Kane Wilson scored his first goal for Derby County as Paul Warne's side ran out 3-1 winners over Lincoln City at Pride Park Stadium to pick up their sixth win in seven matches in Sky Bet League One on Thursday evening.
Captain Conor Hourihane and leading goalscorer James Collins also got on the scoresheet as Derby ensured the final game before Christmas was celebrated with three points under the floodlights.
The first chance of the evening fell the way of the Rams. A low cross from Joe Ward down the right was inches away from the toes of Collins inside the box but he couldn't quite stretch enough to get contact on the ball and direct it beyond Lukas Jensen.
Derby carved out a big opening soon after. Lovely interplay down the left between Eiran Cashin and Tom Barkhuizen saw the latter get to the byline before playing the ball across to Max Bird whose goalbound effort was stopped by a heroic block by Jensen.
The Rams took a deserved lead just prior to the half-hour mark and it was an emphatic finish from Hourihane that broke the deadlock.
A cross from Ward was cleared by an Imps defender but only as far as Hourihane, who lashed home a wonderful half-volley from 18 yards out into the top left corner.
Lincoln half threatened when skipper Paudie O'Connor's free-kick was palmed wide by Joe Wildsmith in the Rams' goal.
Down the other end, defender Craig Forsyth was inches away from doubling the Rams' lead right before half-time but he fired inches wide with his right foot from just inside the area.
Just as though Derby looked destined to go in at the break a goal to the good, the visitors were handed the opportunity to level things up with seconds remaining of the first period when Ward was penalised for bringing down O'Connor in the area.
Danny Mandroiu stepped up to take the spot-kick and sent Wildsmith the wrong way to ensure the teams went into the break level.
Buoyed by their equaliser, Lincoln started the second half much brighter in possession but were still struggling to create anything of real note in the final third.
And with the Imps unable to capitalise, it was Derby that retook the lead through substitute Wilson.
Nathaniel Mendez-Laing collected a short corner from Hourihane and delivered a pinpoint ball with the outside of his right-foot onto the head of Wilson who directed his effort beyond Jensen to put the Rams back in front.
It was nearly three almost instantly. Derby broke at pace through substitute Louie Sibley who played in Mendez-Laing down the right. Mendez-Laing's effort was kept out brilliantly by Jensen before Sibley followed in for the rebound but couldn't maintain his balance and skewed his shot wide.
But the Rams did make it three as the match entered the final 15 minutes and it was Wilson with a big hand in it again. The right-back spun his man brilliantly on halfway before laying the ball on a plate to Collins who finished expertly into the bottom left corner with a drilled finish.
The chances dried up from then, with Derby welcoming Callum Elder and Liam Thompson back from spells out injured off the bench late on, on but the job was done as the Rams returned to winning ways at Pride Park Stadium and moved up to third in Sky Bet League One ahead of the weekend's round of matches.
Derby County: Wildsmith (GK), Forsyth, Hourihane (C) (90' Thompson), Cashin, Barkhuizen (79' Elder), Bird, Collins, Mendez-Laing (79' John-Jules), Fornah (65' Sibley), Ward (46' Wilson), Nelson.
Substitutes not used: Vickers (GK), Bradley.
Lincoln City: Jensen (GK), Sorensen, Jackson, Erhahon, Bishop (72' Adelakun), Hamilton, Mandroiu (83' Smith), O'Connor (C), Burroughs (72' Roughan), Mitchell, Makama (65' Vale).
Substitutes not used: Wright (GK), Duffy, Eyoma.
27,192 (1,877 Lincoln City fans)
The Rams return to action on Boxing Day for some festive football when they head to Wigan Athletic (3pm kick-off).
