It has been over ten years since the Rams last won at Leicester and despite taking the best away for in the League into the match, Derby’s early dominance and first half lead was erased by the Foxes as they were knocked out of the League Cup after dominating much of the match.

In a display that will only further add frustration to Nigel Clough’s bemusement after the self destruction of his team against Reading on Saturday.

Derby was by far the better side but in the end it was their inability to stretch their lead while dominant which always kept the Foxes in the match and push on for a winner once they got what was a one in a hundred thousand chance equaliser.

The Rams made a few changes to the squad fro Saturday with Freeman, Coutts & Sammon taking the places of Smith, Eustace & Ward respectively.

Michael Jacobs must be wondering what he has done wrong not to get a start with Ward out of the team but instead of resting players, Clough seemed intent on attack with all of his 3 main strike options on the park.

Kieron Freeman would have been hoping to restore his tattered reputation with the manager but nearly produced a shocking howler in the opening minute when he lost the ball from kick off letting the Foxes in on goal. To his credit he dug in and redeemed himself by clearing the ball off his own line as Tom Hopper’s header was goal ward bound.

Jake Buxton's came close in the 10th minute but also had his header cleared off the line. Soon afterwards Derby came close again after the Rams energizer bunny Craig Bryson made a great run that resulted in a shot which had Kasper Schmeichel scrambling - but still managed to push it clear.

The Rams had two decent shouts for penalties mid way through the first half that referee Dean Whitestone decided were non events. Craig Bryson seemed to fall over Marcin Wasilewski which was followed soon after by Paul Coutts being challenged in the box by Ignasi Miquel.

Instead of a penalty Coutts was penalised for hand-ball and despite the ref’s assessment of the situation, the tackle left the Derby midfielder writhing in pain on the deck.

So no penalty and a man down as Ben Davies replaced Coutts on 28 minutes. The Ram’s luck could obviously not be counted on to see them through in this one.

On 42 minutes the Rams pressure was rewarded when Johnny Russell cleverly set up Chris Martin who expertly let the ball run across his body and then fired low to beat Schmeichel.

Freeman saved Derby from going in all square at half time when Gary Taylor-Fletcher looked set to tap in from close range. Freeman nipped in first and stole the chance away to keep the Rams ahead.

For the second half Nigel Pearson brought on Dyer and Nugent as he got serious about wrestling the ascendancy back from the Rams who had been far better in the first 45.

The Foxes garnered more possession early in the second but it came to little as the Rams defence looked solid despite the building pressure. Pearson threw on Knockaert as a last ditch effort to open up Derby as it was starting to seem like the Rams may hold on and go through to the fourth round.

On 66 minutes the Rams should have doubled their lead when Russell got a touch on Craig Forsyth's shot which went agonisingly wide.

Unfortunately the Rams not taking their chances once again came back to haunt them as the 21 year old Knockaert justified his manager’s substitution and let fly with a powerful free kick from outside 30 yards. Lee Grant had no chance as it smashed into the underside of the cross bar and into goal.

The Rams had been in control and the Foxes had barely threatened. If you believe in luck, then it was all with the Foxes as a wonder goal had put them on equal terms. The defence has been under fire from fans but no defence in the land could have stopped the jaw dropping strike that tore open the Rams.

On 81 minutes it was another Knockaert free-kick that brought Derby undone as the resulting ball pinged around in the box like a pin-ball. The ball hit a few bodies as players tried to clear and score all at once — the ball eventually found Drinkwater and then the back of the net.

Derby pressed forward but adjusting the mind set from defending to attack is always a problem and they never seriously looked like undoing the damage.

Surprisingly Clough did not use his bench again until the 90th minute when he brought on Michael Jacobs, when perhaps both he and Mason Bennett could have been useful injection of pace immediately after going behind.

But I am splitting hairs as for most of the match the Rams looked good for the win or at worst taking the game to extra time.

Luck was not on Nigel Clough’s side, as on another day with another referee, Derby would have had a penalty and maybe finished a couple more of their good chances in the first half.

But the old saying “you make your own luck’” must apply as if the Rams continue to dominate in this fashion and not find themselves out of site by half time — then the wobbles will set in at some stage when the kitchen sink is brought out and hurled at you.

Out of the Cup - disappointing but not a disaster. No points lost and that must be the teams main focus this campaign.

The main attraction comes Saturday when Derby can restore confidence, belief and the smiles on their fans faces — if they can steal the points at Forest and continue their unbeaten League form.

If they can - then rest assured Reading & Cup defeat will be fast forgotten.

Watch out wee Billy... the Rams are coming and the have a point to prove!!

Cloughie’s Comment:

Nigel Clough talking to the DCFC Official Site after the loss

“We’re incredibly frustrated because for long spells it looked as if we were going into the Fourth Round. We got ourselves in front with a great goal but when it mattered we weren’t able to see the game out.”

“It was another good away performance, especially in the first half, but we were a bit naïve in the latter stages and Leicester got two goals as a result. The free-kicks that led to both goals were needlessly given away and some of our decision making wasn’t quite what it should have been.”

“As the players are learning, they have to make decisions and we didn’t do it well enough unfortunately.It’s even more frustrating because we looked so comfortable for long spells with Lee Grant having little to do between the posts.”

“We had quite a few shots at goal and we could have been further ahead at the interval. The goal we scored was superbly taken by Chris Martin after Conor Sammon and Johnny Russell did well to create the chance. It looked like it was going to be the winner, which would have been deserved for his performance playing off the front two.”

“Leicester upped the pressure in the second half, bringing some key players off the bench, and we’ve ultimately been undone by a superb free-kick and a deflected goal.

“It’s hard to take for everyone at the minute and, like after Saturday, it feels like we’re beating ourselves at the moment and it felt like our luck was out.”

“Our fans were brilliant and they got behind the side superbly and we’re just disappointed we couldn’t get a result for them. We’ve got a big game at Forest coming up now so it’s important everyone stays positive and doesn’t let their heads drop.”

The Teams :

Foxes: Schmeichel (GK); Moore, Wasilewski, Miquel, Bakayogo (Dyer 46'); Hammond, James, Drinkwater; Taylor-Fletcher (Knockaert 63’), Hopper (Nugent 46'), Schlupp.

Unused Subs: Logan (GK), De Laet, Konchesky, Whitbread.

Fox Goals: Anthony Knockaert 78’, Danny Drinkwater 81’

Rams: Grant (GK), Freeman, Keogh, Buxton, Forsyth, Coutts (Davies 28’), Bryson, Hughes (Jacobs 90'), Russell Sammon, Martin.

Unused Subs: Deeney (GK), Smith, Bennett, Eustace, Ward.

Ram Goals: Chris Martin 42’

Match Stats :

Ref: Dean Whitestone

Crowd: 14,043 - inc. 2,209 travelling Rams

Possession: Foxes 41% - Rams 59%

Shots (on target): Foxes 8 (4) — Rams 11 (6)

Fouls: Foxes 11 — Rams 6

Match Video Highlights:

Up Next For The Travelling Rams :

Nottingham Florists Vs Derby County

12:15pm - Saturday 28^th September

Photo: Action Images

Swansea City Polls