Burton Albion 3-1 Derby County

Lucas Akins' goal secured a first home win for Burton since they beat Fulham 2-1 on 16 September

Burton Albion kept their Championship status for at least another week after a win over local rivals Derby County.

Liam Boyce gave Albion the lead as he found himself unmarked at the back post to convert Joe Sbarra's cross.

David Nugent headed the Rams level five minutes later, but Derby were punished for some poor defending when Luke Murphy curled a shot past Scott Carson.

Lucas Akins tapped in Burton's third before Matej Vydra had an 89th-minute penalty saved by Stephen Bywater.

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Albion's first home win in almost six months lifts them off the bottom of the table above Sunderland and leaves them five points from safety with nine to play for, while Derby slip out of the play-off places to seventh, a point behind Millwall but with a game in hand.

Burton face Sunderland next week in a game in which either side could end up relegated if they fail to win.

Derby's best period of pressure came in the minutes that followed their equaliser, but after Sbarra forced Carson into a fine save from long range, Burton took control when Murphy put them ahead.

Nugent missed a golden chance to halve Burton's lead when he blazed over with 15 minutes left after being put through by Vydra, before the Czech striker missed from the spot when Jake Buxton brought down Cameron Jerome in the area.

Burton Albion boss Nigel Clough speaking to BBC Radio Derby:

"We felt as if we've deserved a home victory in the last few weeks. We got a few breaks today, our hard work saw us through in the end.

"Today we battled away. We got a couple of half chances and we put them away."

On the awarding of Derby's penalty: "I was staggered, I didn't see one person appeal, I didn't see one supporter appeal, I didn't see one player appeal."

Derby County manager Gary Rowett talking to BBC Radio Derby:

"The game's quite simple, if you work harder than the opposition and show more endeavour, if you've got better players quality-wise then you should win the game.

"If you don't do those first two things you're going to give yourself a really difficult chance to win the game and we didn't compete enough, we didn't show enough drive."