Two first half goals saw Derby County record their first home win of the 2015/16 season with a comfortable 2-0 victory over Brentford.
Wearing the Captain’s armband, Chris Martin got proceedings underway with his fifth strike of the season before Tom Ince netted on the brink of half time at the iPro Stadium.
The Rams had several opportunities to add to the scoreline in the second 45 minutes, but although they find the elusive third they comfortably held Lee Carsley’s side at bay to record their fourth win in five games.
Lively from the start, Derby instantly took the game – both with and without the ball – to Brentford at a high intensity and carved out openings.
Cyrus Christie tried his luck early on, tamely shooting straight at David Button, the Bees’ goalkeeper, after cutting inside from the right.
Bar two half chances from Lasse Vibe, the Danish forward, Paul Clement’s side bossed the opening 45 minutes at the iPro Stadium and duly took the lead after 20 minutes.
Threaded down the right, Christie whipped a dangerous low centre into the six-yard area for Martin to crash into the back of the net via Button’s far post.
Later, Hendrick saw a shot from the edge of the area charged down, whilst Tom Ince and Bradley Johnson both wasted further good opportunities.
Before the latter two opportunities, Akaki Gogia saw a volley at the far post superbly blocked by a flying Craig Forsyth challenge, but with the first half coming to its conclusion, the Rams struck once again to double their lead.
Starting with the returning George Thorne, the ball was played in between the line into the feet of the impressive Hendrick, who slipped a pass into the lurking Ince to finish low beyond Button for his third goal in three games.
Into the second half, Ince tested Button again with a free kick, but saw his curling attempt tipped over the crossbar, before the Bees’ ‘keeper denied Bradley Johnson’s header at his near post.
Just past the hour mark, Thorne unleashed a fierce drive that was deflected for a corner, from which Ryan Shotton, the substitute, headed wide.
The visitors’ best opportunity came, on 67 minutes as two substitutes combined. After Sergi Canos picked the ball up on the right, the Liverpool clipped a delicate ball into the six-yard area, but, stretching, Hofmann could divert the ball straight into the grateful arms of Scott Carson.
With time ticking down, Johnny Russell, making his 100th appearance for the Rams, fired over when well placed on the right, whilst Andreas Weimann shot into the side netting after Cyrus Christie had cleared an effort off the line in a frantic last 10 minutes to the contest.
The damage, though, had already been done and Paul Clement’s side signed off for the international break with their fourth win in five games.
Derby County: Carson, Christie, Keogh, Shackell (Shotton, 55), Forsyth; Thorne (Hanson, 73), Hendrick, Johnson (Weimann, 80); Ince, Russell, Martin
Substitutes not used: Grant, Baird, Butterfield, Warnock
Brentford: Button, Bidwell (C), Dean, Djuricin, Woods, Judge, Diagouraga (Swift, 70), Vibe (Hofmann, 63), Gogia (Canos, 46), Tarkowski, Yennaris
Substitutes not used: Bonham (GK), Kerschbaumer, O'Connell, Barbet
Attendance: 29,467 (808 Brentford supporters)
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