Leicester City have opened up a seven-point gap at the top of the Championship with a 4-1 victory over Derby County at the King Power Stadium.
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The home side should have gone in front in the 11th minute when Lee Grant parried Lloyd Dyer's shot into the path of Matt James, presenting the midfielder with an open goal.
However, the Rams were let off the hook as he slid wide of the target.
Nigel Pearson's men continued to press forward in search of an opener, which nearly came in the 23rd minute when David Nugent tested Grant.
When the deadlock was broken a minute later, it came in the unlikely form of Ritchie de Laet.
The right-back drove into the final third, played a one-two with Nugent, and then showed composure in slotting past Grant to give the Foxes a deserved lead.
Grant kept his side in the game with another good save from Nugent just before the break, while Liam Moore saw his header cannon off the crossbar.
It did not take long for the hosts to double their lead after the break, although it came with a slice of fortune as the ball rebounded off Nugent and bobbled past the goalkeeper.
The Rams gave themselves a lifeline in the 58th minute when Jake Buxton's header deflected off De Laet and into the net, but any hope of a comeback was extinguished moments later.
Jamie Vardy was needlessly scythed down inside the box by Craig Forsyth and Nugent stepped up to make it 3-1 from the spot.
Vardy himself got in on the act in the 63rd minute, firing underneath Grant to guarantee maximum points for the league leaders.
Michael Penkman
