A first-half red card for Sergi Canos proved the catalyst for Brentford’s defeat at Pride Park.
The Spaniard was dismissed after 20 minutes for a two-footed challenge on Marcus Olsson on the halfway line.
Two goals in five minutes gave the Rams a comfortable lead as first Tom Huddlestone and then Cameron Jerome scored from close range. A Matej Vydra penalty at the very end saw Derby consolidate second spot in the table.
Florian Joezefzoon and Ollie Watkins had chances, but it was a day to forget for the Bees.
After Matej Vydra saw an early shot blocked for a corner, Brentford took the game to Derby in the opening stages.
Joezefzoon blasted over when presented with a chance inside the Rams’ box. Shortly after the Dutchman picked out Ollie Watkins but the striker turned and fired wide.
Daniel Bentley made an athletic save to tip over a deflected Ikechi Anya shot, before the game turned on the sending off.
Displaying all of his noted enthusiasm, Canos lunged in to try and win the ball, but was adjudged to have caught Olsson and got his marching orders.
As Derby looked to capitalise, Dalsgaard cleared an effort from inside the six-yard box and on the half-hour mark the Rams went ahead.
A corner from the right was headed goal wards, Bentley blocked but Huddlestone bundled home from close range.
Jerome doubled the lead just three minutes later. After Bentley got a hand to Tom Lawrence’s shot the striker made no mistake from ten yards out.
In a rare foray forward Romaine Sawyers curled a shot over the bar after a corner on the left.
Early in the second half Vydra should have done better when he scuffed his shot from six yards out.
Scott Carson had to be alert to deny a headed flick on from Chris Mepham after an intelligent chip into the box by Sawyers.
Vydra wrapped things up in added on time when he fired past Bentley from the penalty spot after Mepham caught Sam Winnall.
Brentford (4-1-4-1): Bentley; Barbet, Bjelland, Mepham, Dalsgaard; Woods (sub Yennaris 61); Sawyers, Jozefzoon (sub Marcondes 61), Mokotjo (sub Judge 75), Canos; Watkins
This post was last modified on 03/02/2018