Derby County will look to keep their faint Championship play-off hopes alive when they face Brentford at Griffin Park on Good Friday.

Rams manager Gary Rowett has made a good start after being appointed as Steve McClaren’s successor last month and he has taken the club to within seven points of sixth-placed Sheffield Wednesday in the standings.

However, the Midlands outfit are running out of time to snatch a top six spot with just five league fixtures of the season remaining.

Last weekend they beat the 43-year-old’s former side Birmingham City 2-1 at St Andrew’s, with Tom Ince’s injury-time winner keeping their play-off dream alive.

They are again on the road this weekend when they come up against the Bees, who are just four places and six points behind County in the table.

Here are THREE reasons Derby will continue their late play-off push with a win against Brentford on Friday…

They are in fine form

Since Gary Rowett took the helm at the Pride Park Stadium last month Derby have taken 10 points from a possible 12, and it would have been a 100% record if the Rams hadn’t have conceded a last-gasp equaliser in the 2-2 draw against Nottingham Forest.

The side looks to be in great form right now – with players such as David Nugent and Matej Vydra looking good in front of goal – and they will take that confidence to the capital when they face Brentford on Good Friday.

They know they must win

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Lying seven points from the play-offs with just five fixtures of the Championship season remaining, Gary Rowett and his side know that they will probably have to win all of those to have any chance of snatching a top six spot.

That mentality will mean that they will be going all out for the victory at Griffin Park, and they might be helped by the fact the mid-table Bees have little to play for.

Their firepower

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Rowett comes into the clash at Griffin Park with two strikers in hot form in David Nugent and Matej Vydra, and the 43-year-old will hope that they can prove to be the difference on Good Friday.

Nugent has scored four goals in his last four matches – including a hat-trick in the 4-2 victory against fellow play-off hopefuls Fulham at Pride Park Stadium last weekend – while Vydra has three in his previous five league appearances. They could be the difference between Rams winning or not at Griffin Park.

Do you agree, Rams fans? Let us know below.

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