LONDON: Czech international Matej Vydra's double inspired Derby County to a 5-0 hammering of Hull City on Friday in the Championship, showing the visitors how tough it will be to return immediately to the Premier League.
Bradley Johnson also scored a brace, while Curtis Davies got on the scoresheet against his former club, who will rue a missed penalty by veteran Swedish international Sebastian Larsson when they were just 1-0 down.
Victory for Derby sees them, for the moment, climb to fourth, five points off leaders Cardiff City, who are away at Fulham on Saturday.
Hull remain eight points adrift of Cardiff and saw their woeful away record without a win extended to 22 matches.
"The manager has given me the chance to play in my best position," Vydra told Sky Sports.
"I believe in myself and I try to do my best to help my team-mates and score a couple of goals."
Vydra -- signed from Watford for a reported £8million ($11mn, 9mn euros) in the close season -- opened the scoring in the 16th minute with a delightful free-kick that beat former Scotland goalkeeper Allan McGregor.
The visitors were presented with a golden opportunity to level affairs after being awarded a penalty, shortly before the half-hour mark, when Ola Aina was upended in the area.
However, Larsson looked far from a man with almost 100 caps for his country as the 32-year-old skied the ball over the bar.
Vydra's class at this level -- he also flourished in the second tier with Watford but found the step up to the Premier League much more challenging -- saw him double his tally soon after Larsson's miss, the 25-year-old finishing off a superb team move.
Things got even worse for Leonid Slutsky's side in the 38th minute as Curtis Davies showed no sentiment against his old club, heading the ball past McGregor.
Incredibly, just as Hull's shell-shocked players were hoping for some respite with the half-time break, the hosts added a fourth through Johnson.
Hull held firm for 13 minutes of the second period before Johnson pounced to score a far more spectacular effort, rifling the ball home from 25 yards out.
Slutsky will hope his 'Tigers' show a bit more fight when they travel to Fulham on Wednesday.