Daryl Murphy scored twice and Christophe Berra and Aaron Cresswell once each to see the Blues into a 4-1 half-time lead at Derby. In addition to his goal, Cresswell assisted the other three.
Mick McCarthy named an unchanged team for the third successive match with the only switch in the 18 Tyrone Mings’s return to the bench in place of striker Jack Marriott.
The Rams, watched by new boss Steve McClaren, who takes charge tomorrow, handed a debut to defender Zak Whitbread, who joined on loan from Leicester yesterday.
On-form Blues striker Davi McGoldrick went looking for what would be his first ever Town away goal early on, but failed to find the target from 20 yards in the fourth minute.
At the other end, Craig Forsyth crossed but former Norwich man Chris Martin got under the ball with his header.
But it was Town who would draw first blood in the sixth minute. McGoldrick won a freekick on the left after he was fouled by Jake Buxton. Aaron Cresswell sent a freekick to the far post and Christophe Berra powered home his second headed goal of the season.
Two minutes later, Daryl Murphy forced Rams’ keeper Lee Grant to parry a shot from the right. Ryan Tunnicliffe was unable to get in a clean strike at the rebound and McGoldrick’s subsequent strike deflected wide.
From the corner, Town went two in front. Cresswell again whipped the ball over and this time it was Murphy who powered home the header.
Three minutes later, the home side pulled a goal back after Connor Sammon forced Berra to concede a corner on the right having beaten Cresswell. Ben Davies whipped the ball in and debutant Whitbread’s header flew past Gerken.
But it took only another two minutes for Town’s two-goal lead to be restored. Good work from Cresswell, Tunnicliffe, Murphy and Paul Anderson on the left ended with the former Forest midfielder playing in the left-back at a very tight angle. Cresswell brought the ball in before hitting a low shot which struck keeper Lee Grant and then the back of the net for his second goal of the season.
The basketball style end to end scoring eventually subsided, although the Blues could have been 4-1 up in the 18th minute when a McGoldrick shot deflected to Murphy with the Rams’ defence again all over the place but a defender’s toe stabbed the ball out, although referee Trevor Kettle awarded a goalkick.
Just before the half hour Berra headed over from another Town set piece, this time a corner, then at the other end Ward curled a shot wide for the Rams. Two minutes later, McGoldrick shot wide after being cleverly played in by Luke Hyam.
Town did make in 4-1 in the 34th minute and once more from a set piece. Cresswell whipped the ball in and Murphy flashed a header past Grant and into the net for his second of the season.
Large numbers of the home fans decided they’d seen enough of the first half at this point and were sung on their way by the Blues’ support, who earlier had given Steve McClaren his first burst of ‘You’re being sacked in the morning’ before he has even officially taken charge at Pride Park.
Davies shot wide for the Rams, then with five minutes of the half still McGoldrick headed Anderson’s right-wing cross beyond Grant’s left post.
Gerken was forced into action in the 44th minute when Ward dispossessed Anderson but the Blues keeper reacted quickly and blocked. Moments later, the former Sheffield United man curled a strike over from distance.
Referee Kettle’s whistle brought a breathless half to an end after a lengthy spell of injury time in which the Rams won several corners.
Town were worthy of their lead with the home side unable to deal with Cresswell’s set pieces for three of the goals and having been taken apart by slick Blues passing for the goal the left-back scored himself.
Mick McCarthy’s men appear well on their way to what would be their first away win of the season and only their second of 2013, the other one having come at Pride Park in April.
Derby: Grant, Smith, Buxton, Whitbread, Forsyth, Davies, Bryson, Hughes, Ward, Sammon, Martin. Unused: Deeney, Lowe, Hanson, Bennett, Eustace, Jacobs, Russell.
Town: Gerken, Chambers, Berra, Smith, Cresswell, Anderson, Hyam, Skuse, Tunnicliffe, Murphy, McGoldrick. Unused: Loach, Hewitt, Mings, Edwards, Tabb, Wordsworth, Nouble. Referee: Trevor Kettle (Rutland). Att: