Stoke reignited their ailing play-off aspirations by completing a league double over Coca-Cola Championship leaders Derby at Pride Park.

First-half goals from Danny Higginbotham and Dominic Matteo saw Tony Pulis' side deservedly repeat the 2-0 success they enjoyed against County in the reverse fixture at the Britannia Stadium back in August.

City moved to within three points of six-placed Southampton after winning their game in hand while Derby remain just one point clear at top of the table when they were hoping to stretch their lead over West Brom to four points.

Stoke captain Higginbotham got the ball rolling with a 13th-minute penalty.

Referee Keith Stroud had no option but to point to the spot after County defender Dean Leacock inexplicably handled Lee Hendrie's corner.

Goalkeeper Stephen Bywater dived the right way but Higginbotham's spot-kick was too powerful and it whistled beyond his outstretched arm and into the bottom left-hand corner.

Matteo doubled Stoke's lead with his first goal for the club in the 26th minute.

The powerful centre-back drifted freely into County's six-yard area where he headed home Hendrie's corner unchallenged.

Earlier, Leacock was fortunate to escape with just a yellow card after he clumsily tripped Mamady Sidibe when the striker was bearing down on goal.

Leacock was immediately substituted and replaced by Tyrone Mears following Higginbotham's penalty.

Derby's Matt Oakley saw a 25-yard shot shave the crossbar shortly after Stoke had edged ahead and the County captain forced Steve Simonsen into a save at the foot of a post just after the half-hour.

Derby's best chance fell to Steve Howard but the Rams' top scorer was unable to add to his 13 league goals this season and headed David Jones' free-kick over the crossbar.

Derby emerged from the interval a different side and laid siege to the visitors' goal with wave after wave of attack inside the opening 15 minutes of the second half.

Oakley and Howard were again the main protagonists with the former forcing Simonsen into a fine one-handed save from the edge of the area before the latter saw his header saved at point-blank range by the big Potters keeper.

County continued to apply the pressure and Davies introduced on-loan Arsenal striker Arturo Lupoli on the hour mark with Jon Macken the man to make way.

Pulis countered that move with a substitution of his own by bringing on John Eustace for Matteo and it seemed to do the trick in stifling Derby's resurgence.

Jones came close to halving Derby's arrears midway through the second half but his half-volley from the edge of the box curled just wide before Craig Fagan had the ball in the net but it was ruled out for an earlier infringement.

Pulis could even afford the luxury of substituting Sidibe and bringing on 18-year-old striker Adam Rooney for the remaining two minutes of normal time and five minutes of injury time.

And the youngster came close to getting his name on the scoresheet at the death but his goal-bound shot was blocked.

Teams

Derby Bywater, Edworthy, Leacock (Mears 16), Michael Johnson,McEveley, Teale, Oakley, Jones (Pearson 69), Fagan,Macken (Lupoli 61), Howard.

Subs Not Used: Grant, Peschisolido.

Booked: Leacock, Edworthy, McEveley.

Stoke Simonsen, Hoefkens, Zakuani, Higginbotham, Griffin,Lawrence, Russell, Matteo (Eustace 63), Diao,Hendrie (Dickinson 85), Sidibe (Rooney 89).

Subs Not Used: Hoult, Martin.

Booked: Russell.

Goals: Higginbotham 15 pen, Matteo 26.

Att: 24,897

Ref: K Stroud (Hampshire).