Derby County boss John Gregory saw his season plunge further into crisis as Preston North End recorded an impressive first away win of the season at Pride Park.

Gregory is wrestling with a cash crisis at Derby - and now his promotion hopes are falling apart after another damaging defeat which resulted in a crescendo of boos at the final whistle.

Preston manager Craig Brown will have been delighted by his side's performance, with Dickson Etuhu striking in the first half and substitute David Healy adding a second late on.

Derby's fate was virtually sealed from the moment Warren Barton foolishlty got himself sent off for throwing Richard Cresswell to the ground in first half injury-time.

Derby enjoyed the majority of early possession - but Preston always posed a threat, particularly in the shape of Ricardo Fuller.

Gregory's side almost got the perfect start in the first minute when Adam Bolder's curling shot was brilliantly saved by Tepi Moilanen.

The deadlock was broken four minutes before half-time as the game expoded into life with the interval approaching.

Fuller created the opener for Preston, escaping down the left flank before pulling an inviting cross back for Etuhu to steer past Mart Poom.

And Derby's plight worsened when the experienced Barton saw red after an astonishing incident involving Cresswell.

Derby boss Gregory had already made his way down the tunnel to deliver his half-time team talk when Barton reacted to Cresswell's time-wasting by throwing the Preston player to the ground.

It was a deserved red card, and Barton's lengthy protests were pointless as he made an early departure to meet the bemused Gregory in the dressing room.

Preston should have doubled their advantage early in the second half, only for the impressive Fuller to lose control with just Poom to beat.

Derby were woeful, and it was no surprise when Preston punished them again to seal the points after 76 minutes.

Paul McKenna was the creator, setting up Healy - on for the limping Fuller - for a precise finish past Poom.

Derby: Poom, Barton, Higginbotham, Riggott, Boertien, Bolder, Lee, O'Neil, Morris, Kinkladze, Christie. Subs: Grant, Strupar, Murray, Evatt, Hunt.

Preston: Moilanen, Alexander, Broomes, Murdock, Edwards, Skora, Etuhu, McKenna, Lucketti, Fuller, Cresswell. Subs: Lonergan, Jackson, Rankine, Healy, Lewis.

Referee: R Warren (Walsall).