Stoke 0-1 Derby

Nathan Ellington scores the late winner for Derby

A Nathan Ellington penalty deep in injury time ensured Derby dramatically progressed to the Carling Cup semi-finals for the first time in 40 years.

Richard Cresswell had a goal disallowed for hand-ball in a poor first half.

Both teams had chances after the break, with Kris Commons and Miles Addison both hitting the bar for Derby.

An excellent Roy Carroll save prevented Ricardo Fuller from scoring before Derby were awarded the penalty on 94 minutes for an Andy Griffin handball.

The game was seemingly heading towards extra-time when Griffin handled Przemyslaw Kazmierczak's cross to leave referee Rob Styles with little option but to award the spot-kick.

Ellington then coolly rolled the ball beyond Steve Simonsen in front of the delirious visiting supporters.

It was the first time Rams boss Paul Jewell had presided over a Derby victory at the expense of a Premier League team in 25 attempts.

And the Championship side fully deserved to beat a Stoke line-up which, although featuring five changes from the team which drew with Hull at the weekend, had a strong backbone in the form of Ibrahima Sonko, Rory Delap and Fuller.

606: DEBATE Did Derby deserve to win?

In the first half Stoke relied too heavily on Delap's catapult throw-ins when a bit of variety may have brought greater dividends.

The home side showed the greater attacking intent but lacked poise in the final third, and, other than Cresswell's disallowed effort, the only other shot of note came from Mamady Sidibe.

However, Paul Connolly bravely put his body in the way to prevent what would have been a certain goal.

Derby were a team transformed in the second half; Commons thought he had given his side the lead in the 50th minute only for the crossbar to get in the way and then Addison hit the post.

Stoke were also creating chances; Fuller heading wide after Sidibe had flicked on Delap's cross, and 20 minutes before the end Sidibe wastefully shot wide after he had been put through by Fuller.

Moments later, Carroll needed to be at full stretch to prevent Fuller's close-range shot from hitting the top corner.

Then, just as the game was looming towards extra-time, a lapse in concentration handed victory to Derby.

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Stoke: Simonsen, Griffin, Cort, Sonko, Higginbotham, Delap, Olofinjana (Pugh 81), Whelan, Cresswell, Sidibe, Fuller.
Subs Not Used: Sorensen, Pericard, Amdy Faye, Davies, Abdoulaye Faye, Dickinson.

Derby: Carroll, Connolly, Powell, Tomkins, Stewart, Kazmierczak, Green (Teale 90), Addison, Commons, Hulse (Villa 86), Ellington.
Subs Not Used: Bywater, Sterjovski, Nyatanga, Zadkovich, Camara.

Booked: Addison, Powell.

Goals: Ellington 90 pen.

Att: 22,034

Ref: Rob Styles (Hampshire).

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BBC Sport Player Rater man of the match: Derby's Nathan Ellington 7.26 (on 90 minutes).