A youthful Derby breezed into the FA Cup second round following a 5-0 replay victory over National League strugglers Torquay.
Mark Ellis’ own goal, a William Osula effort – to add to the brace he bagged during initial contest in Devon – and Liam Thompson’s first-ever senior strike had the hosts firmly in the ascendancy at the break.
A thumping Lewis Dobbin volley just past the hour extended the advantage and David McGoldrick wrapped up matters in the 79th minute for Derby, who named seven players aged 21 or under in their starting XI.
The Gulls got off to the worst possible start when veteran defender Ellis headed into his own net from three yards out following Hayden Roberts’ seventh-minute left-wing cross to the far post.
Derby made it 2-0 on the quarter-hour mark when Max Bird and McGoldrick combined to tee up a 15-yard chance for Osula that he drilled into the bottom-right corner of Mark Halstead’s goal.
The visitors responded spiritedly with Eiran Cashin clearing Lucas Ness’ header off the line, but the tie was put beyond reach when Thompson raced on to a Bird pass through the right channel, cut inside and shot past an exposed Halstead from 15 yards.
On-loan Everton attacker Dobbin went on to find the roof of the net in sensational style, unleashing a 20-yard full volley after Louis Sibley’s corner had been cleared by Torquay.
McGoldrick then got in on the act, showing composure from eight yards after James Collins’ deflected shot had fallen to his feet, before 12 minutes of stoppage time was played out due to the lengthy delay caused by a referee’s assistant being replaced by the fourth official.
The Rams will now travel to Newport in the next round.
