DERBY County ended a run of four successive away defeats with a 2-0 victory over Bristol City.
Jeff Hendrick and Craig Bryson scored in quick succession in the first half and the Rams managed to keep their first clean sheet on the road since September.
Derby boss Nigel Clough made three changes to his side.
Midfielder Bryson (knee) and defender Gareth Roberts (calf) were fit to return, while Mark O'Brien was handed his first start in more than a year at centre-back.
O'Brien got the nod to replace the injured Jake Buxton (knee) at the heart of the defence ahead of James O'Connor, who dropped to the bench.
Bryson's recall came at the expense of top scorer Theo Robinson as Clough went with a 4-5-1 formation.
Former Derby duo Steve Davies and Stephen Pearson were both named among the Robins' substitutes, along with ex-Rams loanee Jon Stead.
The visitors started well and Michael Jacobs' neat flick from Paul Coutts' low centre produced a good save from City keeper Tom Heaton in the sixth minute.
Soon after, Bryson's ball in from the right almost reached Jacobs but Richard Foster made a crucial intervention.
With 14 minutes on the clock, Sam Baldock beat the offside trap down the left and O'Brien slip let him into the box but Rams Adam Legzdins blocked the striker's low shot.
Coutts fired straight at Heaton from distance, while Albert Adomah blasted over at the other end after being teed up by Ryan Taylor.
Will Hughes cleared the bar with a tough chance following a good spell of passing - and Derby took the lead in the 34th minute.
Jacobs had seen a cross blocked earlier in the move but got another chance after good work from Conor Sammon.
This time, the winger whipped in a perfect ball from the left and Hendrick applied the first-time finish from six yards.
Legzdins had to keep out an effort from Joe Bryan before the visitors doubled their lead.
It came in similar style but on this occasion, Roberts provided the cross and Bryson headed in from close range.
City might have got one back but Baldock blazed over after Bryson had given the ball away and Legzdins blocked well from the same player when he was released through the middle by Adomah.
Derby could still have had a third before the break but John Brayford's long-ranger whistled past the post.
City boss Derek McInnes brought on Davies at the interval but his first meaningful contribution was to get booked for a kick on Hughes.
Meanwhile, Coutts and Hendrick went into the referee's book for Derby.
After 66 minutes, Coutts won possession in midfield and burst into the box before eventually finding Jacobs.
His deflected shot wrong-footed Heaton but dropped just wide.
The hosts were searching for a way back into the game and Davies' curler from the edge of the box was pushed away by Legzdins with 15 minutes to go.
Moments later, Legzdins did brilliantly to keep out Liam Fontaine's close-ranger header following an excellent cross from Adomah.
The Rams weathered this mini storm and went close themselves in the 83rd minute.
Substitute Ben Davies saw a dangerous cross palmed out by Heaton before Coutts drilled a shot wide.
Legzdins had played his part and was alert again to beat away Adomah's 20-yard volley late on.
And in added time, Baldock shot wide after Hendrick mis-kicked in his own box.
BRISTOL CITY: Heaton, Foster, McManus, Bates (Cunningham, 44), Fontaine, Adomah, Elliott, Danns, Bryan (Stead, 71), Taylor (S Davies, 46), Baldock. Other subs: Gerken (gk), M Wilson, Anderson, Pearson.
DERBY COUNTY: Legzdins, Brayford, Keogh, O'Brien (Freeman, 87), Roberts, Coutts, Hughes (O'Connor, 90), Hendrick, Bryson (B Davies, 67), Jacobs, Sammon. Other subs: Fielding (gk), Doyle Tyson, Robinson.
REFEREE: A D'Urso (Essex).
ATTENDANCE: 12,526 (846 away fans).
