For our younger readers, this classic clip shows what Derby v Leeds used to be all about

If Paul Jewell is to enjoy this kind of fortune for the rest of Derby County’s Carling Cup campaign, he should book the Wembley hotel now. The Derby manager, who took Wigan Athletic to the final of this competition in 2006, was a relieved man last night after his team were outplayed by Leeds United for all but the first 20 minutes, yet reached the quarter-finals courtesy of the goals their two strikers had scored by then.

Emanuel Villa and Nathan Ellington, each of whom has claimed a hat-trick in previous rounds, gave the Coca-Cola Championship side the ideal start and yet the response that Gary McAllister witnessed from his young team must encourage him to believe that Leeds could hold their own next season if they were to earn promotion, even if they had no more reward on the night than Luciano Becchio’s fine headed goal five minutes before the break.

“When we went 2-0 down, we worked hard on keeping possession and that’s what got us back into the game,” the Leeds manager said. “The football was good but the last thing I wanted was to come in and say how wonderfully well we played and yet still lost. Football’s a cruel game.” Fabian Delph, 17, gave notice of the precocious talent that has earned him a call-up to the England Under-21 squad for the friendly match with the Czech Republic at Bramall Lane on Tuesday, sweeping long passes and showing fine turns and acceleration on the ball. “He wasn’t bad tonight,” McAllister said. “We’re proud of him and delighted for him.”

The frisson of scores settled — and otherwise — from three decades ago, from the days when Brian Clough scorned Don Revie’s triumphs before succeeding him at Elland Road for 44 days, permeated the November air. Memories of Francis Lee and Norman Hunter fighting as they were sent off at the Baseball Ground, their teams going hammer and tongs for the old first division title, filled the minds of a generation of supporters.

Younger fans have witnessed Derby and Leeds spending the past couple of years competing for the mantle of the biggest crisis club. In pursuit of promotion from Coca-Cola League One, Gary McAllister’s team face an FA Cup first-round replay away to Northampton Town on Monday and came into this game with four wins and four defeats from their previous nine games. Derby seem to have dispatched the depression of last season’s record lows in the Barclays Premier League and, with only two defeats in 13 matches, started favourites and duly took the lead.

Villa, whose treble put paid to Brighton & Hove Albion in last week’s delayed third-round victory, received Gary Teale’s flick, turned inside Lubomir Michalik and swerved in a left-foot finish to put Derby ahead after six minutes. The Argentinian then helped to set up the second goal, squaring the ball to Kris Commons, who exchanged passes with Przemyslaw Kazmierczak before unselfishly playing in Ellington to score.

“We wondered how many we were going to score,” Jewell said. “But then, in between the two boxes, they battered us for 70 minutes. Sometimes as a manager, you have to hold your hands up and say they were better than us, but we’ve won the game.”

Leeds proceeded to dominate possession in much the same manner as their 3,416 fans outsang the home crowd. After Becchio headed in Frazer Richardson’s centre, Robert Snodgrass curled a free kick against a post early in the second half and then pulled the ball back for Andy Robinson only for Roy Carroll to save the winger’s point-blank effort.

Derby County (4-4-2): R Carroll — P Connolly, C Davis, L Nyatanga, J Stewart — G Teale (sub: R Zadkovich, 46min), P Green, P Kazmierczak, K Commons — N Ellington (sub: M Sterjovski, 81), E Villa (sub: R Hulse, 70). Substitutes not used: S Bywater, J McEveley, M Hanson, A Pereplotkins. Booked: Davis.

Leeds United (4-3-3): C Ankergren — F Richardson, L Michalik, P Telfer, B Parker (sub: A White, 75) — F Delph, J Douglas, N Kilkenny (sub: J Howson, 80) — R Snodgrass, L Becchio, A Robinson (sub: J Beckford, 64). Substitutes not used: D Lucas, D Prutton, E Showunmi, A Hughes.

Referee: G Laws.

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