David Nugent bagged a hat trick as Derby County maintained their revival under Gary Rowett with an emphatic 4-2 victory over play-off chasing Fulham.
The forward bagged two and missed a penalty over an enthralling first 45 minutes, the latter two moments sandwiching an excellent finish from Floyd Ayité, who had temporarily levelled matters at Pride Park Stadium.
Nugent’s third was crucial and gave the Rams breathing space, before Johnny Russell capped off his 250th career start by notching his second goal of the season and the hosts’ fourth of the night to seal all three points.
Ayité bagged a late consolation, but the night belonged to Nugent, who claimed the matchball as Derby recorded back-to-back wins for the first time this calendar year.
Far more comfortable over the second half, it was anything but that over a nail-biting first 45 minutes under the Pride Park floodlights.
Clearly a possession-based side, Fulham looked comfortable with the ball at their feet going forward from the off, but the early flurries of attacking play, largely, came through the hosts who looked to play incisively on the counter attack.
Tom Ince, particularly, was heavily utilised out on the right flank and after Derby’s early attempts had been thwarted, their direct approach soon paid off as they made the breakthrough.
Marcus Olsson had been an injury doubt leading into the game, but after proving his fitness, he was heavily involved in the opening goal, clipping a superb pass to the edge of the area and Nugent reacted quickest, beating the onrushing David Button to the ball and flicking a shot into the unguarded goal.
The striker’s finish merely served to open the contest up further as Slaviša Jokanović’s men sought an early response.
The pendulum swung one way then, the other, as the clock approached the 20-minute mark.
Tom Cairney, the Fulham captain, was first to try his luck, forcing Scott Carson into a routine save and shortly after, Russell blazed an effort narrowly over the crossbar.
Carefully building their attacks, the visitors’ next opportunity fell to Scott Malone, the left back named in the EFL Sky Bet Championship Team of the Season, after he was slipped neatly into the area, but again, Carson was on hand to palm away his effort and preserve the Rams’ lead.
Fulham grew stronger and whilst they left gaps at the back, their football going forward was a sight to behold and after a period of heavy pressure, they got their rewards.
Ryan Fredericks, the visitors’ right back, was heavily involved in a lot of their attacking play over the first 45 minutes and after one of his crosses had been blocked, it fell to the feet of Ayité, who took a touch on the edge of the box and swept it beyond Carson.
With Fulham well on top and with 10 minutes still remaining of the first half, could the Rams hold on? They did. In fact, they went one better.
A miss-timed tackle on Matěj Vydra left Jeremy Simpson no choice but to point to the penalty spot. Nugent assumed control of the spot kick, but was denied, spectacularly, by Button who flung himself to his left to palm the effort out for a corner.
The chance appeared to be gone, but no more than a minute later, Nugent wasn’t to be denied again as a corner to the far post was headed back into the path of the forward, who steered a first-time into the same corner he had directed his penalty kick.
Just for good measure, this breathless first half had another twist when the visitors looked to have got themselves on level terms again, but Sone Aluko saw a thunderous effort cannon against the crossbar. The Rams had survived and went into the break a goal to the good.
That proved to be a key moment for Derby. The next goal would prove to be crucial in this game and after the hosts got it, there was no looking back.
Ince had fired an effort into the gloves of Button a little earlier before the goal came, but this would prove to be Nugent’s night as he wrapped up his hat trick shortly before the hour mark and was rewarded for his sheer determination and persistence.
Chasing a loose ball down the right, he went head-to-head with Button, the Fulham ‘keeper, and came out on top. The ball ricocheted into his path and after holding off two tracking defenders, he coolly kept his head and placed his effort into the back of the net.
Rowett’s men weren’t done there either and they soon had the killer fourth goal.
This time, though, it was a different goalscorer as Russell marked his 250th career start by grabbing his second goal of the season in superb fashion, placing a precise cross-shot across Button and into the far corner after latching on to Craig Bryson’s pass.
There were two further chances to add to that scoreline too before the end. Russell went close with a lobbed effort but could not quite direct it inside the post, whilst Ince saw his free kick from 25-yards out saved as the contest approached the last 15 minutes.
The Cottagers did grab a consolation to keep it interesting. Ayité grabbed his second of the night, placing a low shot into the back of the net to cap off a surging run from Aluko.
Thereafter, Fulham bossed possession over the remainder of the contest but never seriously threatened a late comeback as the Rams claimed their second win in five days and maintained their impressive revival under Rowett’s guidance.
Derby County: Carson, Baird, Keogh (C), Pearce, Olsson; Bryson (Hughes, 82), Johnson; Ince, Vydra (Butterfield, 46), Russell; Nugent (Anya, 70)
Substitutes not used: Mitchell, Christie, Bent, Camara
Fulham: Button, Fredericks, Malone (Sessegnon, 83), McDonald, Cairney (C), Ayité, Ream, Johansen (Cyriac, 83), Piazon (Kebano, 77), Aluko, Kalas
Substitutes not used: Bettinelli, Madl, Sigurdsson, Petsos
Attendance: 27,221 (809 away supporters)
