United end Derby dream

Manchester United booked their place in the Carling Cup final as brave Derby's dreams of Wembley were ended at Old Trafford.

The Red Devils raced into a 3-0 lead before the interval thanks to goals from Nani, John O'Shea and Carlos Tevez to cancel out the Rams' slender advantage from the first leg at Pride Park.

But Nigel Clough's side were much improved after the interval and set up a tense finale as Giles Barnes slammed home from the penalty spot, only for fellow substitute Cristiano Ronaldo to respond with a spot-kick of his own.

Derby still refused to lie down and Barnes reduced the arrears again with a splendid free-kick in added time, but they could not snatch a dramatic third which would have seen them force extra time.

The game started at a rapid pace, with Kris Commons coming close to repeating his spectacular strike in the first leg as he unleashed a shot from 30 yards out which looked destined for the top corner before bending away from Ben Foster's goal at the last minute.

Derby were initially defending well and the only work Roy Carroll had to do in the opening 10 minutes was to pluck a deflected Ryan Giggs cross out of the air at his far post shortly after Commons' attempt.

But Carroll was beaten in the 16th minute when Nani collected Giggs' crossfield ball just inside the Derby half, advanced towards the box and rifled home a stunning strike which the Rams 'keeper got his fingers to but could not keep out.

United moved ahead in the tie for the first time just five minutes later as Tevez and Danny Welbeck combined to set up O'Shea, who was left in acres of space to slot home as Derby's offside trap fell apart with Gary Teale particularly culpable.
Delightful

Sir Alex Ferguson's side should have made it 3-0 in the 27th minute when a series of one-touch passes on the edge of the Derby box released Nani, who clipped a delightful cross in to Welbeck, but the young striker failed to connect properly from close range and Carroll was able to save.

United did not have to wait much longer for their third as O'Shea rolled a corner back to Rafael da Silva whose precision cross was headed home at the far post by Tevez with the Rams defence sleeping again.

Commons fired a free-kick well over the bar as half-time approached, before United were forced into a change with young right-back Rafael limping out of the action to be replaced by Darren Fletcher.

Clough sent on Robbie Savage for Steven Davies at half-time in an attempt to add more steel to his midfield and prevent the waves of United attacks which had been the pattern for much of the first half.

Savage's first contribution was to bring down Nani on the edge of the box with Carroll forced to scramble across his goal to keep out Giggs' resulting free-kick, while Tevez had an effort ruled out for offside soon after.

Despite their comfortable position in the tie, Ferguson elected to send World Footballer of the Year Ronaldo onto the field in the 58th minute with Giggs making way.

Derby almost found the net seconds later with Paul Green's cross from the right flank almost turned into his own net by Gary Neville, with the ball rolling agonisingly across the face of goal.

Clough was forced to make a change with Andy Todd limping out of the action and Nacer Barazite coming on, while Commons needed running repairs for a deep gash on his shin, which may have affected him as he missed his kick from inside the box moments later.

Tense

Neville made way for James Chester, with O'Shea taking the captain's armband as Ronaldo appeared unwilling to do so, before Green lashed a difficult chance well over the bar following a Derby corner from the left.

United suffered an injury blow as Jonny Evans turned his ankle while challenging Barnes, but with all their substitutes already on the field the centre-back was forced to soldier on.

Rob Hulse took advantage of some defensive hesitancy but failed to test Foster in the 73rd minute, heading narrowly over the bar from six yards out after Paul Connolly's curling right-wing cross.

Derby got themselves back in the tie in the 80th minute as Evans felled Green with Barnes stepping up to fire a cool penalty beyond Foster and set up a tense finale, with the visitors knowing one more goal would force extra time.

Carroll was forced to immediately repel efforts from Ronaldo and Nani as United went back on the offensive, with Ferguson suddenly animated on the touchline and barking orders at his side.

Barnes headed straight at Foster from Savage's cross with the massed ranks of travelling Derby fans urging their side on.

But their hopes of a dramatic comeback ended when Carroll raced from his goal to fell Tevez with Ronaldo being forced to wait before finding the bottom corner of the net as Nani limped out of the action.

Barnes reduced the arrears once again with a superb free-kick in added time, but the clock ran down on their Wembley dream, while United suffered yet another injury blow as Anderson was carried off at the final whistle.