Derby County moved within five points of a Championship play-off place with victory over fellow hopefuls Blackburn.
Louie Sibley marked his full league debut with a stunning left-foot strike from 25 yards to put the Rams in front.
Chris Martin then slid in to double the lead after Blackburn keeper Christian Walton could only parry Graeme Shinnie’s long-range strike.
Martin added a third from the spot after Jason Knight was fouled, before Rovers had John Buckley sent off.
The substitute was sent off in stoppage time for a crude lunge on Derby defender Curtis Davies.
- Relive Derby’s win over Blackburn
Victory lifts Derby, who were without January signing Wayne Rooney, up to 12th in the table.
But with fixtures against fellow top-half sides Millwall, Preston, Nottingham Forest, West Brom, Brentford, Cardiff and Leeds still to come in their final nine games, their play-off hopes remain in their own hands.
Blackburn, who would have climbed into the top six with victory, started brightly but failed to take their early chances, with Tosin Adarabioyo heading over and ex-Nottingham Forest forward Ben Brereton slicing off target from corners.
But once Derby settled into the game they began to take control and could have have more goals to show for their efforts by the break than teenage midfielder Sibley’s shot into the top corner and Martin’s opportunistic effort.
Walton twice made fine saves to deny the Rams, first pushing Martin’s curling shot around the post before denying Martyn Waghorn, who also hit the posts from a tight angle, with his legs.
He continued to repel Derby after the break, tipping Waghorn’s free-kick around the post and holding Max Bird’s long-range drive.
Rovers offered more of a threat as Derby sat on their lead, with Ben Hamer recovering from being wrong-footed to get a hand on Amari’i Bell’s deflected strike to keep their advantage intact.
Their fading hopes were well and truly quashed when Martin secured back-to-back league wins for the Rams from the penalty spot after Elliott Bennett tripped Knight late on.
Line-ups
Derby
Substitutes
Blackburn
Substitutes
Match Stats
Live Text
Match ends, Derby County 3, Blackburn Rovers 0.
Full Time
Second Half ends, Derby County 3, Blackburn Rovers 0.
Attempt blocked. Jack Marriott (Derby County) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Dismissal
John Buckley (Blackburn Rovers) is shown the red card.
Curtis Davies (Derby County) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by John Buckley (Blackburn Rovers).
Attempt missed. Bradley Johnson (Blackburn Rovers) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the right. Assisted by Stewart Downing.
Attempt saved. Tosin Adarabioyo (Blackburn Rovers) header from the left side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Stewart Downing.
Foul by Chris Martin (Derby County).
Ryan Nyambe (Blackburn Rovers) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Substitution
Substitution, Derby County. Morgan Whittaker replaces Jayden Bogle.
Attempt missed. Chris Martin (Derby County) right footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Craig Forsyth.
Foul by Jayden Bogle (Derby County).
Amari’i Bell (Blackburn Rovers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Goal!
Goal! Derby County 3, Blackburn Rovers 0. Chris Martin (Derby County) converts the penalty with a right footed shot to the bottom left corner.
Booking
Elliott Bennett (Blackburn Rovers) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Penalty Derby County. Jason Knight draws a foul in the penalty area.
Penalty conceded by Elliott Bennett (Blackburn Rovers) after a foul in the penalty area.
Graeme Shinnie (Derby County) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by John Buckley (Blackburn Rovers).
Offside, Derby County. Jack Marriott tries a through ball, but Jason Knight is caught offside.
Attempt blocked. Jack Marriott (Derby County) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Craig Forsyth.
Jayden Bogle (Derby County) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Stewart Downing (Blackburn Rovers).
Corner, Blackburn Rovers. Conceded by Curtis Davies.
Offside, Blackburn Rovers. Stewart Downing tries a through ball, but Bradley Johnson is caught offside.
Substitution
Substitution, Derby County. Jack Marriott replaces Louie Sibley.
Substitution
Substitution, Derby County. Curtis Davies replaces Martyn Waghorn.
Booking
Louie Sibley (Derby County) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Louie Sibley (Derby County).
Bradley Johnson (Blackburn Rovers) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Louie Sibley (Derby County) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Ryan Nyambe (Blackburn Rovers).
Attempt missed. Bradley Johnson (Blackburn Rovers) left footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Joe Rothwell.
Attempt blocked. Elliott Bennett (Blackburn Rovers) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Substitution
Substitution, Blackburn Rovers. John Buckley replaces Ben Brereton.
Substitution
Substitution, Blackburn Rovers. Danny Graham replaces Sam Gallagher.
Booking
Max Bird (Derby County) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Max Bird (Derby County).
Joe Rothwell (Blackburn Rovers) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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