It was a frantic start to the game with the hosts slightly on top, Rob Burch pulling off one or two more excellent saves in order to keep the scores level. Kerr and Davies clashed on the half way line before Rob Hulse shot over from distance. Gall came close to latching onto a through-ball but the Imps were certainly holding their own against higher league opposition.

City won a free kick about 35 yards out and Oakes stepped up. His set piece went straight at the wall and the resulting free ball resulted in City missing the opportunity to open the scoring. Several more wasted chances for both sides failed to open the scoring before the half time whistle came.

City started the second half quickly, winning an early free kick that came to nothing, but it wasn't long before the Imps were in the lead and it was Paul Green who sent a cross deep into the box, Ben Wright beating his marker to the ball and heading past Roy Carroll to score the first goal of the season. However, this turned out to the spark that Derby needed.

Mears was booked for diving in the attempt of winning a penalty under the challenge of Beevers. John-Lewis was then booked for tripping Green before Brown denied Ellington with a fantastic sliding challenge. Kovacs headed a Oakes corner wide of the target before Davies was replaced by Pereplotkins for the hosts. Hulse dragged a shot wide before being replaced by Emanuel Villa.

Then came the game's turning point. City launched a counter attack that saw N'Guessan send a cross onto the opposite side of the box. The ball fell to Kevin Gall and his shot was brilliantly saved by Roy Carroll. The game had been even up until that point, but now Derby would dominate.

Burch produced another fantastic save, this time denying Commons before Villa fired wide. John-Lewis went off for Freck with 15 minutes to go. Przemyslaw Kazmierczak also replace Robbie Savage before Derby scored out of no-where. A cross into the box went over everyone and Ellington snuck it over Burch and the ball trickled over the line and City had been just seven minutes from their first cup win in fifteen attempts.

N'Guessan went off for King before another Burch save brought the Imps fans to their feet. King tested Carroll from 20 yards but that was the final action of normal time and the game went into extra-time.

The hosts almost scored within 15 seconds of the restart, only a Lee Beevers challenge denying Villa a free run on goal. King headed an Oakes free kick wide before Kazmierczak had a half volley saved single handedly by Burch. Derby's Paul Green hit the post six minutes into extra time but it wasn't long before Derby were ahead. A ball over the defence fell to Ellington, cleverly avoided a Kovacs challenge to leave him with a virtual open goal, smashing home. Burch saved a Commons effort just after this but a brilliant volley from Ellington saw Derby take a 3-1 lead. The ball was played over everyone and Ellington smashed the ball back across goal at the first attempt and it was one of the best goals City have conceded in a long time.

Neither side could manage another chance and Derby won their first competitive game since September 17^th 2007, whereas the Imps' winless run in cup competitions continues.

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