DERBY COUNTY have found a way of winning at Pride Park — they pretend to be the away side. George Burley’s team, after three successive league defeats at home, changed their shape to dynamic effect and entered the top six of the Coca-Cola Championship for the first time after second-half goals from Tommy Smith and Adam Bolder earned the club their first victory over Leeds United since 1987.

Arthur Cox’s team went on to win promotion to the old first division that season and now Derby, with the joint second-best away record in the division, have a platform to push for a return to the Premiership they left three years ago.

With a play-offs place within both teams’ sights, this match had an edge right from kick-off. Michael Ricketts left a foot in on Lee Camp, the Derby goalkeeper, and was cautioned.

Burley, who hopes to sign a new contract before the FA Cup fourth-round tie at home to Fulham on Saturday, switched to the 4-5-1 formation that has helped Derby to record wins away to West Ham United, Wigan Athletic and Reading, which gave Smith freedom to break from deep.

Forced farther into their own half, Derby broke to take the lead in the 63rd minute. Marco Reich played the ball into Smith, who turned and passed for the galloping Jeff Kenna to cross. When the ball fell to Smith, he teased Neil Sullivan off his line before dispatching his ninth goal of the season. Bolder, released by Íñigo Idiákez, scored with a deflected shot in stoppage time.

DERBY COUNTY (4-5-1): L Camp — J Kenna, T Huddlestone, P Mills, R Jackson (sub: M Johnson, 16min) — T Smith, I Taylor, Í Idiákez, M Bisgaard (sub: A Bolder, 88), M Reich (sub: M Tudgay, 79) — G Rasiak. Substitutes not used: L Grant, Junior. Booked: Idiákez, Reich.

LEEDS UNITED (4-1-2-3): N Sullivan — G Kelly, C Carlisle, P Butler, F Richardson — S Gregan — J Wright (sub: S Walton, 74), D Pugh — J Joachim (sub: L Griffit, 64), M Ricketts (sub: B Deane, 68), D Healy. Substitutes not used: P Harrison, G Einarsson. Booked: Ricketts, Gregan, Pugh.

Referee: P Taylor.