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 Carling Cup fifth round.

An injury-time penalty from Nathan Ellington sent Paul Jewell’s men into the semi-finals, the first time County have reached that stage of a major cup competition since 1968.

Stoke and Rory Delap had thrown everything they could think of at Derby’s determined defence, and fans who suffered through an embarrassing top-flight campaign last term at last had something to celebrate.

The Potters made five changes from the side which drew with Hull in the Premier League on Saturday.

In came Steve Simonsen, Ibrahima Sonko, Seyi Olofinjana, Glenn Whelan and Richard Cresswell. Thomas Sorensen, Amdy Faye, Abdoulaye Faye, Salif Diao and Tom Soares were rested as Stoke aimed to reach a major cup semi-final for the first time since 1972.

Derby made just one change from the side which lost at Burnley at the weekend, Ellington replacing the cup-tied Luke Varney.

Chances were at a premium throughout the 90 minutes.

Derby full-back Paul Connolly got down the right, saw a cross cleared back to him, and then fired in a low, nearpost shot that Simonsen spilled before claiming.

Connolly had another longrange effort that sailed over.

Extra-time loomed but in injury- time, Andy Griffin was judged to have handled a cross from Kazmierczak, and referee Rob Styles awarded a spot-kick that Ellington rolled in right in front of the massed Derby ranks.

STOKE: Simonsen, Griffin, Cort, Sonko, Higginbotham, Delap, Olofinjana (Pugh 81), Whelan, Cresswell, Sidibe, Fuller.

DERBY: Carroll, Connolly, Powell, Tomkins, Stewart, Kazmierczak, Green (Teale 90), Addison, Commons, Hulse (Villa 86), Ellington.