DERBY County won the Bass Charity Vase courtesy of a 5-2 victory over the Brewers as both sides continued their preparations for the new season at the Pirelli Stadium.
A first half hat-trick from Rams striker Martyn Waghorn had the visitors in charge at half time after John Brayford had briefly restored parity when Kelle Roos failed to keep out his header following Waghorn's opener after Stephen Bywater had saved Kieran Dowell's shot.
Mason Bennett extended Derby's advantage two minutes into the second half and although Scott Fraser fired home to reduce the deficit again a late scrambled effort from Max Bird sealed victory for Phillip Cocu's side.
Bywater got his first run out of pre-season in goal against one of his former clubs and both Stephen Quinn and John-Joe O'Toole took to the field against the Rams. After his appearance from the bench on Tuesday against Sheffield United there was also a start for David Templeton continuing his recovery from the injury that prematurely ended his 2018-19 campaign.
And it was Templeton who quickly looked a bright spark for Albion with two good chances in the opening five minutes with neither, unfortunately, hitting the target.
At the other end a bright move from the Rams saw Martyn Waghorn get played through on goal but Bywater got his angles right to deny ther striker at close range with full back Jayden Bogle unable to make anything out of the rebound when it came to him.
After a bright opening quarter of an hour from both sides it was the Rams who broke the deadlock on 16 minutes. George Evans raking daigonal ball picked out the run of Florian Jozefzoon and the winger was able to pick out Everton loanee Dowell in the middle with his pull back. The midfielder saw his shot stopped by Albion's experienced stopper but it fell nicely for WAGHORN to tuck home the rebound.
Derby almost had a second quickly after when Tom Lawrence got played in down the middle, Bywater again equal to the shot as the Welshman looked to double the Rams tally.
But Albion were only behind for five minutes. Fraser delivered in a curling corner that just evaded Buxton at the near post allowing BRAYFORD to head powerfully at Roos. The young keeper seeming to fumble the ball over the line before Boyce made sure at the back post.
Whilst Bywater was making some good reaction saves there was nothing he could do on 28 minutes when WAGHORN picked up the ball at least 25 yards out and unleashed a pinpoint shot into the bottom corner.
Some of Albion's slick passing was good to watch and when Daniel showed a burst of pace to provide the overlap down the left it created a chance for Fraser to send in a stinging effort that was blocked by Evans. There were half-hearted shots for handball but not enough to persuade referee James Oldham that the ball had struck the hand.
Before they knew it the ball was being sent upfield and from a looping, curling cross from Bogle, WAGHORN managed to get up to head down and past Bywater to complete his hat-trick on 38 minutes.
It could have been four moments later when Lawrence got in again but Bywater did well to parry before Kieran Dowell poked the rebound against the post and Mason Bennett sliced his chance wide.
Half time: Burton Albion 1-3 Derby County
The second half was lss than two minutes old when Derby grabbed a fourth. This time Waghorn was the provider finding far too much space out wide on the left before picking out the run of BENNETT in the middle, the former Burton loanee crashing a rising effort into the roof of the net.
As the goals continued to come it was Albion next to find the net, a surging run from Brayford down the right helping to set up FRASER who took a neat controlling touch before firing beyond the outstretched hand of Roos to find the bottom corner.
Templeton lasted until the 57th minute as he built up his fitness and he was replaced by Reece Hutchinson. Derby really should have made it five moments later when Lawrence fizzed in a free kick that Bywater could only parry, Bennett somehow managing to skew the rebound wide of the upright.
Albion's second change came just after the hour mark, Kieran Wallace taking the place of Quinn in the centre of midfield.
And midway through the second period Ethan Vale and Joe Sbarra were introduced as Fraser and Richard Nartey made way meaning a look at O'Toole in the back four to compensate for Nartey's withdrawal.
It could have been set up for an interesting finish had O'Toole got more of a touch to a 73rd minute corner that came to him at the near post but Roos did just enough to divert the ball away from goal before Tom Huddlestone's piledriver forced Bywater to push his effort over the bar.
Derby made their remaining ten substitutions for the final ten minutes of the game and it was the lively Ikechi Anya who almost set up fellow sub Morgan Whittaker on 83 minutes with a teasing cross that just evaded the youngster.
As the game ticked into stoppage time a Derby corner bobbled around in the box with Max BIRD adjudged to have got the final touch as it reicheted over the line to complete victory for Cocu's side.