in the East Midlands derby at the King Power Stadium to keep up the pressure on the Championship's top two this evening.
The Foxes took the lead after just six minutes when Zak Whitbread rose highest to head home Martin Waghorn's corner.
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Waghorn then tested Adam Legzdins himself by curling a free kick towards the top corner that the Derby stopper palmed away with both hands.
Leicester went two up midway through the first half when Anthony Knockaert stole the ball and fed Waghorn to poke home from 12 yards.
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Knockaert then forced Legzdins into a save at full stretch as Leicester pushed for a third but it was Derby who next found the net.
Michael Jacobs cut inside and clipped into Theo Robinson, who held off a challenge before lashing past Kasper Schmeichel on the volley to pull a goal back for the visitors before the interval.
The Rams' resurgence was maintained in the second half as Leicester looked ever edgier. They almost stole a goal on the counter though when Lloyd Dyer exploded past a pair of tackles and stung the palms of Legzdins.
Up the other end Derby were still pushing for an equaliser and came close when first Connor Sammon pounced on a defensive lapse but was shepherded wide of goal before the Irish frontman's cross-shot just evaded Robinson in the middle.
Leicester came within inches of a third when Waghorn brushed off Richard Keogh and beared down on goal but his shot was tipped onto the bar by Legzdins.
The Foxes did soon have a third though when substitutes Ben Marshall and David Nugent combined, with the latter heading home Marshall's left-wing cross.
Nugent notched his second of the match with one minute left on the clock to seal the points for Nigel Pearson's men.
Three points for Leicester see them move up to third, two points behind Cardiff and four behind Palace, while Derby drop a couple of places to 15th.
