An early goal to Gary Teale started things well for Derby but once Steve Davies left the field with an injury only minutes later, it was all down hill from there.

Rotherham started the brighter of the teams but against the run of play the Rams went ahead on 11 minutes in what seemed like their first genuine attack on goal.

Paul Connolly put a well weighted pass through to Lee Croft who looked ready to fire a shot of his own but instead squirted a pass across the top of the box which Gary Teale latched onto finishing off the well worked move.

Steve Davies was an early substitute as nearly immediately after the goal he left the field with hamstring problems. His departure signaled the introduction of Luke Varney who was given the chance to impress.

Instead Rotherham hit back hard with a host of chances including one from former Derby defender Pablo Mills who went close but it was just before the stroke of half time that the home team finally leveled things up.

Jamie Green sent a free kick into the area that was not cleared effectively by the Rams defense and they were punished for it when Paul Warne rifled it home through the congestion.

HT: 1-1

After the break Rotherham continued to dominate but it took twenty minutes for them to again breach the Derby defense. Nicky Law crossed from the left and found Warne who in turn laid the ball off for Kevin Ellison. He made no mistake in converting the chance when he beat Bywater easily to grab the lead.

Rams fans were in agony during the final 15 minutes as the Rams looked came close to an equalizer with McEveley, Pringle, Buxton and Moxey all missing genuine chances. Rotherham goalkeeper Andy Warrington proved to be the difference in the end with a run of saves that would impress at any level.

At the final whistle the game ended and Derby were out of the Carling Cup. Last season it was Manchester United twice in the Semi’s but this year the team will be watching them on TV with the rest of us.

FT: 2-1

In defeat for Derby they really only have themselves to blame for leaving the charge so late in the match. The injury to Davies upset the team structure but the talent still on the park should have had the experience and ability to build on their early lead.

Sadly it was not to be and the Rams will have to dust themselves off and make sure they are up for the Scunthorpe game on Saturday. Cup runs equal extra revenue and excitement but points are the most important commodity in any season. The Rams need to show this defeat was a blip on the radar rather than a sign of things to come.

If the likes of Leacock, Green, Commons and Hulse return to the team for the weekend, hopefully it will prove to be the spark required to continue the good work that began on opening day.

The Match:

Goals: Teale (Der) 11, Warne (Roth) 44, Ellison (Roth) 65

Referee: D Webb

Bookings: Connolly

Teams:

Derby County:
Stephen Bywater, Paul Connolly, Miles Addison, Jake Buxton, Dean Moxey, Lee Croft, Robbie Savage, Ben Pringle (McEveley, 81), Stephen Pearson, Gary Teale, Steve Davies (Varney, 15).

Subs:
Saul Deeney, Jay McEveley, Shaun Barker, Dean Leacock, Arnaud Mendy, Luke Varney.

Rotherham United:
Andy Warrington, Dale Tonge, Ian Sharps, Nick Fenton, Jamie Green, Nicky Law, Pablo Mills, Jason Taylor, Kevin Ellison (Liddell, 71), Tom Pope, Paul Warne.

Subs
Jamie Anderson, Marc Joseph, Ryan Taylor, Danny Harrison, Mark Lynch, Micky Cummins, Andy Liddell.

Photo: Action Images

Derby County Polls