A spectacular Baseball Ground cup-tie – just a pity the Rams lost it!
DERBY County’s FA Cup tie against Aston Villa on February 5, 1992 was a match that had practically everything – seven goals, penalty dramas, a stunning goal by Rams midfielder Paul Williams, even a sending-off.
The only blot on such a remarkable evening was that, at the end of it all, it was Villa, not Derby, who went through to the fifth round
The Rams’ all-too-brief Cup campaign had already enjoyed its fair share of incident.
Away to Burnley in the third round, they had twice taken the lead against the Fourth Division’s highfliers before settling for a draw.
Fifteen minutes from the end of the Baseball Ground replay, the Rams were leading 2-0 when the fog, which had swirled around the ground all evening, finally descended, causing the game’s abandonment.
That made it a particularly dismal night for young full-back Mark Paterson, who had scored a spectacular goal before being carried off with a serious knee injury. Now the game, along with poor Paterson’s goal, counted for nothing.
When the match was restaged on the Saturday afternoon set aside for the fourth round, the Rams again took a 2-0 lead and this time they were allowed to keep it.
Evening games at the Baseball Ground always seemed to have that extra crackle and the visit of Ron Atkinson’s Villa was no exception.
They stood sixth in the top flight, the Rams 11th in the second tier after being relegated the previous season.
With only five minutes played, the old ground erupted when the Rams, attacking the Osmaston End, took the lead.
Martyn Chalk, who had already fired over the bar, got the ball out to Ted McMinn.
Villa goalkeeper Les Sealey could not hold McMinn’s shot and Phil Gee, so desperate for a good performance, knocked it over the line.
Derby could not have hoped for a better start but, 18 minutes later, they trailed 3-1, their dreams of a shock result now apparently dashed.
In the ninth minute, Kevin Richardson took a corner and Dwight Yorke equalised from Paul McGrath’s flickon.
Ten minutes later, it was Yorke who put Villa in front, although Peter Shilton appeared to have been impeded as he came out for Steve Froggatt’s corner.
In the 23rd minute, the Rams looked to be on their way out of the Cup when Garry Parker hammered a spectacular shot past Shilton, who seemed rooted to the spot.
Seven minutes before half-time, however, McMinn and Geraint Williams combined and Gee finished off the move with a powerful header into Sealey’s net.
It was turning into a magnificent night for Gee, who had never reproduced the form which had brought him a hatful of goals when Derby climbed out of the Second Division in 198687.
This was turning into a remarkable Cup tie – and the drama was far from over.
Before half-time, Simon Coleman brought down Yorke after Shilton had failed to deal with an awkward ball but the Rams goalkeeper partially redeemed himself by blocking Yorke’s penalty.
Alas, the Villa winger hit home the rebound and Derby were again two goals adrift.
Twelve minutes into the second half, Villa were awarded another penalty when Coleman handled Richardson’s free-kick.
This time, Shilton not only stopped Yorke’s spot kick but he also held on to the ball.
It was a vital save becaus, within two minutes, the Rams had pulled back to 4-3 with a brilliant goal.
After a Jason Kavanagh free kick, Chalk crossed the ball and there was Williams to hook a spectacular volley into the net.
With 15 minutes to play, Villa’s Polish international, Dariusz Kubucki, who had already been booked along with McGrath, bodychecked McMinn and was ordered off.
The closing minutes were real nail-biters. Williams and Gee both went close for the Rams, while Daley hit the woodwork for ten-men Villa.
It had been a magnificent Cup tie. At the final whistle, both teams received a standing ovation from the crowd of 22,452.
Chalk crossed the ball and there was Williams to hook a spectacular volley into the net
Derby, though, were out of the competition; it was Villa who looked forward to a fifth-round game away to Swindon Town.
For Gee, it was a swan song. Despite his two goals, it was the last time he started a game for Derby.
Eventually, along with Ian Ormondroyd, he became part of the transfer deal which took the pair to Leicester City and brought Paul Kitson to Derby.