Derby stroll to win to secure play-off place and relegate Barnsley

Derby 4-1 Barnsley: Goals from Cameron Jerome, Matej Vydra, David Nugent and Tom Lawrence sent the Tykes down

Derby secured their play-off spot in style (Getty)

Derby County rolled into the play-offs with an emphatic win that sent Barnsley tumbling out of the Championship.

After suffering jitters on the run in the Rams comfortably secured their place in the end of season lottery thanks to goals from Cameron Jerome, Matej Vydra, David Nugent and Tom Lawrence.

Vydra finished as the division’s top scorer and with Jerome in top form few teams will relish facing Derby.

George Moncur scored a consolation for the visitors who suffered relegation as results elsewhere went against them.

Barnsley were fighting for their lives (Getty)

Perhaps unsurprisingly, given the stakes, the both teams began the match in tentative fashion.

An initial period of feeling each other ended in the 7th minute as Rams centre back Richard Keogh broke forward carrying the ball in his leggy stride. He picked out Andreas Weimann who switch the play to an unmarked Marcus Olsson.

The Swedish wing-back fired sweet strike towards the Barnsley goal from 25 yards but Tykes keeper Jack Walton palmed it behind.

From the resulting corner the visitors broke down the right flank and Connor Mahoney rolled across a tempting cross that Kieffer Moore couldn’t bring under control at the far post.

But, it was the home side who were looking the more dangerous. Weimann skipped through two tackles to dance inside the visitor’s penalty box only to see Ethan Pinnock get a vital block on his shot.

Derby knew a win would secure their spot in the play-offs (Getty)

Two minutes later Derby took the lead as Brad Johnson dispossessed Mahoney and sent Jerome racing through on the Barnsley goal. The £1.5 million striker made no mistake lashing his shot high into the roof of Walton’s net for his fourth goal in three games.

The goal relaxed the home team who knew a draw would be enough to clinch a play-off place. And the Rams thought they had doubled their lead midway through the half.

Keogh once again got forward and this time the big defender smashed his shot off the crossbar. Jerome reacted fastest to put in the rebound but his effort was ruled out for a handball.

Derby were not having everything their own way though. Moore tumbled in the box but appeals for a penalty were turned down as the ball fell to Adam Hammill who saw his shot blocked.

However, the disparity in strength between the two squads was underlined as Olsson limped off to be replaced by Derby top scorer Vydra with Rams boss Gary Rowett reverting to a flat back four.

Derby now face Fulham in the play-offs (Getty)

Derby went close straight from the restart as Johnson whistled a shot towards goal and the visitors grateful to Walton’s fingertips that the result was only a corner.

Barnsley were still pushing for an equaliser but looking increasingly vulnerable on the break. Lawrence flew forward but could not pick out Jerome. Johnson had more luck as he surged forward but the Derby striker rolled his shot just wide.

The reprieve did not last as Jerome turned provider outpacing the visitor’s defence on the right before picking out Vydra who had the simplest of tasks to turn the ball into an empty net for his 21st Championship goal of the season.

A minor concern for Derby was the loss of Jerome shortly afterwards apparently carrying a knock.

His loss did not dent the Rams’ stride on the pitch as his replacement Nugent scored within two minutes of coming on.

The former England striker powered a downward header past Walton from Vydra’s looping far post cross. Not satisfied with that Nugent claimed an assist shortly afterwards pulling the ball back from the by-line for Lawrence to bundle it home.

Moncur curled in a sweet shot late on but it was little consolation to the 3,000 fans who had travelled from South Yorkshire.