Derby belied their lowly league position to produce a stirring display and all but end Crystal Palace's faint hopes of automatic promotion by coming from behind to snatch all three points at Pride Park.

Inigo Idiakez gave the Rams victory when he converted the rebound from his own saved penalty after Darren Ward had tripped Kevin Lisbie inside the box.

A superb curling effort from the Spaniard had cancelled out Clinton Morrison's opener for Palace.

The Eagles took the lead after 19 minutes when Lee Camp failed to hold Andy Johnson's fierce 18-yard drive and Morrison reacted quickest to beat defender Darren Moore - a late addition to the starting line up after suffering with a groin injury - to the rebound for the easiest of tap-ins.

But the lead did not last long and Terry Westley's side were deservedly level eight minutes later.

Idiakez - playing through the discomfort of a thigh complaint - picked up the ball wide on the right following a throw-in and drove towards the Palace penalty box.

From there he unleashed a curling 25-yard effort that nestled in the far corner and left Gabor Kiraly in the Palace goal rooted to the spot.

The game got off to a frantic start and Mikele Leigertwood might consider himself lucky to escape with just a booking in the third minute after he hauled down Tommy Smith.

The Derby striker was impeded after breaking from midfield, but with Leigertwood the last man, referee Alan Wiley deemed the act merely a yellow card offence.

A flowing Palace attack almost brought the game's opening goal after six minutes.

Jobi McAnuff picked the ball up on the halfway line and evaded two Derby tackles before feeding Johnson on the edge of the area.

The England international found strike partner Morrison wide on the right, who delivered a dangerous low ball across the six-yard line which Aki Riihilahti just failed to meet at the far post.

The home side responded with efforts from on-loan Sheffield United left-back Alan Wright and Smith, but Kiraly repelled both.

It looked like the hosts were beginning to stamp some authority on the game but it was Palace who took the lead with Morrison's 12th goal of the season.

Kiraly had to bravely spread himself to deny Kevin Lisbie from point-blank range, before Idiakez restored parity a minute later.

McAnuff brought the first half action to an end when he rattled the Derby crossbar from the edge of the box.

Iain Dowie's men began the second period brightly and Derby had Camp to thank for keeping the score level.

The young Rams 'keeper first denied Morrison from six yards following McAnuff's right-wing raid, before regaining his feet to block Ben Watson from close range.

From the resulting rebound Camp was eventually beaten but Watson's shot was cleared off the line by Richard Jackson.

And it was not too long before Camp was forced into action again, palming away Johnson's shot from the edge of the box.

The Rams should have taken the lead midway through the second half when Lisbie slipped Giles Barnes clear of the Palace defence with a perfectly-weighted through ball.

But with just the goalkeeper to beat the youngster shot straight at Kiraly.

Idiakez and Lisbie were both guilty of squandering similar chances either side of the 80-minute mark, but credit should be given to Kiraly for quickly rushing out of his goal to deny both players.

Derby's late pressure was rewarded when Idiakez side-footed into an empty net following Kiraly's penalty save.

Teams:

Derby Camp, Jackson, Nyatanga, Moore, Wright, Smith, Bolder,Idiakez, Barnes, McIndoe, Lisbie.

Subs Not Used: Poole, Bisgaard, Peschisolido, Thirlwell,

Edworthy.

Booked: Wright, Idiakez.

Goals: Idiakez 28, 90 pen.

Crystal Palace Kiraly, Boyce, Ward, Fitz Hall, Leigertwood,McAnuff (Soares 90), Watson, Riihilahti (Reich 77), Hughes,Johnson, Morrison (Freedman 89).

Subs Not Used: Speroni, Popovic.

Booked: Leigertwood, Boyce.

Goals: Morrison 18.

Att: 24,857

Ref: A Wiley (Staffordshire).