ENGLISH LEAGUE CUP Stoke City 0 Derby County 1:DERBY, RELEGATED in shame from the Premier League last season, are on the brink of a Wembley final after edging past Stoke in the League Cup fifth round last night. An injury-time penalty from Nathan Ellington sent Paul Jewell's men into the semi-finals.
DERBY, RELEGATED in shame from the Premier League last season, are on the brink of a Wembley final after edging past Stoke in the League Cup fifth round last night. An injury-time penalty from Nathan Ellington sent Paul Jewell's men into the semi-finals.
Stoke almost got off to a flying start in the second minute when Mamady Sidibe surged from halfway, but when his ball into the box arrived at the far post, the unmarked Delap was unable to bring it under control.
Derby full-back Paul Connolly got down the right, saw a cross cleared back to him, and then fired in a low, near-post shot that Steve Simonsen spilled before claiming. Connolly had another long-range effort that sailed over.
Stoke had an effort ruled out after 36 minutes when Richard Cresswell forced his way clear to drill a low shot past goalkeeper Roy Carroll, only to find that he had been penalised for handball.
Stoke should have been in the lead after 54 minutes when Ricardo Fuller broke clear of the offside trap, but as he advanced into the area a saving tackle from Jordan Stewart stopped the striker in the act of shooting.
A minute later Addison was booked after a succession of fouls and Stoke now cranking up the pressure. Rob Hulse headed wide from a Connolly cross, but Derby were having to defend in depth. Delap's long cross was then headed back into the danger area by Sidibe, but an unmarked Fuller headed wide from eight yards.
However, Derby fought back and two fine tackles from James Tomkins ended with Ellington setting up Commons for a shot that was deflected just over. Sidibe then mis-hit wide when Fuller's cross fizzed into the six-yard box. Derby responded when Addison hooked against the foot of a post from a 76th-minute corner.
Darren Powell was booked for a foul on Fuller, and from the free-kick Whelan curled in a fine effort that Carroll superbly tipped over. Extra-time loomed but in injury-time, Andy Griffin was judged to have handled a cross from Przemyslaw Kazmierczak, and referee Rob Styles awarded a spot-kick that Ellington rolled in.
SUMMARY:Ellington 90 (pen)
STOKE CITY: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 COUNTY: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.
Referee:Rob Styles (Hampshire).
