Sam Winnall was the star of the show as Derby County extended their unbeaten away league run to nine games with a superb 2-1 win at Ipswich Town.
The striker struck either side of half time to put Gary Rowett's side in control, before Joe Garner got one back for the hosts midway through the second period.
It's the first time that Derby have gone nine unbeaten on the road since the 1995/96 season; when Rowett was a player.
The Rams have been fast starters this season and they found the opening goal after just 13 minutes when Winnall’s header crept past Bartosz Bialkowski after Tom Lawrence’s beautifully flighted corner.
Matej Vydra really should have made it two just a minute later after finding himself clean through on the Ipswich ‘keeper but he blazed over, before the top scorer had a second effort saved shortly after.
Derby were starting to run riot, with the only frustration being that they didn’t double their lead in the first half after George Thorne, Johnny Russell and Lawrence all went close in quick succession.
Despite the visitors’ dominance, Ipswich were inches away from equalising on the half hour mark, but Lawrence was there to clear off the line after Scott Carson failed to collect from a corner.
Winnall was then denied a brace three minutes before the break when Bialkowski tipped his angled strike just past the post.
The striker wasn’t to be denied after the restart through, as he grabbed his second with a goal that we’ll all be looking back on at the end of the season.
Winnall had time and space well outside the area, and he made it 2-0 with an absolute thunderbolt that flew into the top right-hand corner with Bialkowski rooted to the spot.
Just as at Pride Park in November, the goal came from a Martyn Waghorn corner, with Garner heading in to set up a tense final period of the game.
As it happened, the home side failed to trouble Derby's backline despite a succession of set pieces, with the Rams holding on comfortably to secure a huge three points.
Ipswich Town: Bialkowski; Spence, Chambers, Webster (Iorfa, 75’), Knudsen; Garner, Connolly, Bru (McGoldrick, 70’); Ward, Waghorn, Celina.
Substitutes not used: Crowe, Kenlock, Smith, McDonnell, Sears.
Derby County: Carson; Wisdom, Keogh, Davies, Forsyth; Huddlestone, Thorne; Russell, Vydra (Olsson, 82’), Lawrence (Weimann, 70’); Winnall (Baird, 89').
Substitutes not used: Mitchell, Pearce, Nugent, Martin.
Derby’s last defeat came at home to Ipswich in November, with Mick McCarthy’s side sitting behind the ball after an early goal and preserving their lead.
Here, it was the Rams turn to get in front early, with Winnall rising highest to meet Lawrence’s corner and head into the bottom corner.
Winnall announced his return to the starting eleven with the opening goal inside the opening 15 minutes, before starting the second period with a true goal of the season contender.
He picked the ball up 25 yards from goal before turning unleashing a rocket that flew into the top corner. Bialkowski didn’t even move.
Derby’s first game of the New Year comes against Sheffield United at Pride Park on the 1st January, before a mouth-watering trip to Old Trafford to face Premier League giants Manchester United in the FA Cup Third Round the following Friday (5th January).
