Conor Hourihane found the net twice in Aston Villa's commanding 4-0 demolition of Frank Lampard's Derby County in Villa Park this afternoon.
The Corkman put Villa in front with just nine minutes gone. Tammy Abraham was sent through with a dinked ball over the top, his attempt at a lob was blocked by the advancing Scott Carson but the ball only deflected into the path of Hourihane, who dummied the defender on the goal-line and passed into the empty net.
Abraham would make it 2-0 on 37 minutes and then the striker teed up Hourihane for his second and Villa's third one minute before half-time.
Jack Grealish completed the rout with a stunning volley in second half injury-time. The result moves Villa up to 11th and they remain in the hunt for a play-off spot.
Elsewhere, the Republic of Ireland's Shaun Williams scored for Millwall but his side were turned over 3-1 at home to league leaders Norwich City.
Williams equalised Marco Stiepermann's opener on the stroke of half-time, heading in off the upright after Steve Morison had flicked on a corner into his path.
However, Millwall were unable to live with Daniel Farke's outfit after the break and Christoph Zimmerman and Teemu Pukki plundered goals to restore Norwich's two point advantage from Leeds United at the top of the Championship.
Leeds had thrashed West Brom 4-0 on Friday night, with two goals coming from the Republic of Ireland-linked striker Patrick Bamford.
Two goals from Jarrod Bowen, taking his tally to 18 for the season and 14 in his last 16 games, continued Hull's push for a play-off place as the Tigers beat Birmingham 2-0 at the KCOM Stadium.
Feeding on a through-ball from Marc Pugh, Bowen stroked home the opener in the 23rd minute before adding a 60th-minute penalty after he had been brought down by goalkeeper Lee Camp.
Nottingham Forest's play-off hopes suffered a blow with a 2-0 defeat at Stoke where Peter Etebo and Benik Afobe were on the scoresheet.
Martin O'Neill's side are currently running in ninth position, four points off Bristol City in the final playoff place.
Brentford enjoyed a 3-0 victory, beating QPR at Griffin Park for a seventh straight win on home soil.
Neal Maupay made it 20 goals in the league this season, stroking home a 50th-minute penalty after Grant Hall had brought down Ollie Watkins before the French striker then teed up Said Benrahma for the second in the 71st minute. Sergi Canos completed the scoring deep into injury time.
Relegation-threatened Rotherham secured a precious 3-2 win over Blackburn at the New York Stadium.
After drawing their last five, and with only one win in their previous 18 in the league, the Millers grabbed a second-minute lead when defender Semi Ajayi headed home a long throw from Will Vaulks for his second goal in two matches.
Although the visitors equalised in the 51st minute through Amari'i Bell, the home side regained the lead six minutes later, with substitute Ryan Williams on hand to turn home a Vaulks cross before Ajayi headed home his second in the 84th minute. Charlie Mulgrew got Rovers' second with an injury-time penalty.
Ipswich remain rooted to the foot of the table after losing 2-1 to fellow strugglers Reading at Portman Road.
Nelson Oliveira made it three goals in six games following his loan move from Norwich in January, rifling a fierce shot into the top corner in the 19th minute to put the visitors in front.
Town seemed to have rescued a point when Gwion Edwards volleyed in from a narrow angle seven minutes from time, only for Mo Barrow to give the Royals the win with a fine late finish.
Nine-man Bolton crashed to a 2-0 defeat at Swansea to increase their relegation fears.
After Remi Matthews had saved a poor Oli McBurnie penalty in the 36th minute - his second miss from the spot this season - Bolton went into the break down to 10 men.
Craig Noone, who had been booked in giving away the spot-kick, was shown a second yellow two minutes before the break for a poor challenge on McBurnie.
David Wheater was then shown a straight red in the 73rd minute for a deliberate foul on Wayne Routledge, with McBurnie and Bersant Celina capitalising to give the Swans the win.
Middlesbrough missed the chance to close on the top two after they were held to a goalless draw at Wigan, while fellow play-off hopefuls Bristol City could only draw 1-1 at Preston.
Daniel Johnson rifled home the opener three minutes before the break, but Famara Diedhiou grabbed a point for the visiting Robins in the 69th minute.
