Rovers dismantled Derby County on another afternoon to remember for Tony Mowbray’s side.

Bradley Johnson scored twice, after Tyrhys Dolan opened the scoring, as Rovers hit three goals inside the opening 15 minutes.

They added a fourth with 12 minutes to play and could have had even more than they five they managed against Wycombe Wanderers last week in a stunning all-round display.

Rovers had too much energy for Derby, their electric pace in the attacking areas the undoing of the hosts, while a second consecutive clean sheet will be pleasing to the manager, and new No.1 goalkeeper Thomas Kaminski who made smart saves in either half.

Mowbray went with the same team that thrashed Wycombe seven days earlier which meant Ryan Nyambe had to do with a place on the bench.

The tone was set after just 40 seconds, Ben Brereton trying his luck from all of 30 yards as the ball fell invitingly. And while that didn’t trouble David Marshall, it was long before Rovers did.

Indeed, they took the lead in the 11th minute, and by the 15th, they led 3-0. Good positive play from Joe Rothwell saw him slide in Brereton and while he was unfortunate to see his effort come back off the post, Tyrhys Dolan was the beneficiary as he tapped in.

No sooner had Rovers finished their celebrations they had a second. Bradley Johnson, on the return to his former club, hammered home a second from all of 25 yards as Derby failed to sufficiently close him down.

They did slightly better three minutes later, but couldn’t stop Johnson from scoring his second and Rovers’ third. His thumping effort, after Dolan’s cross was headed out only as far as him, caught a deflection en route to flying beyond David Marshall.

Even a behind-closed-doors Pride Park was shell-shocked, with the Rams having gone close at 0-0. Darragh Lenihan was well-placed to clear off the line as Lee Buchanan’s cut-back found Jason Knight, and while his effort beat Thomas Kaminski, there was no getting past the Irishman on the line.

Rovers were pressing Derby high up the pitch and the hosts continued to play into their hands, giving up possession which allowed Rovers to spring in to life on transition. Rothwell fed Brereton whose shot was blocked behind, while Marshall made a smart save at his near post to keep out Brereton’s header from Lewis Holtby’s fine right-wing delivery.

Buchanan was finally booked just after the half an hour as he resorted to kicking Dolan in a bid to stop his dancing feet. Still Rovers came forward though, Armstrong denied by Marshall from just inside the area.

He had an easier job keeping out Rothwell’s tame effort moments before, but that came after excellent work from the midfielder as he danced past Wayne Rooney to the edge of the box.

Derby were scared of Rovers’ pace in attack, their better players coming when going forward themselves, and there were moments of danger for Rovers before the break. Kaminski palmed away a Rooney free kick as far as Bird whose shot was blocked by Williams. A corner was awarded the award, despite some complaints from Derby about which part of the body Williams blocked it with.

Kaminski had to make the most acrobatic stop of the half in injury time, diving away to his left to keep out a header from Derby’s main threat, Louie Sibley, after good work from Jason Knight.

As Rovers cleared the corner, they should have had a fourth on the break. Armstrong had the length of the field to break into, but couldn’t negotiate the ball out of his feet well enough, eventually having to find Dolan whose curling effort was saved.

Derby made a switch at the break, as George Evans, a midfielder, replaced striker Jack Marriott, as they moved to a back three.

There was bit of weighing each other up after the break, but it was Rovers would threatened first. And you would have backed Armstrong to have at least hit the target as he drifted into the left channel, ran at Te Wieriek who backed off, but curled wide of the target.

Rankin-Costello had been in the wars throughout the game, eventually forced to hobble off as Ryan Nyambe came on.

Armstrong was sensing a goal, as was Brereton, one having a shot blocked while the other fired over as Rovers were pushing for a fourth.

They had another good chance for that as a quickly taken free kick allowed Rothwell to break forward. But he was guilty again of not getting enough purchase on his shot again as Marshall was able to dive easily away to his left to hang on.

There was a warning from Derby midway through the half, three Rovers players sold by a dummy which saw Jozwiak break free but his curling effort never looked like troubling Kaminski who was able to watch it well wide.

Derby should have grabbed a goal back with 18 minutes to play, as Rovers began to show a few signs of tiredness. Nathan Byrne had the beating of Amari’i Bell to deliver a cross which was met by opposite wing-back Buchanan who headed over after having a clean run at the ball.

Rovers always looked one good pass away from a fourth, and that arrived with 12 minutes to play. Holtby found Harry Chapman with a delicious chip and he was able to present Armstrong with a chance he couldn’t miss as he tapped in his sixth of the campaign.

All thoughts turned to whether Rovers could keep a clean sheet, their hopes helped by a smart Kaminski save to deny substitute Morgan Whittaker.

There was also the question of whether they could add a fifth for the second week running, that almost coming to fruition as Armstrong’s snap-shoot needed Marshall to make a save at the second attempt.

Derby: Marshall, Wisdom, Te Wierik, Jozwiak, Bird (Holmes, 71), Byrne, Marriott (Evans. 46), Sibley (Whittaker, 77), Buchanan, Rooney, Knight
Subs: Roos, Shinnie, Clarker, Hector-Ingram

Rovers: Kaminski, Rankin-Costello (Nyambe, 60), Lenihan, Williams, Bell, Johnson, Holtby, Rothwell (Bennett, 79), Dolan (Chapman, 67), Armstrong, Brereton

Subs: Fisher, Davenport, Buckley, Wharton