Barclays Premier League
Gareth Davis reports from Pride Park Stadium
Derby County's relegation to the Championship was confirmed after a thrilling afternoon at Pride Park that saw them draw 2-2 at home to Fulham.
The Rams went into the game knowing that realistically they needed three points to delay the drop and got off to a good start when Tito Villa deflected in Dean Leacock's shot.
Diomansy Kamara netted for the visitors on 23 to spark off a run of end-to-end football that saw both sides strike the woodwork and enjoy plenty of chances.
Hameur Bouazza put Fulham in front with 12 minutes remaining and although Villa quickly equalised, Birmingham City's 3-1 win over Manchester City was enough to confirm the Rams' fate.
Teenager Jason Beardsley got his first taste of Premier League football after being called on to the bench for the visit of Fulham.
The defender, an Academy graduate, has already made his first-team debut this season having appeared in the Carling Cup against Blackpool but got the nod in the top-flight for the first time.
He was joined among the Rams' replacements by Tyrone Mears, making an earlier-than-expected return after a shin injury, while the starting line-up showed two changes to the one beaten at Middlesbrough seven days ago.
Tito Villa took over from Robert Earnshaw in attack, while Hossam Ghaly was recalled to midfield with Jay McEveley ruled out by a dead leg - Eddie Lewis dropped in at left-back.
Derby started a little nervously and soon found themselves under the cosh as Jimmy Bullard lined up a 25-yard free-kick, slightly to the right of goal, but the shaggy-haired midfielder blazed his effort well over the bar.
However the Rams soon found themselves in front on nine minutes, though in rather fortunate fashion.
Dean Leacock won the ball high up the field and powered forward before firing in a shot that looked to be heading nowhere until it struck Villa on the edge of the box and rebounded past the wrong-footed Kasey Keller.
It was the Argentine's first goal at Pride Park and seemed to calm any early edginess.
Bullard threatened again on 14 with another free-kick, this time from closer in, and though it dipped lower the effort never threatened to cause Roy Carroll any problems.
Robbie Savage failed to take advantage of a half-chance inside the Fulham box nine minutes later, though the Rams were soon on the attack again and Keller dived spectacularly to keep out David Jones's long-range effort.
And the early euphoria soon turned to tension again.
Aaron Hughes made ground down the right and slipped a pass inside to Simon Davies, who in turn chipped a cross into the Derby box that was begging to be headed home - and Diomansy Kamara duly obliged.
Derby almost hit back immediately but Keller was out quickly to smother as Kenny Miller looked to steal in on Jones's pass.
And with Bolton beating Arsenal at the Reebok Stadium, albeit with still over an hour to go, the Rams' task was getting more difficult.
It might have been helped a little bit on 26 had referee Mike Dean awarded a penalty when Brede Hangeland charged down Mile Sterjovski's shot with an arm inside the box.
Some of Jones's passes were going astray but he was looking a danger as he moved forward with the ball at his feet and was again close on 35, this time with his right foot.
Though Derby's plans were disrupted as Miller, who had been hobbling for a few minutes with a dead leg, couldn't continue and was replaced by Earnshaw.
Pride Park became rather more subdued a couple of minutes before the interval as news broke that Birmingham had gone in front against Manchester City - as things stand, the Rams will be relegated today.
And particularly with Bolton now two-up against ten-man Arsenal, the atmosphere was somewhat down by the time the half-time whistle arrived.
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The first opportunity of the second period was Derby's as Lewis lined up a free-kick from just outside the box that was blocked by the Fulham wall, then Hangeland cleared from in front of Earnshaw as Sterjovski played the ball back in.
And a free-kick at the other end almost put the Rams behind.
Bullard had been caught by Ghaly but dusted himself down and curled a 30-yard free-kick against the crossbar with Carroll looking beaten - though it was his closest effort yet.
Back roared the home side however and they were within a couple of inches of going 2-1 ahead from the narrowest of angles as Earnshaw capitalised on a Keller mistake well to the right of goal and fired in a shot that narrowly missed the target.
The Rams were getting up a head of steam and almost restored their lead five minutes later through Sterjovski, who picked up the ball and steamed forward after Bullard's slip in midfield, only for Keller to turn his shot away.
And from the resulting corner Fulham failed to clear their lines, leading to Lewis chipping a cross against the bar.
A second goal for Birmingham against Manchester City further increased the importance of a goal for Derby.
Leon Andreasen became the third player of the afternoon to be booked - after Todd and Hameur Bouazza - for a cynical trip on Villa, who looked to be in full-flight.
But Fulham were an inch away from going in front themselves as Kamara met Bullard's free-kick with his head and Sterjovski deflected his effort just past the post.
Goals elsewhere - for Manchester City's Elano at St Andrews and Arsenal's William Gallas at the Reebok - lifted the hope, and Derby should have found themselves in front on 70.
Another penalty appeal was waved away by Mike Dean but the golden opportunity arrived seconds later as Savage found himself with time and space just inside the box but rolled his shot tamely at Keller.
An equaliser for Arsenal pulled Bolton closer, but Derby were still searching for a goal themselves - which nearly came when Earnshaw was denied by Keller - though Birmingham's advantage would still be enough if results remained the same.
But Fulham did find the breakthrough 12 minutes from the end.
Kamara was sent scampering away through the inside-left channel and though his initial shot was well saved by Carroll, it popped up to Bouazza whose first-time volley deflected in off Leacock.
Seconds later, however, the Rams were level.
They poured forward down the right where Sterjovski lifted over a delightful cross that, as with Fulham's first goal, was begging to be headed home - and Villa duly obliged for his second of the afternoon,
Birmingham had extended their lead to 3-1, leaving the Rams ten minutes to find a winning goal that would keep relegation at bay, and they almost managed it through Earnshaw - denied yet again by Keller.
The pressure was all Derby's, though it was relieved slightly when Jones was cautioned for a tug on substitute Eddie Johnson deep in the Fulham half.
Mears made his comeback from a shin injury with two minutes to go as a replacement for Todd.
A draw was no good to either side and Fulham almost pinched it in the first minute of stoppage-time as Davies rose to meet a corner, but Carroll's reflexes were sharp.
But the goal wouldn't come - and Birmingham's win over Manchester City confirmed the Rams' relegation.
DERBY: Carroll, Leacock, Jones, Villa, Miller (Earnshaw 35), Lewis, Todd (Mears 88), Sterjovski, Moore, Ghaly, Savage (C).
SUBSTITUTES: Price (GK), Feilhaber, Beardsley.
FULHAM: Keller, Konchesky, Kamara, Stalteri, Hughes, McBride (C), Bullard (Murphy 79), Bouazza (Bocanegra 79), Davies, Andreasen, Hangeland.
SUBSTITUTES: Warner, Johnson, Dempsey.
ATTENDANCE: 33, 034 (2,091 visiting fans).
