Last updated on .From the section Championship

Derby County midfielder Bradley Johnson has scored five goals this season

Bradley Johnson scored twice as Derby County eased past 10-man Hull City to aid their Championship play-off hopes.

Derby took the lead when Craig Bryson teed up Chris Martin who hit the post but Johnson fired in the rebound.

The hosts doubled their lead when some fine play on the wings led to Johnson firing in from close range.

Hull's Moses Odubajo was sent off for bringing down Tom Ince after the break before Martin powered in a long-range effort and Bryson tapped in late on.

It was a night of few chances for Steve Bruce's side as they were comprehensively outplayed by Derby, however Sam Clucas came closest to finding a breakthrough when his volley from Ahmed Elmohamady's ball forced a fine save out of Derby keeper Scott Carson.

Derby, who failed to win in six at home against Hull prior to the victory, remain sixth in the Championship table but have a four-point cushion on seventh-placed Cardiff after their goalless draw with leaders Burnley.

Defeat for Hull, their first away at Derby since October 1984, means they stay in fourth place but see their already-unlikely chances of automatic promotion fade as they lie seven points off second.

The Tigers suffered their heaviest league defeat of the season leaving them without an away win in the Championship since their 1-0 win against Ipswich in February.

Derby head coach Darren Wassall:

"We were bitterly disappointed on Saturday with the result at Cardiff and we asked for a reaction from the players and they certainly gave us one tonight.

"We are delighted with the performance and there was a steely determination tonight, we played with loads of energy on the front foot and they all responded.

"I think that was our best performance of the season so far by a country mile but I'm not getting carried away at all. Our feet are on the ground and we are making sure we are right for Saturday.

"We need to get some consistency, we've proven that we are a very good side, now we've got to prove we can do that week in, week out, game in and game out because good teams can do it every single week."

Hull manager Steve Bruce:

"On a big stage tonight, we haven't performed at all to the level I'm used to seeing.

"In a big top-of-the-table clash to make the mistakes and errors we made was just bordering on the ridiculous.

"That disappoints me and surprises me because the reason we are at the top end of the league is our ability to defend and defend properly and although there was nothing in it up until the first goal, after that we were all over the place."