Rams' relief after home victory over Reading
They trailed to Coventry City before winning and did the same against Reading at Pride Park Stadium this afternoon.
Reading went ahead 11 minutes after the break through Gylfi Sigurdsson but Paul Green equalised and Rob Hulse grabbed the winhner with his sixth goal of the season.
Substitute Shane Long was sent off late on but Reading kept plugging away and Stephen Bywater was forced to make two fine saves in the closing seconds to prevent the visitors from levelling.
Derby made three changes to the team beaten at Swansea and new loan signing from Leicester City, DJ Campbell, was on the bench.
Jay McEveley, wearing a mask to protect the cheekbone he fractured last month, came in at left-back for Dean Moxey who had been ever present this season.
Stephen Pearson was fit again after a groin strain and replaced Bryan Hughes who is back at Hull City, his loan spell having expired.
Paul Dickov, left out at Swansea, was recalled to partner Hulse up front. Jake Livermore dropped to the bench.
Reading, unbeaten in three and fresh from their first home league win in 17 matches, had former Rams favourite Grzegorz Rasiak among their substitutes.
Jobi McAnuff pulled a low shot narrowly wide of Stephen Bywater's near post after four minutes and the play swept from end to end in the opening 10 minutes.
Robbie Savage curled in a couple of free kicks that worried the Reading defence and Hulse met a Gary Teale centre to send a downward header straight at Adam Federici.
Dickov was able to continue after treatment for a nasty bang on the back of the head but Reading lost midfielder Brian Howard on 20 minutes after he was hurt while defending at a corner.
Derby went close when Hulse collected the ball on the left and fed Teale whose right-foot drive was heading under the bar until Federici turned the ball over with a fine save.
Reading had a couple of sights of goal after unforced errors by Derby.
A mistake by Fredrik Stoor allowed Sigurdsson to realese Jimmy Kebe but fortunately for the Rams his shot sailed high. Kebe and Sigurdsson then combined but Bywater was out sharply to save at the feet of Simon Church.
Dickov was neat and clever first half, and when he tried his luck from the edge of the area his shot was deflected just wide.
Federici went full length to punch Green's cross away after more good work by Pearson.
The Reading goalkeeper had some nervy moments but for all the Rams' endeavour and good intentions, they had not made enough happen in the final third in the opening 45 minutes and the clearest chances had fallen to the visitors.
Derby had been wasteful in possession at times first half and continued in the same vein early in the second half, much to the frustration of the home fans.
And there were groans all round when Reading took the lead after 56 minutes.
Shaun Barker, who had defended well, won the ball with a firm challenge in his own area but his pass aimed for Teale fell short. Teale hesitated and Jay Tabb surged into the box. When he was crowded out the ball fell to Sigurdsson who beat Bywater with a low shot that found the net off the foot of a post.
But the Rams hit back on the hour through Green.
Dickov found Teale on the left and his inviting low centre was turned in by Green from close range for his second goal of the season.
Green had the chance to score his second of the gamesix minutes later.
Dickov took his time and set up Green whose effort drifted wide when he should have done better.
Derby had shown terrific character to hit back and they went ahead with a marvellous goal after 73 minutes.
Teale was marked tight by the touchline but his cheeky back-heel released McEveley and his first-time cross was perfect for Hulse to find the net from only a few yards out.
Reading were reduced to 10 men after 79 minutes when Long received a straight red for his silly challenge on Stoor by the corner flag. Reading were unlucky not to be given a foul seconds before but Long should not have reacted in such a manner.
Derby rode their luck on a couple of occasions late one especially when Hulse almost headed the ball into his own net from a corner and then Bywater made two vital saves from McAnuff and Alex Pearce.
DERBY COUNTY: Bywater; Stoor (Livermore, 82), Barker, Leacock, McEveley; Green (Moxey, 87), Savage, Pearson, Teale; Dickov (Addison, 77), Hulse.
Other subs: Atkins (gk), Croft, Campbell, Hendrie.
READING: Federici; Tabb, Ingimarsson, Pearce, Bertrand; Kebe, Howard (Karacan, 20), Matejovsky, Sigurdsson (Rasiak, 65), McAnuff; Church (Long, 46).
Other subs: Hamer (gk), Cisse, Robson-Kanu, O'Dea.
Referee: A Haines (Tyne & Wear)
Attendance: 30,174
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