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Ipswich Town's stunning form continued as Conor Chaplin and George Hirst fired them to a huge victory at Derby this afternoon.
Town struck once in each half to claim the points at Pride Park, extending their winning run to seven matches and keeping their eighth clean sheet in a row.
They didn't have it all their own way against Paul Warne's Rams, in a hectic contest played out in front of an excellent atmosphere, but it was Ipswich who showed the calm heads and the clinical edge when needed.
Both Town goals came on the counter attack, with the Blues soaking up any Derby pressure and hitting their opponents on the break to take full advantage of their opportunities, on an afternoon where they also benefited from the Rams having a goal controversially disallowed in the opening minutes of the second half.
Conor Chaplin celebrates Town's opener at Derby (Image: Pagepix)
The result moves Kieran McKenna's side to within two points of both Sheffield Wednesday and Plymouth in the top two, with Ipswich holding a game in hand over a Wednesday side who dropped points at home to Lincoln this afternoon.
Next up for Ipswich is Good Friday's home clash with Wycombe, which is quickly followed by a visit to Cheltenham on Easter Monday.
McKenna was forced into a significant change for this game, with Leif Davis dropping out of the side and Greg Leigh replacing him.
The rest of the side remained the same as the one which beat Shrewsbury last time out, with Christian Walton starting in goal behind a back four of Harry Clarke, Luke Woolfenden, Cameron Burgess and Leigh.
Conor Chaplin celebrates Town's opener at Derby (Image: Pagepix)
Sam Morsy and Massimo Luongo were in midfield, with Wes Burns, Conor Chaplin and Nathan Broadhead lining up behind George Hirst.
Both sides traded blows during a hectic start but it was Ipswich who showed the signs of quality, getting the ball down and looking to work clever patterns of play and open up their hosts.
But it was Walton who had the first real work to do, needing to use his fists to push a Max Bird corner out from under his crossbar before catching the following set piece. The keeper's work then led to the opening goal.
Walton's quick throw out found Broadhead, who was able to charge forward and release a long ball into the box as the Welshman began to feel pressure from Nathaniel Mendez-Laing at his back. From there, Burns cleverly and calmly nodded the ball into the path of his great mate Chaplin, who kept his cool to slot home.
The opener sent the 3,000-strong away end wild, with the Blues then pushing for a second as a brilliant Broadhead run into the box ended with the Welshman being crowded out, before a high ball into the box ended with Hirst nodding back into danger and Luongo having a shot bundled wide.
George Hirst fires home Town's second goal at Pride Park (Image: Pagepix Ltd)
Broadhead tested Rams keeper Joe Wildsmith with two arcing deliveries into danger from the following two corners, but the Rams were able to survive, before a rare home attack saw James Collins head tamely at Walton.
The Town keeper needed to be alert a few minutes later as a driven Collins ball through the box bounced up off of Burgess' thigh and towards danger, but Walton was able to pounce before the it reached the line.
Right on half-time, former Town striker David McGoldrick could only head Mendez-Laing's cross into the side-netting, before the Blues headed to the comfort of their dressing room a goal to the good.
The lead looked like it had been wiped out just a couple of minutes into the second period, when Eiran Cashin turned a corner into the back of Walton's net, but the Blues were saved by the officials as the goal was ruled out for a push.
Referee Anthony Backhouse risked losing control of the game as a string of decisions incensed the home crowd, who thought their team was being persecuted, at a time when cool Ipswich heads were needed as the atmosphere bubbled.
Ipswich Town fans celebrate at Derby (Image: Ross Halls)
Town had penalty appeals of their own waved away when Chaplin went down under a challenge from Craig Forsyth, before McKenna turned to his bench for the first time as Marcus Harness and Janoi Donacien entered in place of Broadhead and Clarke.
The changes took the sting out of the game at a vital time for the Blues and were soon followed by a huge second goal in the context of a hectic promotion race.
Town snuffed out a Derby attack before the ball landed at the feet of Morsy, who clipped a ball which allowed Burns to storm into the Rams' box, beating Cashin for pace all ends up. The Welshman's shot was saved, but it spun out for Hirst, who showed superb composure before picking his spot and riffling home.
The second goal killed Derby's spirit, with Ipswich seeing out the rest of the game with little trouble to secure three more big points.
Derby County: Wildsmith; Roberts, Cashin, Forsyth, Rooney (Barkhuizen, 69); Bird (Hourihane, 69), Smith (White, 78); Knight (Sibley, 78), Mendez-Laing, McGoldrick, Collins (Dobbin, 69)
Subs: McGee, Davies
Ipswich Town: Walton; Clarke (Donacien, 70), Woolfenden, Burgess, Leigh; Morsy, Luongo (Ball, 88); Burns, Chaplin, Broadhead (Harness, 70); Hirst (Ladapo, 79)
Subs: Hladky, Edwards, Jackson
Att: 29,691