Richard Keogh heads Derby past Grimsby
Richard Keogh's second-half header edged Derby into the EFL Cup second round with a 1-0 victory over Grimsby at the iPro Stadium.
Portsmouth, Scunthorpe, Shrewsbury, Crewe, Rotherham, Blackpool and Grimsby have all embarrassed the Rams as lower-league opponents in the League Cup in the past decade but the Mariners were unable to add their name to that list for a second time.
Gary Jones' strike gave them a 1-0 win against Phil Brown's Derby team in 2005 but Keogh's diving header on the hour reversed that score line and ensured there would be no repeat.
Grimsby, back in the Football League after a six-year absence, had a couple of nervy moments early on when Darren Bent twice went close to profiting on minor lapses at the back but on each occasion the ball just eluded the former England striker.
Those two scares aside, the League Two side looked confident and matched their Championship hosts during the first half.
Derby did begin to make in roads just after the half hour mark but Grimsby goalkeeper James McKeown was not really troubled as he comfortably caught a looping Craig Bryson header and blocked shots from the right-hand side of the penalty area from first Will Hughes and then Nick Blackman.
In between Scott Carson was worked at the other end when James Berrett's long-range shot flicked off a defender and forced him down to his left to make a smothering save.
Derby's best chance before the break arrived with three minutes of the first half remaining but Blackman glanced his header wide from Bryson's cross.
The chances continued to come for the Rams at the start of the second half as Bent powered a header wide and McKeown tipped Johnny Russell's curling effort round a post.
Derby made the breakthrough when captain Keogh stooped at the far post to head home Bryson's lovely, deep curling cross.
Bent should have doubled the lead 12 minutes later but failed to apply the finishing touch to a patient build up down the right as he headed over from eight yards out.
Grimsby wentwithin a whisker of taking the tie into extra time as Carson saved Shaun Pearson's header before Kayden Jackson's follow up was cleared off the line by Jacob Butterfield in injury-time
Then from the resulting corner goalkeeper McKeown saw a header pushed away by Carson.
Source : PA
Source: PA