FA Cup sponsored by E.ON, fifth round
Gareth Davis reports from Pride Park Stadium

Derby bowed bravely out of this year's FA Cup thanks to a 4-1 defeat at home to a Manchester United side who had to call upon all their class to go through.

Nani's thunderbolt opened the scoring just before the half-hour and they made it two ahead of the whistle through Darron Gibson, though Cristiano Ronaldo saw one effort chalked off in bizarre circumstances.

Some of United's football, particularly from the evergreen Ryan Giggs, was a joy to watch, and when Ronaldo headed them three clear early in the second half it looked like Derby were in big trouble.

But Nigel Clough's men dug deep once more, as they had been forced to several times throughout their run, and deservedly got one back through Miles Addison.

Gary Teale proved a constant danger on the left and came close to really making it tight before Danny Welbeck put the seal on victory for the visitors.

Jordan Stewart for Jay McEveley was Rams boss Nigel Clough's only change from the side that won impressively at Plymouth Argyle last week as he prepared for the FA Cup last-16 clash against Manchester United.

And that was an enforced change with McEveley banned for one game after picking up five bookings, so Stewart came in and took his place at left-back.

The visitors, having already been beaten once at Pride Park Stadium this season, included some of the big names such as Rio Ferdinand, Cristiano Ronaldo and skipper Ryan Giggs, but they were still without the injured Wayne Rooney.

Dimitar Berbatov wasn't included and Carlos Tevez was among their substitutes, meaning Sir Alex Ferguson sent his side in to battle without an out-and-out central striker on the pitch.

But no United side can be discounted easily and so it proved early on as Ronaldo's fleet of foot helped to create a shooting opportunity for Darron Gibson, though his 30-yarder screwed safely wide of the target.

Ronaldo and Giggs took up the central positions from the off but they didn't see too much of the ball in the first few minutes as Derby, driven on by a Pride Park crowd taking its volume to new levels as they sensed another big occasion in the offing.

One startling note from the early stages was the sheer pace of the game with both sets of players moving the ball around quickly from end to end and side to side.

And on 12 the visitors showed their class with the ball to carve out a chance for Darren Fletcher, following good work involving Giggs and Ji-Sung Park.

The space was there on the edge of the box but Fletcher opted to shoot early and forced Stephen Bywater into a smart save away to his right.

Then Nani found space on the left and chipped a wonderful ball over to Park at the far post, and somehow Bywater managed to turn away his close-range volley for a corner.

United had been on the front foot but Nacer Barazite produced the Rams' first shot of the day on 16, though after creating space for himself well he dragged his shot comfortably past the upright.

And after penning the visitors back inside their own half, Derby went close again through Rob Hulse who turned and volleyed narrowly over after Paul Green nodded the ball back into the box.

Neat interplay between Hulse and Kris Commons on 24 ultimately ended in Derby's number 11 going down inside the box as Rio Ferdinand came over to challenge.

The home fans were loudest in their claims for a penalty but referee Alan Wiley took a firm look at the incident and waved his arms in dismissal, a decision subsequent replays proved to be spot-on.

Derby were having their spell but they had to be wary of United's speed and class on the break, particularly with Giggs in the mood to thrill as well as provide with some clever distribution.

It was from one fine intervention by the Welsh legend on 29 minutes that United took the lead as the ball was slipped left to Nani, who cut inside on to his right foot and hammered one from the edge of the box that fizzed powerfully beyond the dive of Bywater.

The goal was not too far from his opener in the Carling Cup semi-final second leg at Old Trafford and meant the Rams would have to come out again in search of a leveller.

And on 36 Derby thought they had gone two behind only for the goal to be chalked off in bizarre circumstances.

Ben Foster's quick throw-out reached Giggs on halfway, and the Welshman's clever flick sent Ronaldo running clear from a long way out to roll the ball past Bywater from just inside the box.

United celebrated but only after a few seconds did it become apparent the asisistant referee on the far side had his flag up for offside.

It was very difficult to judge from the replays, but what did become clear was that the assistant had carried on following the play and did not raise his flag until well after Ronaldo had found the back of the net.

However the visitors weren't silenced for long and two minutes before the interval they did double their lead.

Ronaldo's free-kick smacked into the wall but it looped up invitingly on the edge of the box for Gibson to pick his spot with a neat volley low into the corner.

It was a goal that somewhat quelled the atmosphere and left Derby requiring a monumental second-half recovery if they were to take anything from the game.

Instead the Rams found themselves three behind two minutes after the restart when Giggs whipped in a corner from the left and Ronaldo met it with a powerful header from ten yards that whistled into the back of the net.

Three almost became four seconds later as first Ronaldo and then Darren Fletcher chanced their arm, and both were superbly denied by Bywater.

United were threatening to run away with it and could have extended their lead further again through Nani and Ronaldo, who saw shots blocked from inside the area.

And ten minutes into the second period Derby gave themselves a glimmer of hope when they pulled a goal back themselves.

Robbie Savage's quick free-kick fed Commons on the right for a delightful cross that the incoming Miles Addison - who had charged forward for the initial set-piece - met with a header into the corner that gave Foster no chance.

It was something to cheer for the home faithful, who had already seen some remarkable cup comebacks by their side in what had been a thrilling run.

And a break down the left soon after the hour-mark from Gary Teale had Pride Park on its feet once more but it ultimately came to nothing inside the box.

A Pride Park first followed on 67 with the introduction of Chris Porter for his home debut as a replacement for Hulse.

Porter, signed from Motherwell during the January transfer window, arrived as a replacement last week at Plymouth for his Rams bow and came on in front of his own fans for the first time against the club he supports.

The striker was quickly involved as he got about the United defence and gave them something to think about, particularly with Teale and substitute Mile Sterjovski supplying the ammunition from wide areas.

And on 76 he set up the chance that almost saw Derby close to within one goal as he laid the ball out to Teale, who cut in from the left and fired in a low effort that Foster palmed around the post.

Even then, another chance arose as Addison met Commons's corner but guided his header just wide of the target.

But any faint hopes of a comeback were extinguished wiith ten to go through United's Danny Welbeck.

Giggs was again the architect with a clever ball to Fletcher, who in turn rolled his pass out to the left where the teenage substitute curled home a delightful finish.

It was certainly game over but Derby had far from disgraced themselves, while they were also boosted by the return to action of Stephen Pearson as a late substitute for his first appearance since September following a serious knee injury.

They might well have got another one back before the final whistle through Paul Green, who rose well to meet a Commons free-kick but planted his header just beyond the far post.

It wasn't Derby's day, but they come out with plenty of credit and some great memories from many thrilling matches in both cup competitions.

Derby County: Bywater, Connolly (C), Green, Stewart, Commons, Savage (Pearson 81), Hulse (Porter 67), Teale, Addison, Barazite (Sterjovski 62), Albrechtsen.

Substitutes: Carroll (GK), Nyatanga, Davies, Todd.

Bookings: Connolly (45, foul).

Manchester United: Foster, Evra (O'Shea 54), Ferdinand, Ronaldo (Possebon 71), Giggs (C), Park (Welbeck 54), Nani, Rafael, Evans, Fletcher, Gibson.

Substitutes: Kuszczak (GK), Vidic, Scholes, Tevez.

Attendance: 32,103.