A third straight defeat leaves Derby eight points adrift of safety with just 11 Championship games to play.

Cardiff's first victory in four games lifts them to 18th.

Steve Morison's team look all but safe having moved 16 points clear of the relegation zone, but concerns are growing for the Rams after their latest reverse.

There was no doubting their desire in the Welsh capital, but Rooney's men came up short in a game in which both sides hit the woodwork before Ikpeazu's decisive intervention.

This was another setback after another difficult week in Derby's troubled campaign, with defeats to Millwall and Luton Town preceding Monday's EFL demand for "urgent" news from the club's administrators on how they will be funded between now and the end of this campaign.

Rooney's players have won plaudits for their valiant performances in trying circumstances this season.

And it was Derby who produced the more enterprising football in a first half which was short on clear-cut chances, with Festy Ebosele and Lee Buchanan prominent on either flank.

Buchanan had the visitors' first effort of the night, a left-foot drive which he dragged across the face of goal, before Ebosele danced around Joel Bagan only to lift his shot over the top.

But while Derby were the more progressive side, it was Cardiff who came closest to a first-half goal thanks to a moment of individual quality from Tommy Doyle.

After a corner was only half-cleared, Cody Drameh fed Doyle 30 yards from goal and the on-loan Manchester City youngster unleashed a dipping volley which beat Ryan Allsop but crashed to safety off the bar.

Cardiff came again before the break, Bagan swinging in a sweet cross which Jordan Hugill headed onto the roof of the net.

Derby's Nathan Byrne goes flying as he challenges Cardiff's Isaak Davies

Derby's desire was evident throughout, with their biggest moment coming early in the second half thanks to a cross from the impressive Ebosele.

Ravel Morrison rose high to meet the cross, but his header from point-blank range was pawed onto the upright by Alex Smithies before substitute Colin Kazim-Richards hooked the rebound wide.

But it was Cardiff who looked the more likely winners as the contest wore on, with Isaak Davies and Perry Ng forcing Allsop into action with efforts from outside the box.

Skipper Joe Ralls came perilously close to a breakthrough when he cut in from the right and lifted a shot onto the bar before substitute Ikpeazu struck.

The striker outmuscled Curtis Davies - whose appeals for a foul were waved away - and guided the ball home from Ng's right-wing cross.

Cardiff manager Steve Morison said: "It's been a good day. I am really pleased to top it off with three points, not that we deserved three points.

"I thought we were poor tonight - we could have been better. Tired minds, tired bodies make for not the best decisions, but we have come quite a way as a group. We are quite resilient. We won the game but we want to be better.

"Apart from the header when Al [Smithies] makes a great save, they didn't trouble the goal too much.

"It's tough for Derby - I thought they were really good and it's a kick in the teeth for them."

Derby manager Wayne Rooney said: "We had a lot of control of the game. We really made it difficult for Cardiff to have any impact on the game, but we didn't take our chances.

"We got punished for not taking the chances. We got punished for going to ground when we got fouled [in the lead-up to the goal]. We got punished by the officials.

"I can't say too much. It's the truth. It's not acceptable, some of the decisions. Are we getting punished because no-one expects us to stay in the division?

"We are still fighting. We will keep going until the end."