DERBY County secured their Championship status for another year thanks to a 3-1 victory over Peterborough United.
Goals from Craig Bryson, Chris Martin and Richard Keogh put the Rams in control at Pride Park.
They were made to sweat when goalkeeper Frank Fielding was sent off with half an hour to go for bringing down Posh striker Dwight Gayle.
Grant McCann converted the resulting penalty but Derby's 10 men held on to end the visitors' 10-match unbeaten run.
The win lifted them seven points clear of the relegation zone, with only two games left to play.
The Rams dominated the opening period, winning 16 corners to Peterborough's one.
Paul Coutts went close to opening the scoring in the second minute when his cross from the right caught out keeper Robert Olejnik and smacked against the near post.
Jeff Hendrick saw a goalbound effort headed away by Gabriel Zakuani, while the recalled Conor Sammon curled a shot inches wide from 20 yards after a good run.
Coutts' fierce drive was parried by Olejnik but Derby went ahead four minutes before the break.
Ward combined well on the left with Sammon, whose cross was turned into the roof of the net by Bryson from close range.
Peterborough had offered little themselves but almost levelled on the stroke of half-time.
Jake Buxton, on the stretch, failed to cut out a hopeful ball forward by Craig Alcock and Gayle fired an angled drive just wide across the face of goal.
Posh boss Darren Ferguson made a double change at the break and the visitors made a positive start to the second period before falling further behind.
Coutts' cross from the right was deflected to Martin with his back to goal and the striker span and fired low past Olejnik from 15 yards.
Derby had a third goal three minutes later.
Jamie Ward's corner from the left was flicked on by Craig Forsyth and Keogh headed home from a few yards out.
The Rams looked to be cruising but just after the hour, Gayle burst through the middle and Fielding appeared to hesitate before coming out and bringing the strike down.
Referee Mark Haywood pointed to the spot and showed Fielding a red card.
Substitute McCann made no mistake with the penalty, firing low past Adam Legzdins, who had replaced Martin.
Posh might have made it more nervy for the Rams but Lee Tomlin scuffed a shot wide in a good position after 73 minutes, while Gayle had a goal ruled out for offside in the closing stages.
GOALS: Bryson (41) 1-0; Martin (49) 2-0; Keogh (52) 3-0; McCann pen (64) 3-1.
DERBY COUNTY: Fielding, Brayford, Keogh, Buxton, Forsyth, Coutts, Bryson (Hughes, 86), Hendrick, Ward (Davies, 77), Martin (Legzdins, 63), Sammon. Other subs: Freeman, Gjokaj, Jacobs, Bennett.
PETERBOROUGH UNITED: Olejnik, Rowe, Zakuani (Mendez-Laing, 46), Brisley, Alcock, Knight-Percival, Payne, Ferdinand (McCann, 46), Swanson (Pritchard, 64), Tomlin, Gayle. Other subs: Day (gk), Cuvelier, Ntlhe, Barnett.
REFEREE: M Haywood (West Yorkshire).
ATTENDANCE: 23,753 (1,788 away fans).
