Derby County progressed into the last 16 of the Bristol Street Motors Trophy following a comfortable 3-0 victory over Fleetwood Town on Tuesday evening.
A brace from James Collins plus a second goal in as many games for substitute Tyreece John-Jules cemented the win and ensured Paul Warne's side would be in the hat for the next round.
James Collins forced the first save of the evening and it was an excellent one from Fleetwood stopper Stephen McMullan. A corner was delivered from the left and Collins rose highest to meet it but his header was expertly tipped away by McMullan.
The Rams took a deserved lead on 25 minutes and it was that man Collins with the opener.
A corner was half-cleared by Fleetwood and the ball fell kindly to Conor Hourihane on the edge of the box. The Irishman hit it first time on the volley and his effort was flicked on by the outstretched leg of Collins and into the back of the net.
Josh Vickers was called into action for the first time with 30 minutes played and it was a big save to keep the scores level. Adam Montgomery got in behind but Vickers was out quick to make himself big and keep the Rams in the lead.
Martyn Waghorn spurned a brilliant opportunity to double Derby's lead just before the break. Joe Ward did superbly down the right and worked his way into the box before pulling the ball back to Waghorn who fired wide from the centre of the box.
Collins was close to his and Derby's second immediately after the break when he tried to catch keeper McMullan out from long range but his effort dipped just over the crossbar.
Excellent work down the right between Kane Wilson and Ward saw the latter deliver a lovely cross which Bird connected with but he couldn't keep his effort down.
Substitute Carl Johnston had an instant impact for the visitors when he delivered a lovely cross for Jack Marriott but the former Ram got his header all wrong from six-yards out, putting it wide of Vickers' goal.
Johnston then made a big impact at the other end when he cleared off of the line to deny Collins his and the Rams' second of the evening.
Ward bent a free-kick agonisingly wide of the target as he looked to mark his return to the eleven with a goal.
But he made his mark just minutes later when he bent a delicious free-kick into the box for Collins to head home his second of the evening and all but cement the tie with 10 minutes to go.
Phoenix Patterson fired a warning sign to the Rams when his free-kick was well kept out by Vickers.
But substitute Tyreece John-Jules made sure of the victory firing a brilliant strike low and hard beyond McMullan for his second in as many games.
Derby County: Vickers (GK), Wilson (83' Nelson), Forsyth, Hourihane (C) (87' Fapetu), Bradley, Cashin, Barkhuizen (75' John-Jules), Bird, Collins (83' Weston), Waghorn (46' Mendez-Laing), Ward.
Substitutes not used: Wildsmith (GK), Brown.
Fleetwood Town: McMullan (GK), Montgomery (63' Johnston), Wiredu (69' Hayes), Lawal, Tshimanga, Broom (63' Vela), Marriott (69' Stockley), Heneghan, Dolan (17' Mayor), Earl, Patterson.
Substitutes not used: Lynch (GK), Holgate.
The Rams return to Sky Bet League One action this Saturday and it's a trip to East London to take on Leyton Orient (3pm kick-off).
