30/10/1999 Derby 3 Chelsea 1 Derby climbed out of the bottom three in style with a stunning victory over Chelsea at Pride Park. Rory Delap's late double blast gave the Rams only their second home Premiership victory this season as the Blues' European heroes were brought down to earth with a bump. Jim Smith's side had lost five of their six home games before this match in the club's worst start to the season in over 100 years. But they put that right in perfect fashion against Gianluca Vialli's side to condemn the Blues to a third Premiership defeat in succession. Deon Burton had given the home side the lead after six minutes but Frank Leboeuf lobbed home over Russell Hoult three minutes later while the home fans were still celebrating. It looked as though it was going to be another afternoon of woe for the Rams when chances went begging in an exciting first half, Esteban Fuertes blasting over and Burton's header coming back off the crossbar. But the home side got their deserved reward 10 minutes from time when former Carlisle midfielder Delap curled home a superb 20-yard effort, and then the same player made sure of victory three minutes from time with a drive that deflected off Didier Deschamps to beat Ed de Goey. To make matters worse for Chelsea, Leboeuf limped off after 52 minutes with an ankle injury sustained as he scored the equaliser and could be doubtful for next week's crucial Champions League tie with Hertha Berlin. In contrast Derby's win could not have come at a better time with games against Liverpool, Manchester United, Arsenal and Leeds next on the agenda. Burton's goal was only his second of the season but the Jamaican international took it with aplomb, sidefooting past de Goey after Jes Hogh had attempted to clear from Fuertes. Derby's lead lasted only three minutes however and the home crowd were still celebrating when Leboeuf equalised. Chris Sutton and Horacio Carbonari both missed Albert Ferrer's cross but the ball dropped perfectly for the Frenchman lurking behind and he lifted his shot over Hoult into the corner. Chelsea, with five changes from the side that drew in Milan on Wednesday, pushed forward in search of a second and Hoult saved well from Gustavo Poyet's low shot from Gianfranco Zola's through ball. Derby still looked dangerous however and minutes later Burton should have re-established the home side's lead. Fuertes' knock down from Jacob Laursen's cross was headed perfectly into his path but as he tussled with Leboeuf he was unable to get a telling touch and de Goey gathered. Chelsea were looking decidedly shaky at the back and another chance went begging just before the half hour. Stefano Eranio turned two Chelsea players in the centre circle and released Fuertes with a superb ball but the striker blazed over the bar with only de Goey to beat. The visitors were forced into making a change at the back with Hogh replaced by Bernard Lambourde, after looking to have picked up an eye injury in an earlier clash with Fuertes. Stefan Schnoor had earlier been booked for a challenge from behind on Zola but the diminutive Italian was as full of running as ever, curling a left-foot shot too close to Hoult after a flowing Chelsea move. Yet it was the home side who still looked more likely to break the deadlock and Chelsea had Leboeuf to thank for keeping the scores level on 36 minutes. Lambourde failed to collect Seth Johnson's long ball, Burton lobbed the ball over the advancing De Goey and with Fuertes lurking behind and the goal empty Leboeuf had to clear acrobatically for a corner. Chelsea had the crossbar to thank for keeping them level at half-time, Burton's header from Delap's cross beating de Goey but coming back off the woodwork. Leboeuf re-emerged for the second half but eventually had to admit defeat in his battle to shake off his ankle injury and was replaced by Didier Deschamps on 52 minutes, Derby bringing on Spencer Prior for Laursen at the same time. The second half failed to provide the excitement and chances of the opening 45 minutes and it took until the hour mark for either side to create a half chance. Sutton headed down Babayaro's deep free kick towards Zola but Hoult quickly spotted the danger and raced off his line to deny the Italian. Lambourde was then booked for pulling back Burton as he raced towards the penalty area before Derby threatened to break the deadlock. Dorigo's left-sided free kick sailed over everybody's head until reaching an unmarked Delap at the far post but de Goey sprinted from his line to block the Rams' midfielder's near-post effort. The match looked to be drifting towards a draw until Delap scored from out of nowhere, dispossessing Morris some 40 yards out before advancing to the edge of the area and curling the ball past de Goey. Deschamps then missed a great chance to equalise, blasting over from 12 yards with the goal at his mercy before Delap made sure of the win. With Chelsea pushing forward, Johnson's long ball found substitute Lee Morris in space and when the ball broke to Delap his shot took a slight deflection off Deschamps to send the Rams faithful into raptures.