Gallian fortunately found a staunch ally in last man Greg Smith (16 not out) who helped him add 46 for the final wicket and clinch victory.

In a game of fluctuating fortunes, Derbyshire may have felt hard done by but Gallian only gave one difficult half-chance in an innings spanning a minute short of seven hours. He had made 48 when his attempted cut off a delivery from Lian Wharton flew hard and high to Michael Di Venuto at slip. He dived high to his right and managed to palm the ball in the air but was unable to hang on to the rebound.

That moment proved pivotal as Derbyshire were denied their sixth win in nine championship outings and lost ground on the teams above them.

Resuming on 39 for no wicket, Nottinghamshire made steady progress to 58 before Derbyshire made the first breakthrough by dismissing Paul Johnson for 39. The first ball of the 26th over saw Johnson playing across the line to Kevin Dean, and he was trapped leg before.

Dean struck again 10 runs later when he found some movement and Guy Welton (four) edged a back-foot defensive shot to Karl Krikken. Dominic Cork bowled with hostility but without luck and a bowling change brought Derbyshire further success with the total on 73.

Usman Afzaal played an airy shot at a rising delivery from Mohammed Ali and could only succeed in guiding a catch to Dean at third man. First innings centurion Kevin Pietersen helped Gallian steady the ship, making 30 before falling with the total on 124 when he edged an ambitious cover drive at a ball from Graeme Welch and was well held at first slip by Cork.

Nottinghamshire still faced an uphill battle when they lunched at 147 for four and they lost another wicket at 170 when Nick Boje (22) mistimed a drive off Wharton to be caught at mid-on by Ali.

A crucial sixth-wicket stand of 86 between Gallian and Chris Read put the visitors right back on track before they lost three wickets in just nine balls - all victims to lbw decisions.

After scoring 47, Read was trapped in his crease by a good-length ball from Cork who with his very next delivery dismissed Paul Franks for a duck in almost identical fashion.

It was 259 for eight when Ali trapped Andrew Harris leg before for a first-ball duck and 277 for nine when Richard Logan (11) lofted a catch off Welch to Wharton at long-on.

Derbyshire were firm favourites at this stage, but Gallian had other ideas - and with the help of Smith steered his team to a morale-boosting success.

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