Derby last played West Brom in ‘that’ game at Wembley; since then both teams have had spells in the top league and are now just about in the same position as three years ago. The Baggies came into today’s game as hot favourites, once again challenging for promotion, but the Super Rams proved that they should never be underestimated on home turf.

This scintillating tie began at ferocious pace. The Rams burst out of the blocks keen to make an early mark; a low cross from Dean Moxey caused Scott Carson a headache as Hulse charged down his spillage. Unfortunately the Derby man was unable get there in time, but the tone had been set for the game.

West Brom took on Derby’s initiative and began to show just why they were challenging at the right half of the table. Some of the football they played was exquisite and easily the best seen at Pride park this season. It was however not enough to fluster the Rams who matched everything West Brom threw at them with well timed tackles and blocks.

The game took a testy turn on the half hour mark when Savage brought down Dorrans in a 50:50 challenge, the WBA youngster then appeared to kick out at Savage whilst still on the ground. All hell let loose. In a ruckus involving most players on the pitch the referee came perilously close to losing control of the game, his failure to spot the Dorrans kick was to prove one of many poor decisions made against both sides today.

Spurred on by the injustice Derby surged forward with Teale volleying the ball wide and then threatening again almost immediately after. The Scottish international fired a free kick towards goal, but was thwarted by a deflection and Carson’s acrobatics as he dived to push the ball over the bar.

Derby’s efforts were rewarded just shy of half time as the fantastic Dickov beat his man to get a shot in; the ball deflected off Olsson looping upwards off the underside of the bar and into the back of the net.

The second half continued in a similar end-to-end fashion. Derby came close to doubling their lead on the hour mark when the unusually anonymous Rob Hulse held the ball up well in the WBA box and fired a shot in on goal only to see it blocked by a West Brom defender.

West Brom desperate to take something home seemed to change up a gear as they began to bombard Derby with constant waves of attack. The encouragement from the Baggie’s travelling support intensified with 15 minutes to go when the appearance of former Villa man Lee Hendrie sent them into the fermenting rage of a rabid mongrel.

After holding on for so long the Rams finally relented with just 8 minutes on the clock; Chris Brunt played a deft ball across the six-yard box into the path of Simon Cox who deflected the ball into the net with his arm. Derby were furious, but the goal stood.

DJ Cambell replaced fellow Leicester loanee Dickov to make his debut in black and white. The pacey striker did well to maintain possession and almost created a winner as he set up Hulse from 18 yards. Campbell impressed again as a fought to keep the ball in play deep in West Brom’s half, but his efforts were ill rewarded as West Brom immediately broke and took the lead through a well crafted shot from Dorrans. Thousands of Pride Park hearts sank, and the shuffle towards exits began with immediate effect. As cries of ‘Hendrie, Hendrie what’s the score?’ rang out from the South Stand the man himself raced down field to latch onto long ball to set up DJ Campbell who headed Derby into Elysium.

BEAUTIFUL