Derby County signed off for the international break with a deserved 3-0 victory over Sheffield Wednesday at Pride Park this afternoon.

Lee Croft's first goal for the club after just ten minutes set the Rams on their way and defender Jay McEveley doubled the lead after the hour.

Rob Hulse rounded off a good afternoon's work in injury-time from the penalty spot for his third of the campaign.

There were two changes to the Derby side that started the 6-1 reverse to Cardiff on Tuesday evening.

Dean Leacock's hamstring injury ruled him out so Jay McEveley came into the starting line-up and Paul Dickov was in for Lee Hendrie to make his first start in a Derby shirt since signing on loan from Leicester City last month as Manager Nigel Clough reverted back to a 4-4-2 formation.

The Rams' injury list was into double figures with Paul Connolly, Paul Green, Miles Addison, Kris Commons, Chris Porter, Stephen Pearson, Giles Barnes, Steven Davies and James Vaughan all ruled out as well as Leacock.

Prior to kick-off a minutes silence was immecably held in memory of former Ram Geoff Barrowcliffe who sadly passed away last week.

The game got underway at a near-full Pride Park with Derby looking to bounce back from their midweek reverse at Cardiff in front of their own fans - and Clough got the performance he asked for.

He asked for a team showing full of character and determination, and his side duly delivered.

It was a frantic start at Pride Park both sides launched early attacks; Esajas had a shot blocked by Stoor in the Rams box while Teale blasted wide from twenty yards for Derby.

Hulse evaded the offside-trap on six minutes to surge towards the Wednesday goal after being played through by Livermore, but Purse got back well to strug the forward off the ball and cooly play the ball away.

Hulse - on target at Cardiff in the week - had good opportunity to open the scoring on ten minutes but his glancing header from Barker's cross didn't trouble Lee Grant.

With seventeen minutes on the clock, the Rams deservadly broke the deadlock.

The goal owed much to the good work of Dickov who held off Purse inside the box to deliver a cross which was inch-perfect to Lee Croft at the far post who guided his volley into the back of the net from six yards off the underside of the bar.

It was Croft's first ever Derby goal after his summer move from Norwich City.

The pressure continued from the home side and Dean Moxey's thunderous low drive from just inside the box whistled just wide of the far post.

The Rams survived a scare on twenty-eight minutes in a goalmouth scramble that saw Leon Clarke somehow shoot wide from around six yards out in Wednesday's first attack.

Wednesday were looking to muster a response but were struggling to keep hold of the ball as Derby pressed high up the field and won the ball in midfield on countless occasions.

Hulse beat the offside trap on forty minutes but his low shot lacked power and was easy for Grant at his near post.

It could have been 2-0 before the break when Dickov made room for himself inside the box to get a shot away, but with Grant beaten the ball hit the post and rolled behind for a goal-kick.

The second period began with Wednesday on the attack and Purse came close to equalising with a towering header from a corner which went wide.

The early pressure was with the visitors and Leon Clarke blased a shot over the bar on the volley from fifteen yards.

The same player should have hauled the visitors level in the fifty-third minute when hesitant defending by Moxey saw Gray win the ball inside the box and square it to Clarke twelve yards out but he ballooned the ball over when it seemed t easier to score.

Croft drew a superb stop from Grant at his near post just before the hour with the Rams' first chance of the half and the Wednesday defence cleared their lines as Hulse sniffed around for the rebound.

The ex-Ram made a good stop from Hulse on the hour at the expense of a corner after excellent work surging forwards by Jay McEveley.

Sodje came off the bench for Wednesday after the hour and had a glancing header crash back off the top of the bar with his first touch - and it was a chance that came back to haunt the visitors.

The Rams surged up the field in massive numbers - it was four on two at one stage - and Croft pulled the ball back to Jay McEveley who had spinted the length of the pitch to join the attack and he crashed the ball into the back of the net from just inside the Wednesday box to notch his first of the campaign.

Straight from the kick-off the Rams poured forwards in numbers again and Croft's thirty-yard drive was inches away from the top corner and a third goal.

Wednesday were trying to find a way through the Rams defence, but the backline were in outstanding form.

Paul Dickov was replaced by Lee Hendrie in the dying minutes after an oustanding display and he was given a warm round of applause by the Rams fans.

Ben Pringle followed soon afterwards in place of Lee Croft, who was also given a rousing reception by the home faithful.

The Rams could have had a third late on but after excellent work by Ben Pringle, Gary Teale blasted over.

Hulse was hauled down inside the area with a minute to go by Wood leaving Mr Foy no other option but to point to the spot, and Hulse made no mistake from the spot to round off a very good afternoon's work by the Rams.

Savage was replaced by Mendy in injury time as the final few minutes petered out.

It was the perfect result and performace for the Rams - who are back in action in two weeks time at Leicester City.