Hand of God - and Hulse - Ends Derby's Agony

Standing in a corridor an hour after the final whistle, Paul Jewell gestured towards an open door through which the sounds of Derby fans celebrating the club's first league win for very nearly a year could still be heard. "Of course it's a massive weight off my shoulders, and the shoulders of everybody at the club, but listen to them out there; you'd think we'd won promotion," said Jewell, wonderingly.

"It's them I'm pleased for. Hopefully now we can go on and give them something to really be proud of." There could be no doubting Jewell's sincerity. The County faithful have been extraordinarily patient with the former Wigan manager, who took over from Billy Davies last November and, prior to Saturday, had overseen 28 league games without a victory.

In that respect, he is well aware how fortunate he has been. "It's been an unbelievably tough year for me, and there have been so many low points, but I have to say, and I'm not getting carried away, the chairman and supporters deserve huge credit for the way they've stood by me." Still, his mea culpa only went so far: "I think the fans have been sensible enough to realize we were out of our depth last season.

"This season we haven't started great, but we've played seven games now, and won three, drawn one. OK, two have been in the Carling Cup, but it's not as bad as everybody's been making out.

"I've only been here 10 months, but I've got such a feeling for Derby County that if at any point I'd thought walking away was the best thing to do, I would have done it," he insisted. "But I believe in my own ability and we can be competitive. I'm not saying we're going to go 20 games undefeated and get promoted, but I know this level, I know what it takes."

On this evidence, Jewell has assembled a squad which looks capable of finishing in the top half, though whether it has the quality to win promotion is questionable. Spirit is not a problem, though. Having conceded an equalizer less than two minutes after going ahead, Derby saw the referee, Chris Foy, award them a penalty and then change his mind before the striker Emanuel Villa headed against the bar.

They then got the break their determination deserved. When Nacer Barazite crossed from the right, the ball hit Rob Hulse's hand before sitting up for him to drive in a winner against his former club.

The United manager, Kevin Blackwell, was magnanimous. "People don't understand what it's like to go home to your family night after night having lost, but so many fates were lining up against us, it was even the 13th. Sometimes fate lends a hand, and it lent Derby a hand today."

Man of the match Miles Addison (Derby)