Derby owe a huge debt of gratitude to youngster Paul Boertien after taking a giant stride towards Premiership safety.

The 22-year-old defender capped an inspirational performance with his first half strike at Pride Park as the Rams wrapped up three vital points in their battle to avoid the drop and handed the Foxes their sixth successive defeat.

Boertien hit his first Premiership goal in only his seventh start after 23 minutes, cutting in from the left flank and breezing across the Leicester backline before firing coolly to the right of Simon Royce.

And the Rams capped their win in a torrid injury time period when Stefano Eranio swept home the second moments after Deon Burton had been sent off for tangling with Robbie Savage.

Eranio burst into the Leicester box and drew goalkeeper Simon Royce before shooting home the clincher from 12 yards.

But the day belonged to brilliant Boertien, who had twice come to the Rams rescue as they clung onto their slender advantage in a torrid start to the second half, first hacking Ade Akinbiyi's header off the line then stretching to block Junior Lewis' goalbound effort.

Boertien was the star of a Rams rearguard back to their best after uncharacteristically leaking seven goals in their last two matches.

Leicester, who failed to muster a clear chance in a dreadful first half, had Savage to thank for most of their forward thrusting in the second period, but it came to nothing and their European ambitions have surely now gone up in smoke.

Derby ought to have clinched the points in the first period, with Deon Burton twice capitalising on hesitation from Royce in clearing his line.

Twice he stole the ball from the visiting keeper and twice lofted his shot over the bar from a tight angle.

The Rams were making light of the early loss of their consistent captain Darryl Powell through injury, and his replacement Thordur Gudjonsson came close to adding to Boertien's opener when his 36th minute header was tipped over by Royce.

Akinbiyi had what constituted Leicester's best first half effort when he pressured Mart Poom into a mistake from Steve Guppy's cross but was adjudged to have fouled the Rams keeper.

Derby almost paid for their first half misses, their tendency to sit back awkwardly on a lead backfiring as Peter Taylor's half-time changes altered the course of the game.

After Boertien's goalline clearance Arnar Gunnlaugsson, on for Guppy, saw his header from another Savage corner well saved by Poom.

Gudjonsson was at the heart of Derby's counter-attacking strategy, setting up a glorious chance for Eranio on 52 minutes, but for the most part the home fans lived on their nerves.

Poom tipped Savage's 35-yard yard effort round the post with 20 minutes left and two minutes later the Leicester man found space in the Rams box to aim an overhead kick from Akinbiyi's cross narrowly wide.

Substitute Stefan Oakes also came close with a long shot but the lack of forward power which has rocked Leicester all season was haunting them again.

Burton ought to have made the game safe with nine minutes to go when he was put clear by Gudjonsson but stroked his tame 12-yard shot straight at the grateful Royce.

The Jamaican sat out the last two minutes on the sidelines after his clash with the fiery Savage - and it was left to his Italian team-mate to put the gloss on a typically heart-stopping home win for the Rams.

Teams:

Derby Poom, Carbonari, West, Riggott, Delap, Eranio, Powell (Gudjonsson 30), Johnson, Boertien, Kinkladze (Christie 75), Burton, Gudjonsson (Mawene 90).

Subs Not Used: Morris, Grant.

Sent Off: Burton (90).

Booked: Delap, Kinkladze, Carbonari, Boertien.

Goals: Boertien 24, Eranio 90.

Leicester Royce, Rowett, Elliott, Davidson (Oakes 72), Impey, Lewis, Savage, Eadie, Guppy (Gunnlaugsson 45), Akinbiyi, Benjamin (Marshall 45).

Subs Not Used: Flowers, Delaney.

Booked: Eadie, Elliott.

Att: 28,387

Ref: M Halsey (Welwyn Garden City).