DERBY County recovered from a nightmare start to beat Blackburn Rovers 3-2 at Ewood Park.
Ben Marshall's deflected strike put Rovers ahead inside the first minute but the Rams hit back strongly.
Two goals from Jamie Ward and one from Will Hughes put the visitors 3-1 up and though Rudy Gestede reduced the deficit, it was not enough for Rovers.
Steve McClaren's men got off the the worst possible start when Richard Keogh slid in to block Marshall's 25-yarder but only succeeded in sending the ball looping agonisingly over keeper Lee Grant and into the net.
Despite the setback, the visitors immediately looked a threat going forward themselves and they were level in the ninth minute.
Simon Dawkins burst through the middle and found Craig Bryson in the box.
Bryson's cross-shot found its way to Ward, back in the team after missing the last game with a hamstring injury, and he found the roof of the net from eight yards.
Dawkins was causing problems and when he set up Bryson again, the Scot fired narrowly over from 20 yards.
Chris Martin then saw his header from a Cyrus Christie cross saved by Paul Robinson.
One-time Rams target Alex Baptiste was played in on the right by Craig Conway just after the half-hour but the full-back flashed an effort across the face of goal.
A couple of minutes later, an Corry Evans pounced on an error by Keogh to prod goalwards but Zak Whitbread was on hand to hack clear.
Derby took the lead in the 37th minute.
Ward did well on the right and found Hughes, who sent a superb left-foot curler into the far corner from the edge of the box.
The Rams might have had a third after 42 minutes when Hughes' cross from the right picked out Martin unmarked but the striker's volley from 15 yards cleared the bar.
Rudy Gestede's daisy-cutter five minutes after the break forced Grant to tip the ball behind at full stretch.
But Derby increased their advantage after 58 minutes.
Blackburn wanted a foul as Ward shrugged off Conway but play was allowed to continue.
Ward advanced into the box and cleverly created space with a step-over to bend a shot expertly beyond the reach of former England keeper Paul Robinson.
Ward went for his hat-trick in the 62nd minute but, this time, his fierce drive from a tight angle was beaten away by Robinson.
Blackburn managed to build up some pressure and pulled a goal back after 78 minutes.
A long throw from the left found Gestede and he got between two Derby players before squeezing a shot inside Grant's near post from an tight angle.
Moments later, Tom Cairney saw his dipping 25-yarder tipped over by Grant.
At the other end, Martin had a chance to finish it after being put through by Jordon Ibe but his shot was beaten out by Robinson.
In a frantic finish, Evans had an overhead kick palmed over by Grant and, in added time, Gestede's downward header was cleared off the line by Rams substitute Omar Mascarell.
Ibe had a couple of chances to net his first Derby goal on the break but could not find the target.
However, it did not matter as the Rams held on for their first away win in the league this season.
BLACKBURN ROVERS: Robinson, Baptiste, Hanley, Kilgallon (Varney, 89), Olsson, Marshall, Cairney, Evans (Duffy, 90), Conway (Tunnicliffe, 65), Gestede, Rhodes. Other subs: Steele (gk), King, Williamson, Taylor.
DERBY COUNTY: Grant, Christie, Keogh, Whitbread, Forsyth, Eustace, Hughes (Mascarell, 82), Bryson, Ward (Russell, 73), Dawkins (Ibe, 73), Martin. Other subs: Roos (gk), Shotton, L Naylor, Thomas.
REFEREE: D Webb (County Durham).
ATTENDANCE: 13,566 (677 away fans).
