Andy Keogh’s late winning goal at Pride Park helped Wolves strengthen their grip on the Coca-Cola Championship title and all but assured Mick McCarthy’s side of automatic promotion.

The Black Country club stretched their lead at the top of the table to six points with just three games remaining after nearest rivals Birmingham and third-placed Sheffield United, a further point behind the Blues, were held to home draws by Plymouth and Nottingham Forest respectively.

A moment of brilliance from Keogh gave Wolves the lead after seven minutes before Przemyslaw Kazmierczak’s free-kick brought Derby level after half an hour.

Mile Sterjovski put County ahead 10 minutes after the break and Matt Jarvis restored parity midway through the second half.

It looked like Wolves would have to settle for a hard-earned point but Keogh sent the travelling Wanderers faithful into ecstasy with a headed winner three minutes from time.

Three Jarvis corners saw the league leaders apply some early pressure but they were well defended by Derby.

However, the Rams’ defence was caught off-guard when Keogh opened the scoring soon afterwards.

The Republic of Ireland international ended a 10-game barren run with a wonderful strike from the edge of the area.

Following a long clearance by Christophe Berra, Keogh held off a Derby defender and struck the ball first time as it dropped over his right shoulder.

Goalkeeper Stephen Bywater stood statuesque as it nestled in the bottom left corner of the net.

Derby responded well and Kazmierczak went close with a left-foot shot on the half volley from 25 yards.

A low diagonal cross into the box by Kris Commons midway through the first half just evaded Rob Hulse before Kevin Foley’s clearance struck the striker and the ball rebounded narrowly wide.

Derby deservedly equalised when Kazmierczak curled a 25-yard free-kick from the right-hand side into the bottom corner.

Hulse had a great chance to send the Rams into the interval in front but the 17-goal striker powered his header wide from eight yards on the stroke of half-time.

Both sides had chances to edge themselves ahead in an entertaining opening 10 minutes of the second half.

It was end-to-end action. Foley struck a post with an angled shot following Jarvis’s darting run and pull back. A mistake in the Wolves defence presented Sterjovski with a clear sight of goal, but a heavy first touch from the Australian allowed Wayne Hennessey to rush from his line and make a save.

Karl Henry then struck a wild shot from the edge of the six-yard box high and wide.

Sterjovski atoned for his earlier miss by finding the top corner with a 12-yard shot after 55 minutes.

And Hulse’s shot was then tipped round the post by Hennessey at full stretch just after the hour mark.

Wolves were level after 74 minutes after Kyel Reid’s low cross from the left eluded fellow substitute Marlon Harewood before finding its way to Jarvis, who slid in at the far post to force the ball over the line.

Both teams pressed for a winning goal and it arrived for Wolves after 87 minutes when Keogh stooped to head home Harewood’s right-wing cross from six yards out.

By Sean Taylor