Marcus Stewart scored his 20th goal of the season to keep Huddersfield in the
FA Cup at the McAlpine Stadium.
Stewart turned the ball home from close range at the back post 19 minutes from
time after Chris Beech's corner had been inadvertently flicked across the face
of his own goal by Horacio Carbonari.
Beech had put Town into an unlikely lead just before half-time but Deon Burton
levelled after 55 minutes, heading his sixth goal in five starts after getting
on the end of Stefano Eranio's flighted cross.
Derby then caught Town cold four minutes later, Tony Dorigo slotting home from
the penalty spot after Jon Dyson had bundled over Dean Sturridge.
But Stewart, linked with Everton and West Ham this season, was on hand to
force the ball home despite the best efforts of Dorigo on the goalline.
Stewart and Wayne Allison - absent today because of a family bereavement -
were the most prolific strikeforce in the country at the start of the season as
they fired Huddersfield to the top of Division One.
And though they have tailed off somewhat since and currently lie in mid-table,
Stewart struck at the right time to keep his side's FA Cup hopes alive.
On the eve of Valentine's Day, Huddersfield proved there is still some romance
left in the most famous cup competition of them all but for a long time, it
seemed Dorigo would be hogging the headlines.
He spent several months looking for a club earlier this season after Torino
decided they did not want to retain him and allegedly reneged on the second and
final year of his contract.
But the Rams came to his rescue and Dorigo, who has agreed a deal to keep him
at Pride Park until the end of the next campaign, has not looked back since.
He scored a penalty in the East Midlands derby with Nottingham Forest in
November and today he showed nerves of steel to send Nico Vaesen the wrong way
from the spot.
Derby have not been to the FA Cup final since 1946, while their boss Jim Smith
- a manager for nearly 30 years - has yet to lead a side out at Wembley in May.
He was denied the chance when Portsmouth lost their semi-final to Liverpool on
penalties in 1992 but if there was any justice in football, he would be one step
nearer to the Twin Towers after the Rams dominated this encounter.
In the first half, Vaesen made three top stops to keep the game goalless,
including two from Francesco Baiano, before Huddersfield scored.
Carbonari allowed the ball to bounce beyond him and Beech sprinted through
before lifting his shot over Russell Hoult.
Simon Baldry, making his first appearance of the season, had a vicious drive
blocked by Hoult just after half-time but after that scare, Derby took charge.
After Vaesen had proved powerless to prevent Derby going 2-1 in front, the
Premiership club looked to be moving serenely into the last eight.
Stewart then equalised but still Vaesen had to be at his best, foiling Baiano
and Lee Carsley as County looked for a late winner.
Dorigo made a great block to Stewart's fierce drive, while sub Kevin Harper
fired wide as Derby caught Town on the counter.
With the last kick of the game, Carsley brought another good save out of
Vaesen before a record McAlpine attendance of 22,129 applauded both sides off
after a thrilling tussle.
Teams:
Huddersfield: Vaesen, Edmondson (Facey 68), Edwards, Johnson,
Dyson, Gray, Baldry, Phillips, Stewart, Beech, Thornley.
Subs Not Used: Barnes, Senior, Beresford, Hessey.
Booked: Edwards, Dyson.
Goals: Beech 42, Stewart 71.
Derby: Hoult, Carbonari (Powell 77), Dorigo, Stimac,
Sturridge (Harper 85), Laursen, Prior, Carsley, Eranio, Burton,Baiano (Hunt 87).
Subs Not Used: Knight, Schnoor.
Booked: Burton.
Goals: Burton 55, Dorigo 59 pen.
Att: 22,129
Ref: G Willard (Worthing).
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