Carling Cup first round
Gareth Davis reports from Pride Park Stadium

Nathan Ellington showed just why Paul Jewell was so keen to bring him to Derby with an outstanding performance and a fine hat-trick to earn the Rams a 3-1 win against spirited Lincoln City.

But for a long time it looked like Pride Park would be witnessing a cup upset as the League 2 side led through Ben Wright's header three minutes after half-time - before Ellington levelled from close-range with seven minutes left.

And from there the Duke took over as he fired Derby into the lead on 100 minutes with a fine finish, before making it 3-1 midway through extra-time with an equally instinctive effort.

The Rams had, in fairness, been on top for most of the game and should certainly have been out of sight before they fell behind.

And though they could also have added to their tally after Ellington's treble, they withstood another stern test of character and have earned that long-awaited victory to build from.

Claude Davis was back in the Derby line-up for the first time since January after a lengthy absence due to a knee injury for the Carling Cup clash with Lincoln City.

The Jamaican took the place of Alan Stubbs, himself struck down with a knee injury on the season's opening day, while the returning Robbie Savage took over from Przemyslaw Kazmierczak and regained the captain's armband.

Young winger Steve Davies was also called in for his first start and replaced Andrejs Pereplotkins, who was among the seven substitutes permitted in the competition this season.

But it was the visitors' Ben Wright who had the game's first opportunity after five minutes as he raced clear but was forced wide by a pass from Kevin Gall, and fired his shot safely wide at the near post.

Back roared Derby however and Nathan Ellington was played through inside the box, only for Rob Burch to stand up and block well.

The Rams were having the better of the early exchanges and forced a couple of corners through the persistence of Ellington and Rob Hulse, one of which saw the Duke head powerfully into the arms of Burch.

Burch was in action again just after the quarter-hour with a firm block from Davies's driven effort.

Former Tranmere man Davies was getting involved well on his first start and came close again from 20 yards with a right-footer that flashed just over the bar.

Derby continued on the front foot past the half-hour and Commons was the next to threaten as he cut inside from the right to curl a left-footer from the edge of the box that Burch grabbed at the second attempt.

But despite their domination, Paul Jewell's side went in at half-time level, still searching for their first goal of the new season.

The second half got off to the worst possible start for Derby as, having failed to take advantage of their superiority in the first period, found themselves behind four minutes in.

It was a goal of simplicity as Kevin Gall whipped in a fine cross from the right touchline that Ben Wright met to power home from close range after rising well to head down past Carroll.

Pride Park seemed stunned for the most part, particularly given the way the game had gone up to this point, but if Saturday was a test of Derby's character then this was an almighty examination.

The Rams thought they had a route back into the game three minutes before the hour as Tyrone Mears burst into the box and went down under a challenge, only for the referee to caution him for simulation rather than give the penalty.

Lincoln, for their part, were living on their nerves for a short while after taking the lead and at one point it looked as if Ellington would take advantage of some defensive uncertainty only for Lee Beevers to block superbly.

Latvian ace Pereplotkins took over from Davies on 64 minutes as Jewell made his first change in an attempt to rescue Derby's night.

Pereplotkins was immediately into the action with a sharp run and quick pass for Rob Hulse, whose cross-shot was almost reached at the far post by the substitute but it rolled agonisingly past.

That was Hulse's last action as he was replaced by Tito Villa with a little over 20 minutes remaining.

At the other end a wonderful save from Carroll prevented Gall doubling Lincoln's lead as Dany N'Guessan strode away down the right and picked out his striking colleague superbly.

Derby's last change saw Savage leave the field with quarter of an hour to go as Kazmierczak took his place, with Paul Green picking up the armband.

And the Rams found themselves back level in rather fortunate style with seven to go.

Pereplotkins cut in from the right and rather scuffed his shot into the box but it wasn't cleared and bobbled through to Ellington, who slipped as it came to him but showed great composure to get up and force the ball home.

The Duke had his sights set on a second soon afterwards but was just off-target from 25 yards.

And he almost won it for the Rams in stoppage-time after being released superbly by Kazmierczak, only to make ground into the box and slide his shot into the arms of Burch, who had guessed well.

Carroll saved well from a stinging Stefan Oakes effort to bring the 90 minutes to a close and take game into extra-time.

Lincoln might well have caused another stir two minutes after the restart as Oakes curled in a lovely free-kick from the right that Janos Kovavcs met with what looked to be a free header, but he couldn't keep his effort on target.

Derby were back on the attack though and a good move involving Pereplotkins, Commons and McEveley ultimately saw Kazmierczak force Burch into a good reaction save.

Then the width of the post denied Green, who was cleverly found by Pereplotkins after good work from Ellington and Villa, only for the midfielder's ten-yard effort to smack against the upright with Burch well beaten.

But the second ultimately arrived in clinical style five minutes from the end of the first period.

Pereplotkins started the move deep inside his own half and made great strides forward before feeding Commons, whose slide-rule pass released Ellington.

The Duke still had a lot to do as he found himself to the left of goal and with defenders converging but he cut inside superbly before finding the back of the net via the underside of the crossbar.

Ellington returned the favour for Commons a minute later but Beevers was back to deny the former Nottingham Forest man as he looked set to pull the trigger.

But right on the whistle, Derby surely wrapped things up as the former Wigan man netted his third of the night.

Mears was involved down the right and although Green's chipped cross was headed half-clear, Ellington didn't even think twice as he swivelled to fire a superb shot across Burch and into the far corner.

It was all Derby for the second period of extra-time as Ellington came close to adding his fourth from a Commons cross that had also evaded the stretch of Pereplotkins, impressive upon his arrival.

Derby had been given a stern test by their League 2 opponents but they came through it in the end - and now they await Wednesday's draw for the second round.

Derby: Carroll, McEveley, Green, Commons, Savage (C) (Kazmierczak 75), Ellington, Hulse (Villa 67), Mears, Davies (Davies 64), Davis, Albrechtsen.

Substitutes: Bywater (GK), Connolly, Stewart, Leacock.

Lincoln: Burch, Green, Brown, Kovacs, Beevers, Oakes (Clarke 111), Gall, Kerr (C), N'Guessan (King 85), John-Lewis (Frecklington 74), Wright.

Substitutes: Duffy (GK), Hone, Graham, Pembleton.

Attendance: 10,091 (1,207 visiting fans).