Derby were in control at the break through Sam Szmodics early goal but the visitors came back strongly to dash the home side’s dream of a top-six finish.

A mistake by Joe Ward allowed Tom Cannon to level before an unstoppable strike from Sydie Peck turned the game on its head.

Derby had to win but – in front of a 32,000-plus crowd – it was United who had further chances to score with Danny Ings and Patrick Bamford both denied by Jacob Widell Zetterstrom.

There was a terrific atmosphere in the stadium before the kick-off and Derby had a great chance to go in front in the second minute.

Szmodics got away down the United right but rolled his shot just wide when Ben Brereton Diaz was unmarked in the middle.

However, the former Ipswich player made amends in the fifth minute after a corner was only half-cleared. When Jaydon Banel played the ball back in, Szmodics reacted quickly to score from close range.

It had been all Derby but when United won a free-kick just outside the area, Zetterstrom had to dive to his right to deny Gustavo Hamer.

Derby were doing everything they could to get the win they needed and only some resolute United defending denied Matt Clarke a second goal.

United spent most of the half on the back foot but had a decent spell before half-time, without really threatening the Derby goal.

It was the visitors’ goal that came under threat again early in the second half, with a Ward free-kick punched away by Adam Davies at his near post.

United almost caught Derby on the break in the 56th minute with Bamford playing in Callum O’Hare, who shot narrowly wide.

Derby had done little wrong until the 62nd minute when a poor backpass by Ward allowed Bamford to set up Cannon to score with a low shot from 12 yards.

It got even worse for the Rams seven minutes later when Peck was given the space to unleash a shot from 25 yards that whistled into the bottom right corner.

United came close to a third when Bamford played in a low ball to Ings, who was denied by a point blank save from Zetterstrom.

Derby were struggling to create anything and although 10 minutes of stoppage time gave them some hope, it was United who looked more likely to score again.