SHOULD Portman Road ever befall a flood, an earthquake, a volcano or some other natural disaster, Town could do far worse than approach Derby County about the possibility of a groundshare.

Although it’s not local and the trip can be lengthy - ask the fans who travelled on Tuesday - the Blues’ record at Pride Park is unparalleled.

Had it been their home ground, Town’s current incarceration in the Championship would surely have been ended long before its present 16 years.

The Blues’ record since the Rams moved to Pride Park at the start of the 1997/98 season reads played 17, won nine, drawn six and lost two. Automatic promotion-winning form some years.

The most recent of those two defeats came precisely 11 years ago yesterday, ten games - seven wins and three draws - ago.

Blues boss Mick McCarthy enjoys an equally superb record on Derby turf, his last defeat as a manager having come back at the Rams’ former home the Baseball Ground during his time at Millwall back in March 1995.

Tuesday’s latest win, Town’s third successive 1-0 victory at Pride Park, was a classic away performance.

Martyn Waghorn’s set-pieces have become more and more of a threat in recent games and it was little surprise that it was one of his corners which led to the Blues’ fifth-minute winner.

The summer signing from Rangers whipped the ball over from the right and on-loan Everton man Callum Connolly got ahead of his marker to flick a header over the line off the underside of the bar, Hawk-Eye confirming that it had crossed as keeper Scott Carson desperately sought to paw it away.

From there, the Blues defended in depth, looked for a second goal on the counter-attack and battled their way to a hard-fought three points against one of the division’s more fancied and in-form sides.

Derby fans will feel that they spurned chances - Matej Vydra failed to take their best opportunity towards the end - and Bartosz Bialkowski made one magnificent save, diving to his right to stop a deflected Tom Huddlestone strike, but for the most part the Blues were able to repel anything the Rams threw at them.

Town also had the odd chance to grab a second on the break with Waghorn appearing to have a very strong penalty claim denied, although the Rams believed they also had a couple of valid shouts.

Despite Town’s remarkable Pride Park record, Blues supporters had expected to take little from the game prior to kick-off, given Town’s lack of success against the better teams in the Championship - Derby are the first from the upper echelons they’ve beaten all season.

Add to that David Nugent’s presence in the Rams’ side - the one-time international had previously amassed 15 goals in 15 games against the Blues and had been unbeaten against them - but for once even he was unable to work his magic and was subbed at half-time.

Saturday’s 2-0 defeat at Aston Villa had hardly enhanced the mood, with Town having been the architects of their own downfall as woeful defending led to both Albert Adomah’s goals.

Up until his opener on 36 minutes, there had been little in the game with the Blues arguably having shaded it.

That saw Town go into Tuesday’s match, their long-awaited game in hand postponed from September, knowing that a win would put them firmly in the play-off hunt three points from the top six but that a defeat would leave them eight points away and very much in mid-table.

Psychologically, there was a very significant difference between the two scenarios, particularly given the widespread not overly positive view of manager McCarthy among fans.

But the win and the current position of ninth and in the play-off chasing pack sees supporters in a more upbeat mood going into Saturday’s game at home to Nottingham Forest.

The Tricky Trees - who won’t face their former skipper Luke Chambers, who is banned after picking up his fifth booking at Derby - are tenth, behind the Blues by two points.

Their form has been somewhat up and down of late, they have won five and lost five of their last ten, alternating results in their last six.

They have lost four of their last five away Championship games - even if they have won three overall - so Town should have a decent chance of picking up all three points at Portman Road.

Although they’d stand a far better one if the game was being played at Pride Park, obviously.