A Matty Pearson own goal and a second half strike from Tom Lawrence secured all three points for the hosts.

Town had their fair share of chances but couldn’t extend their unbeaten run having picked up a victory at Blackburn last Saturday and a draw at home to Millwall in midweek.

Derby took the lead in the 11th minute after Simon Sluga mis-controlled Pearson’s back-pass and it rolled into the back of the net.

Town had a great chance to get back into the game eight minutes later, but James Collins fired over the bar from close range after James Bree picked him out well with a low cross.

The hosts had a golden opportunity to double their lead as they broke forward from a Town free-kick ten minutes before half-time - Chris Martin was bearing down on goal and tried to square the ball across to Florian Jozefzoon, but the pass had too much on it and it went behind for a goal kick.

Collins had a second effort just before half-time – albeit a half chance – but his header from Callum McManaman’s cross went well wide of the target.

The Hatters started the second period on top and had a number of chances to show for it.

First Harry Cornick’s cross into the box was just about cleared by Kelle Roos, before Ryan Tunnicliffe fired over the bar from close range.

Town were knocking on the door, but Derby created a good chance of their own amid a flurry of Luton attacks.

Krystian Bielik switched the ball wide to Lawrence, the winger then cut in but wrapped his right-footed shot just wide of the post.

Substitute Izzy Brown produced a brilliant bit of skill in midfield to create space and play Cornick into the left side of the area, but the forward's first touch took him wide, away from a shooting chance, and Roos gathered his cross.

Within a minute, and against the run of play after a sustained period of pressure from the Hatters, Derby scored their second in the 70th minute, as Lawrence’s cross from the right went straight into the back of the net.

Substitute Kazenga LuaLua had a late effort saved by Roos as the Hatters couldn’t find a consolation goal.

Town sit 18th heading into the international break, with Bristol City next up at Kenilworth Road.

TOWN: Sluga, Bree, Pearson, Bradley, Potts, Tunnicliffe, Shinnie (Bolton 81), Mpanzu, McManaman (Brown 63), Cornick (LuaLua 74), Collins.

Subs not used: Lee, Jones, Butterfield, Shea

DERBY: Roos, Bogle, Clarke, Davies, Malone, Shinnie, Bielik (Wisdom 89), Lawrence, Patterson (Holmes 84), Jozefzoon, Martin (Waghorn 73).

Subs not used: Hamer, Dowell, Lowe, Knight

Yellows: Shinnie

Goals: Pearson (OG) 11, Lawrence 70

Referee: Geoff Eltringham

Attendance: 27,944 (2,606 away fans)