Derby held off a spirited West Brom fightback to move into the fourth round of the FA Cup at Pride Park.

Two goals from Malcolm Christie and a superb Stafano Eranio strike proved in the end to be just enough, but the Rams' habit of creating drama at their home ground returned as they allowed the visitors back into the game.

Two goals in three minutes from Bob Taylor and Lee Hughes almost allowed Gary Megson's men to force a replay, and there were several nervous moments for boss Jim Smith as the Baggies piled on the pressure late on.

Derby will be relieved to have prolonged their league distraction after a first half from which they had been extremely fortunate to emerge a goal up.

The excitement of the FA Cup was very much a misnomer in a dull opening period, eventually brought to life by Christie's 42nd-minute strike.

The Baggies should have in fact established their own lead earlier, but after outnumbering the home side's corner tally by 4-1 they were unable to convert despite the lively presence of deadly duo Hughes and Jason Roberts.

Albion's first clear chance had fallen to Hughes after five minutes, but after picking up Neil Clement's searching long ball he shot too lamely to test the in-form Mart Poom.

Derby's few forays into the Baggies' half were mainly orchestrated by Giorgi Kinkladze, and it was his build-up play that led to Danny Higginbotham releasing Deon Burton, but keeper Chris Adamson saved low to his right.

Derby took the lead with three minutes of the half remaining when Higginbotham broke down the left and supplied a low cross that was turned in sweetly by Christie six yards out.

Six minutes after the break and the home side doubled their advantage with a goal of real quality.

After some neat passing had fashioned room for Higginbotham again on the loft, the 22-year-old former Manchester United man delivered a measured ball that found Eranio unmarked, and the Italian met his cross with a volley that came right out of the middle of his foot.

It was the skipper's first goal of the season, and seldom will he have scored a sweeter one.

The strike gave the Rams some breathing space and after a disjointed opening half they were finally linking up well and displaying some of the football that has so reversed their League form.

Even without influential Nigerian Taribo West, rested ahead of next Saturday's crucial Premiership clash at Middlesbrough, Jim Smith's men were able to count on the flair of Kinkladze, who was clearly relishing his roaming midfield role.

Shaven-headed Adam Murray too, handed his first start since August, also impressed with some neat touches.

At the other end, the usually clinical Hughes was having an off day, denied firstly by Poom and finding a couple of shots deflected wide.

Eighteen minutes from time and Christie notched his second with a virtual carbon copy of his opener.

This time the cross came from the right, however, with Horacio Carbonari providing Christie with another simple tap-in.

Soon after the Baggies hit back though, with substitute Bob Taylor heading in Roberts' cross, and then almost immediately Hughes pulled Albion further back into the game, nodding in after Ruel Fox's cross.

The double resulted in a tense last few minutes, and Fox could have levelled with an indirect free-kick from inside the box.

The Rams held on though, avenging their early season Worthington Cup defeat to Albion, and the League distraction continues into the next round.

Teams:

Derby: Poom, Martin, Riggott, Mawene, Carbonari, Higginbotham, Murray, Eranio (Boertien 87), Kinkladze, Burton, Christie.

Subs Not Used: Delap, Morris, Bragstad, Oakes.

Booked: Eranio.

Goals: Christie 43, Eranio 53, Christie 75.

West Brom: Adamson, Lyttle (Taylor 73), Butler (Balis 61), James Chambers, Carbon, Clement, Fox, Jordao, Sneekes, Hughes, Roberts.

Subs Not Used: Morris, Sigurdsson, Adam Chambers.

Booked: Adamson.

Goals: Taylor 77, Hughes 80.

Att: 19,232

Ref: N Barry (Scunthorpe).