An added time strike from Matty Warhurst handed Oliver Reiss’s side glory in a tense battle with a Rams team aiming for a podium finish.
Derby had gone two ahead after a strike under the legs of Oliver Whatmuff from Owen Eames handed the visitors the advantage before Demaine Agustien’s rocket put the young Rams in a comfortable position.
But Finlay Gorman tapped in via the post after Harley Price parried the ball to the midfielder from Matty Warhurst’s strike to reduce the deficit.
Into the second-half, substitute Ryan McAidoo fired City level after he rewarded himself with the space to send a thunder strike into the top corner.
And City thought they had won it when Warhurst tapped in at the back post from a McAidoo blocked shot, but Tristan Gill reached the ball first from a corner to dampen title dreams.
But the Blues came back yet again, Warhurst swivelling and striking an effort into the bottom corner to send the City bench into bedlam.
Victory against the East Midlanders handed City the title and recorded a 21st successive win for Reiss’s team.
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