Burnley ensured Derby's miserable week ended on a dismal note courtesy of a comfortable triumph at Turf Moor.

The damage was done in the opening 23 minutes, Ian Moore opening the scoring on the rebound and Gareth Taylor taking his goal tally for the season into double figures with a trademark header.

A 2-0 scoreline in Burnley's favour would have been the last item on Derby manager John Gregory's wish-list after a far from satisfactory few days at Pride Park.

If being charged with insulting a match official during the game at Portsmouth was not enough to blacken his mood, Gregory had seen the Craig Burley pay dispute rear its ugly head again this week.

Burnley's victory, on the other hand, not only lifts them into the top half of the table, but serves as a timely tonic ahead of Wednesday's FA Cup fifth-round replay with Fulham.

Any optimism among the visiting fans was punctured in the seventh minute. A flick-on from Taylor found Alan Moore, whose shot was parried by Derby goalkeeper Lee Grant into the path of Ian Moore. He was left with the relatively simple task of slotting the ball into an unguarded net.

Taylor would also have struggled to miss when Tony Grant - capitalising on a mistake by Luciano Zavagno - picked him out at the far post midway through the half. A firm, downward header saw Lee Grant picking the ball out of his net for the second time.

For all Burnley's endeavour, they were fortunate not to have their lead halved when Paul Cook cleared Zavagno's effort off the line 10 minutes before the interval.

Derby showed considerably more, both in terms of appetite and invention, after the restart.

Adam Boulder headed at Marlon Beresford and Adam Murray - a half-time replacement for Rob Lee - forced the Burnley goalkeeper into a smart save with a fierce half-volley.

Their attempts sandwiched one from Ian Moore, who failed to provide the finish his approach work deserved after racing clear of the floundering Warren Barton.

Teams

Burnley Beresford, West, Diallo, Cox, Branch, Grant, Cook (McGregor 70), Alan Moore (Weller 70), Briscoe, Taylor, Ian Moore.

Subs Not Used: Michopoulos, Blake, Papadopoulos.

Goals: Ian Moore 8, Taylor 23.

Derby Grant, Jackson, Barton, Elliott, Zavagno, Boertien, Lee (Murray 45), Kinkladze, Bolder, Ravanelli, Morris.

Subs Not Used: Oakes, Tudgay, Mills, McLeod.

Booked: Morris, Barton.

Att: 15,063

Ref: D Crick (Surrey).