Huddersfield Town had two men sent off as they suffered a third successive defeat which did nothing to ease their fears of being drawn into a Championship survival scrap.

Defenders Joel Lynch, in the 43rd minute, and Peter Clarke, the club captain, in the 57th, were the men to walk, both for second bookable offences.

Town had led through Nahki Wells' early opener, but promotion-chasing Derby levelled through Johnny Russell before the break.

The visitors were up against it with 10 men, and a spill by keeper Alex Smithies gifted the home side the lead before Chris Martin netted a penalty after the foul which brought Clarke's dismissal.

Town made three changes in the wake of their dismal midweek home defeat by Ipswich, when manager Mark Robins described the performance as "abject".

Clarke returned to the centre of defence, Calum Woods came in at right-back and Jonathan Hogg featured in midfield.

Defenders Paul Dixon and Tommy Smith and midfielder Oscar Gobern were the men to miss out, with Town starting with a 4-2-3-1 formation Lynch playing left-back.

Derby were unchanged after their midweek win at Blackpool, but had winger Jamie Ward back on the bench after injury.

Town keeper Alex Smithies was in action early, blocking Russell's shot with his legs before Richard Keogh put the rebound over.

And Clarke picked up his first yellow card just four minutes in after a foul on Will Hughes, who was breaking from midfield.

Derby had started strongly, but Town remained composed and had a penalty appeal rejected, Danny Ward going down as Jake Buxton challenged, before Wells struck on 13 minutes.

Adam Clayton started the move with a neat pass to Ward, who crossed for the striker to sidefoot home from close range.

Wells could have had a second when former Town loan defender Keogh sold Lee Grant short with a back pass, but the keeper made a fine block.

Patrick Bamford headed over from a Derby corner before Russell's 28th-minute equaliser, neatly flicked over Smithies as the frontman burst into the penalty area.

Lynch became the second Town man booked by referee Darren Deadman when he took too long over a 31st-minute throw-in.

Ward had a shot parried by Grant while George Thorne shot wide from distance before Lynch was red carded, his 43rd-minute foul on Patrick Bamford bringing a second yellow.

Bamford, the on-loan Chelsea player, missed a great chance to out his side in front when he blasted over with the goal gaping just before the break.

Not surprisingly, Robins made a half-time change, replacing Adam Hammill with Smith, who went to right-back, with Woods switching to the left.

But his side were behind five minutes after the restart after Smithies spilled a Craig Forsyth cross into his own goal.

And by the 57th minute, they were down to nine men and trailing 3-1, Chris Martin scoring from the penalty spot after Clarke's foul on Hughes brought him a second yellow, and therefore red.

Anthony Gerrard was booked in the aftermath of the penalty award, while Murray Wallace was brought on for Ollie Norwood.

With his side looking comfortable, Derby boss Steve McClaren had soon made three changes, with Ward, Jeff Hendrick and Lee Naylor coming on.

Bamford, Thorne and Forsyth went off.

Sean Scannell for Wells was the final change by Robins as his side went for damage limitation in front of a 25,809 crowd.

Smithies made fine late saves from Ward and Russell, and preventing another Derby goal with only nine men at least kept down the the damage to Town's goal difference.