Nathan Ellington was the hero for Derby as they ground out a 3-1 win Carling Cup win against Lincoln.
Ellington fires Championship side to victory
Nathan Ellington was the hero for Derby as they ground out a 3-1 win Carling Cup win against Lincoln.
The Rams fell behind in front of their own supporters when Ben Wright struck shortly after the break.
Ellington then forced the game into extra-time when he netted late on, before grabbing two more in the additional 30 minutes to secure his hat-trick.
It had looked like being a case of deja vu for Derby who, just like against Doncaster in the Championship at the weekend, had created the better chances in the first-half only to fall behind to a sucker punch soon after the restart.
Wright's headed goal from Paul Green's right wing cross in the 48th minute threatened to increase the pressure on Jewell.
But Ellington, so impressive for Jewell at Wigan, came to his mentor's rescue when he squeezed the ball past the impressive Robert Burch from close range with seven minutes remaining.
He put Derby ahead with a powerful shot into the roof of the net from 12-yards out in the 100th minute before another impressive finish, this time a volley, five minutes later ensured County reached round two.
Derby made an anxious start and would have fallen behind inside the opening two minutes had Claude Davis, making his first appearance for the club since the end of January following a knee injury, not blocked Kevin Gall's shot.
Blocked
Derby took time to settle and Ellington should have put them ahead when he raced clear in the seventh minute, but he saw his shot blocked by Burch when one-on-one.
It was the beginning of a recurring theme in the first half for Lincoln, who won 3-1 at Pride Park at this stage of the competition in 2004, as they had a fine goalkeeping performance by Burch to thank for keeping them in the tie.
Former Tottenham trainee Burch denied Ellington again soon after when he saved the striker's near post header.
Derby assumed control and Burch was tested again in the 17th minute when he produced a fine smothering save to keep out Steve Davies' shot.
Kris Commons was next to extend the 24-year-old just after the half-hour mark with a shot that the Lincoln keeper parried.
Lincoln offered little as an attacking force but scored with their first real effort on goal.
Ellington squandered another one-one-one opportunity when he was crowded out by two Lincoln defenders inside the area after an hour. But he soon made amends in dramatic fashion.
