Substitute Carlton Cole scored a late winner as West Ham United made hard work of beating relegated Derby at Upton Park.
Bobby Zamora had given the hosts a 20th-minute lead when he headed home George McCartney's free-kick from six yards but Tyrone Mears levelled for the rock-bottom Rams in the 64th minute.
But substitute Cole finished off a run and cross from Freddie Ljungberg in the 77th minute to give Alan Curbishley's side all three points.
But the home fans were less than impressed and a chorus of boos rang out when referee Steve Tanner blew the final whistle.
West Ham had the first real effort of the game when a 25-yard free-kick from Mark Noble was hit straight at Roy Carroll in the ninth minute.
Derby, already relegated, found themselves on the receiving end of West Ham's early pressure but the home side failed to take advantage of their possession.
Midfielder Scott Parker tried his luck with a 20-yard effort in the 12th minute but his effort was both high and wide.
West Ham had made seven changes from the team that lost at Bolton and the new faces were taking time to settle down.
But they finally gelled well enough to open the scoring through striker Zamora.
Derby defender Alan Stubbs had been penalised for a foul on the edge of the penalty area and when George McCartney sent the free-kick into the six-yard box, Zamora outjumped Dean Leacock to head beyond the stranded Carroll.
Derby, hit for six the previous week against Aston Villa, were desperately poor.
They had little idea going forward and their defensive display bordered on the woeful with Leacock looking a real liability.
West Ham's young striker, Freddie Sears, making his first start for the club, continued to give Leacock a difficult time with several clever runs into the penalty area.
Derby did not possess the quality to match West Ham and as such their forays into the home half were rare.
West Ham should have done better when Sears and Ljungberg combined neatly in the 33rd minute but the Swede's final ball to the youngster was far from the quality expected.
Derby had a scare moments later when veteran defender Stubbs required lengthy treatment on a leg injury before being allowed to carry on.
In the 37th minute, Zamora had a second goal ruled out for offside after the West Ham striker had managed to elude the Derby defence.
But it required an acrobatic save from Robert Green in the 38th minute to preserve West Ham's lead.
A cross from the left by David Jones was head goalwards by Robbie Savage only for Green to tip the ball over the crossbar.
Ljungberg was guilty of being over-elaborate moments later when a quick break caused panic in the Derby defence.
The Swedish midfielder tried to thread the ball through to Zamora instead of having a shot but Stubbs read the danger well and cut out his intended pass.
Derby's most dangerous play was provided down the left flank by Eddie Lewis and a number of his crosses caused the home side mild consternation before being cleared.
West Ham were quickly into their stride in the second half and Noble put Sears away on the left flank only for the young striker's cross to elude the outstretched boot of Ljungberg in the six-yard box.
In the 50th minute, Ljungberg and Parker combined on the edge of the penalty area but the latter's final shot flashed wide of Carroll's left-hand upright.
Derby began to enjoy their best spell of the game but the final ball into the penalty area often let them down.
West Ham required the help of goalkeeper Green again in the 62nd minute when Tyrone Mears burst into the penalty area.
The Derby midfielder shaped to lift the ball over the advancing Green but the West Ham 'keeper dived at his feet to collect the ball just in time.
But in the 64th minute Mears made no mistake when Hossam Ghaly put him clean through with just Green to beat.
This time the Derby midfielder kept his cool and sent a right-foot drive into the net.
The goal was heralded with a chorus of boos from the home fans who had slowly watched County get on top as the half wore on.
West Ham hit back immediately but got nothing when Savage pulled back Ljungberg on the edge of the penalty area.
Manager Alan Curbishley was verbally abused in the 75th minute when he replaced Sears with Carlton Cole.
His decision was greeted with a chorus of 'you don't know what you're doing' as Sears left the field.
But Curbishley was vindicated two minutes later when Cole finished off a run and cross by Ljungberg to give West Ham all three points.
