Barclays Premier League
Chris Kershaw reports from White Hart Lane
Rams goalkeeper Stephen Bywater was beaten four times, including three in the first quarter hour, as a resurgent Spurs side convincingly beat the Rams.
The Derby stopper couldn't be blamed for any of the goals personally, but manager Billy Davies will no doubt have had strong words for the majority of his side after a poor performance at White Hart Lane.
Centre-half Dean Leacock came in for his first start of the season, in for the injured Claude Davis, who has a rib problem. American midfielder Benny Feilhaber, signed from SV Hamburg this week, took a place on the bench.
Wearing their new all-black away kit for the first time, the Rams took to the field of play to a huge roar from the travelling faithful. They were hopeful they would see their favourites heap more misery on Martin Jol's team, who had lost their first two games of the new campaign.
But it was the home side who got off to the best possible start, inside two minutes. After Jay McEveley, back in the starting line-up also, tripped Wayne Routledge 30 yards out ex-Derby man Tom Huddlestone rolled a short one to Steed Malbranque on the edge of the area. He wasted no time in smashing a low right-footer past Stephen Bywater.
Things got even worse for Derby just four minutes later when Pascal Chimbonda played the ball in for Darren Bent from the right touchline and the latter looked up and sought out the advancing Malbranque.
He took a touch before curling home his, and Tottenham's, second goal beyond the despairing reach of Bywater.
Rob Earnshaw got in behind the home defence as the visitors rallied, but Paul Robinson was off his line quickly to save with his feet.
On 10 minutes McEveley forced a corner which Matt Oakley whipped in with pace, Steve Howard getting his head on the end of it but not making a solid enough contact to cause a threat.
Huddlestone flashed a shot over the bar as Spurs came forward again and on 14 they made it 3-0.
Pearson was dispossessed cheaply by Jermaine Jenas in midfield and the young Tottenham man ran the full length of the field, shrugging off the attentions of McEveley before slotting a low shot past Bywater and in off his right-hand post.
Spurs won a hat-trick of corners as they pressed again and the Rams were at sixes and sevens as they tried to cope with the pace, power and possession of the hosts.
On 32 Spurs had the ball in the back of the net once again, but this time the Rams were saved by the assistant referee's flag. Bent squared the ball back for Keane, who scuffed his shot before Routledge nudged it into the net only to have the effort chalked off.
Two minutes later Derby were forced into the first substitution of the match when Mears limped off with what looked like a thigh injury. He was replaced by Andy Griffin.
Jenas curled a speculative effort only just past Bywater's post and then, on 36, Howard's flick-on in the direction of Earnshaw won the Rams a corner which was sliced behind by Huddlestone for another. This time Oakley's centre found the head of Howard, and Robinson was grateful to claim.
Keane bent a drive over the bar as Spurs continued to dominate and on 42 the home side felt they should have had a penalty when McEveley tangled with Bent. Within a minute Tottenham were pressing again and after exchanging a one-two with Bent, Keane came close with a shot that caught the side netting.
Winger Gary Teale came on for Todd at the start of the second half and six minutes after the re-start Griffin became the first player booked for a late challenge on Malbranque.
On 57 Howard was booked for a foul on Huddlestone as the visitors started to show frustration. The resulting free-kick, taken by Routledge, was headed over by a stooping Bent.
Moore then became the next Rams player booked, for body checking Bent, before Bywater was forced to pluck a Keane curler out of the air.
On 71 sub Teale jinked past a couple of defenders and let fly with an angled right-footed drive that looked to be flying into the net until Robinson performed acrobatics to tip the ball away.
At the other end another substitute, Adel Taarabt, was making an amazing contribution after coming on. Having already gone on a mazy run, he produced another on 73 and thundered a shot narrowly wide at the end of it.
Spurs' enigmatic captain Keane was replaced with 13 minutes left on the clock and he received a rapturous round of applause as he walked off to shake hands with his replacement Jermain Defoe.
Fagan became another player to be booked on 79 when he tripped Taarabt. From the resulting free-kick Huddlestone flighted a ball to the back post and onto the head of Chimbonda.
Bywater did well to tip the ball onto the bar but sadly it bounced back to Bent who had the easiest of headers from close range to make it 4-0.
There was to be no first appearance for Feilhaber but he'll ho doubt be itching to play a part in the forthcoming Premier League home fixture against Birmingham.
SPURS: Robinson, Chimbonda (Zokora 81), Lee, Jenas, Keane (Defoe 76), Malbranque, Routledge (Taarabt 72), Huddlestone, Bent, Gardner, Rocha.
SUBS: Cerny (GK), Stalteri.
DERBY: Bywater, Mears (Griffin 34), Moore, Leacock, McEveley, Fagan, Oakley (C), Todd (Teale 46), Pearson, Howard, Earnshaw.
SUBS: Price (GK), Jones, Feilhaber
ATTENDANCE: 35,600.
