Derby County 4-2 Bristol Rovers

David McGoldrick joined Derby in the summer after leaving Sheffield United

David McGoldrick scored a first-half hat-trick as Derby celebrated a League One win that ended Bristol Rovers' six-match unbeaten league run.

Derby cut Rovers open in just the fifth minute when Nathaniel Mendez-Laing forced an error and played in McGoldrick, who scored with a low shot from outside the area.

James Collins made it two at the back post after 12 minutes when Haydon Roberts headed on a Conor Hourihane corner and McGoldrick hooked in his second goal of the match after 24 minutes from another Mendez-Laing assist.

Rovers responded in the 35th minute when Bobby Thomas scored from close range after Derby failed to clear a free-kick but McGoldrick completed his treble five minutes later when he bent a shot across James Belshaw and the ball went in off the goalkeeper's left post.

But Rovers struck in first-half stoppage-time when Antony Evans converted a penalty after Eiran Cashin tripped Josh Coburn.

Rovers kept fighting and Scott Sinclair almost pulled another back on the hour but the damage was done in the opening 45 minutes.

Match report supplied by PA Media.