It took Fulham 45 minutes, and two terrible defensive mistakes by the Rams, to take a 2-0 lead. After that it took 20 minutes for the Rams to score 5 and run away with the cup tie - in what was a powerful display.

Steve McClaren added Buxton, Mascarell, Hendrick and Dawkins to the starting line up as the Rams fielded a strong team that the gaffer no doubt was hoping would both get his team through to the next round and get the team firing again after a poor performance on Saturday.

Derby had put 5 past Fulham earlier this season but a much sterner test awaited them with the home team having revitalised their season winning 5 of their last 8.

The Rams started the match much the same as they finished on Saturday — trying hard without much flair or purpose - as they did a lot of running for little result.

Fulham on the other hand were looking much more direct and their hard running and pressure paid off in the 27th minute when the Rams made a fatal mistake.

Craig Forsyth has at times this season looked like a shadow of the player he was last season and when he played a back pass to Derby keeper Kelle Roos, it would have been a good idea to look at who was bearing down on him. Fulham’s Dembele intercepted the blind pass, rounded Roos and put the ball in the net.

Derby were down and so should have been Forsyth’s head after what was a schoolboy error.

The Rams were failing to find a foothold to get themselves back into the game and continued to look shaky at the back. That shakiness turned into an earthquake on 45 minutes, when in a moment of madness, Roos passed the ball to Mascarell who wasn’t just hot, he was on fire! A gang of Fulham players pounced on him and Bryan Ruiz thanked Roos for his generosity as he gave it to Dembele who slotted the ball past him.

It looked like the Rams were on a hiding to nothing as fans imaginations turned to worries of Saturday being the beginning of a bad run for their top of table team.

Instead Fulham returned the favour into stoppage time when Tim Hoogland waved his hands in the air as the ball was crossed into the Fulham box and blatantly handled the ball.

Despite Rams fans sweating bullets when a penalty is obtained by their team, Chris Martin stepped up to the spot and scored to give Derby a lifeline on the stroke of half time.

HT: 2-1

Any worry that Derby would continue their lethargy in the second half were soon put to rest.

From the restart it was total Derby dominance.

You could see the flakes of paint still clinging to the players shirts after Steve McClaren’s words at the break had seemingly had sprung his chargers into life.

Dawkins had been good but he got much better in the second 45 and started with a good run that ended on the by-line where he cut the ball back to the always running Johnny Russell who lashed it in to level the scores on 47 minutes.

Minutes later it was Dawkins again as he went from creator to scorer with a sensational 20 yard drive, from a tight angle, that got the better of Fulham keeper Gabor Kiraly, who got a slight touch but not enough to prevent Simon’s rocket reaching the top corner of goal on 54.

Derby were ahead but could they hang on?

Could they ever!

On 62 some fantastic play from Forsyth, who was busting a lung to redeem his first half howler, diverted a cross from Bryson that fell perfectly for Hendrick who made and made no mistake from 6 yards.

Russell, like most of his Rams team mates were running rings around their hosts, and those rings seemed like they could have circled Saturn, when Johnny put in a mouth watering cross from the right. Dawkins not just met the ball, he greeted it with a sensational back heel that beat the keeper and made it 5 in 20 minute of football.

The Cottagers were spent and despite there still being nearly half an hour to play — both teams created chances but no more goals were to eventuate as the football gods ruled that 7 was enough.

One other positive for the Rams was the introduction of Paul Coutts into the action for the final 20 minutes. The talented midfielder has been missing for nearly a year with injury and will be like a new signing for McClaren - with his ability to play in multiple positions - plus add more strength in the middle of the park.

The game played itself out and it remained 2-5 as Derby produced what must be one of the most stunning 20 minutes of football in League Cup history.

FT: 2-5

It’s the Quarter Finals now for Derby - and whoever awaits can consider themselves warned that no matter how well you think you are travelling - there are goals in this Rams team.

Twice this season Derby has scored 5 over Fulham and both times they have followed a disappointing loss.

Last time the 5-1 victory was the beginning of a 13 match unbeaten run.

A case of history repeating?

We can only hope!

COYR!!

Match Info / Teams:

Ref: G. Scott

Crowd: 15,156

Fulham: Király; Zverotić, Hutchinson, Arthurworrey, Kavanagh; Hoogland; Hyndman, Williams (David 72’), Roberts (McCormack 72’), Ruiz, (Eisfeld 85’), Dembélé.

Unused Subs: Stafylidis, Parker, Burn, Bettinelli.

Goals: Dembélé (27’,45’)

Derby: Roos; Christie, Keogh, Buxton, Forsyth, Mascarell (Coutts 69’), Hendrick, Bryson (Hughes 77’) Russell, Dawkins (Ibe 74’), Martin.

Unused Subs: Mitchell, Naylor, Calero, Thomas

Goals: Martin (45+2’), Russell (47’), Dawkins (54’, 65’), Hendrick (62’)

Match Stats — Fulham / Derby:

Possession: 43% / 57%

Shots On Target: 6 / 8

Shots Off Target: 4 / 4

Corners: 3 / 5

Fouls: 5 / 12

We Said / They Said - Match Reaction:

We Said — Steve McClaren:

“That’s the way we play and it’s no risk. We have to deal with these things and deal with the ball, we didn’t on one or two occasions and we got punished. We had a mountain to climb, but, fortunately, we got a lifeline just before half time.”

“We had more tempo, we was on the front foot, more aggressive and we played positive football. We took risks, and when we do that, teams struggle to live with us.”

They said — Kit Symons:

"We scored two tonight so that's progress”.

"We nullified them in the first half but the second half was a different story and Derby punished us."

Highlights / Post Match Interviews:

Up Next For The Rams:

Brentford vs. Derby

3pm - Saturday 1st Of November

COYR!!

Photo: Action Images

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