Derby guaranteed their play-off participation after a Pride Park victory over
Preston took them to a fourth-placed finish in the Championship.
Last season the Rams had finished fifth-bottom and only escaped the drop by
one point.
But a remarkable resurgence, masterminded by manager George Burley, has seen
Derby transformed from relegation candidates into promotion contenders.
Goals from Inigo Idiakez, Tommy Smith and Paul Peschisolido proved enough for
victory over the Lilywhites on the final day of the regular season, with Patrick
Agyemang having bundled home a scrappy consolation for the visitors.
Derby and Preston, who finished fifth in the table, are now destined to lock
horns twice more though, with the sides to be tied against each other in the
play-offs and the first leg scheduled to be played at Deepdale.
A lively opening to the game had seen the Rams threaten first with Morten
Bisgaard firing over the bar before Preston skipper Graham Alexander saw a shot
of his own comfortably saved by goalkeeper Lee Camp.
Preston worked an opening on the half-hour mark when when Richard Cresswell
burst into the Derby penalty area, only to see his close-range shot blocked out
for a corner by defender Michael Johnson.
From the resultant corner, the Lilywhites frontman could only head over the
bar.
The Rams then threatened moments before the interval when Smith's strike hit
the foot of Preston goalkeeper Carlo Nash's left post.
In first-half stoppage time, Smith was brought down by Etuhu 25 yards from
goal and from the free-kick, Idiakez seized his opportunity to strike a
right-footed shot low to the left of Nash.
Derby were buoyed by that goal and pressed for a second at the start of the
second half. Bisgaard threatened with a half-volley struck on the run which went
just wide.
The hosts saw their pressure pay four minutes into the second period after
Jeff Kenna advanced from his accustomed right-back position to cause panic in
the Preston penalty area.
The ball broke to Peschisolido but with weight of numbers against him, the
Canadian opted to roll the ball to his left where Smith took one touch before
slotting underneath Nash with the second period just four minutes old.
Another penalty appeal from Reich went unrewarded before Agyemang struck in
the 69th minute when he scrambled home from inside the six-yard box.
With little more than 10 minutes remaining, North End captain Alexander limped
out of the game, and with all three Preston substitutes having been utilised,
the visitors finished with 10 men.
Peschisolido curled wide from 18 yards and then was spectacularly denied from
close range by Nash, before nutmegging the goalkeeper for Derby's third goal in
the 90th minute after a long pass from Richard Jackson.
Peschisolido was set up once more in injury time, but could only hack Reich's
pass over the bar.
Teams
Derby Camp, Kenna, Johnson, Jackson, Huddlestone, Bisgaard,
Smith (Holmes 72), Bolder, Idiakez (Taylor 72), Peschisolido,
Reich (Konjic 90).
Subs Not Used: Miller, Junior.
Booked: Idiakez.
Goals: Idiakez 45, Smith 49, Peschisolido 90.
Preston Nash, Alexander, Mawene (Broomes 45), Davis, Hill,
Mears, Etuhu, McKenna, Sedgwick (O'Neil 52), Agyemang,
Cresswell (Nugent 66).
Subs Not Used: Ward, Lucketti.
Booked: Mears, O'Neil, Hill.
Goals: Agyemang 69.
Att: 31,237
Ref: P Crossley (Kent).
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