Derby 2-1 Fulham

Fulham missed out on the chance of a Good Friday promotion to the Premier League, as Derby overcame a 1-0 deficit to grab a hugely important three points.

Fabio Carvalho put the Whites ahead 20 minutes in with a neat finish, before Luke Plange and an own goal turned it around for the Rams.

With Nottingham Forest losing 1-0 to Luton Town earlier in the day all eyes were on Fulham, knowing that a victory over Derby would now seal automatic promotion back to the top flight.

Marco Silva made three swaps from the Coventry defeat as Joe Bryan, Bobby De Cordova-Reid and captain Tom Cairney came back into the starting XI, with Antonee Robinson, Nathaniel Chalobah and Neeskens Kebano dropping to the bench.

Pride Park was bouncing with noise from both sets of supporters on this massive occasion, and both teams got off to an appropriately energetic start with sighters on goal at both ends in the opening five minutes.

First, Jason Knight rose highest to latch onto the end of a cross from the right, but his header was tame for Marek Rodák. Then, going the other way, Carvalho broke through the lines as a result of a sloppy Derby pass. His shot was blocked before Harry Wilson managed to shoot on the spin, but it skimmed just wide.

Tom Lawrence was next to have a crack. After a blistering breakaway from Malcolm Ebiowei down the right, the Rams’ captain got possession 30 yards out centrally and decided to shoot, but it was catching practice again for Rodák.

Bobby De Cordova-Reid went close to opening the scoring just before the 20-minute mark after some free-flowing Fulham football. A series of passes culminated in Cairney picking up the ball and curling one into the path of De Cordova-Reid but, after cutting inside sharply, he sent his shot over.

A few minutes later and the Whites did take the lead with our Jamaican international involved again. This time he was provider and slotted a lovely ball into the box for Carvalho, who did the rest, driving towards goal before popping it over Ryan Allsop and into the net.

Carvalho was finding plenty of joy in behind enemy lines and went close again moments later. It all started with a beautiful ball into the path of Wilson from Cairney, before our Welsh wizard squared it into the mixer. It eventually found our youngster, whose attempted volley on the edge of the box flicked off the head of Aleksandar Mitrović and over.

Our Portuguese star boy was having plenty of the ball and had another go just before the interval. Finding a pocket of space down the middle, he controlled De Cordova-Reid's pass on the spin and shot towards the target, requiring a firm block to avert the danger.

The Rams started the second half in a rapid manner and levelled the scoring five minutes after the restart. Going from back to front in no time, the ball was eventually whipped into the middle from the left, and Plange made no mistake to covert from close range.

The response was strong from Fulham, who were doing everything they could to secure the three points and promotion that would come with it. Some neat interplay between Cairney, Wilson and Neco Williams down the right resulted in the latter bending in a cross towards Mitro, who outmuscled his marker to get to the ball but headed into the hands of Allsop in the end.

Five minutes later and Mitro found some better connection with another header. From a free kick won by Williams, Harrison Reed swung one into the box for our striker, who had peeled off the crowd to find some space. His header was direct and powerful, but Allsop was there again to save with a flying stop.

Mitro was licking his lips now anticipating a goal, and would’ve got one if not for an offside call. After Carvalho’s shot ricocheted back off the post following a deflection, our big man tapped home into an empty net, only for the flag to be raised.

With just over quarter-of-an-hour to play, the place erupted as Derby went ahead. Nathan Byrne’s acrobatic flick worked wonders to keep an attack alive, before Lawrence’s cross caused mayhem in the middle, with Tosin eventually stabbing into his own net under firm pressure from Plange.

After a mix-up at the back, Derby came close to adding a third in the closing stages. Ebiowei dummied his shot to good effect before unleashing one at Rodák, who clawed away with a firm hand.

There was a chance too for Fulham at the death. Substitute, Rodrigo Muniz, went close but Allsop lived up to his name to keep our Brazillian out with a couple of pokes at goal.

In the end Fulham were condemned to be patient in their quest for promotion, with a chance to seal the deal on Tuesday night at home to Preston.