A dismal performance by the S2 club meant that all Ram supporters went home with not just joy on their faces but mostly relief. People call football a funny game but it wasn't anything to laugh about from the United fans perspective when former forward Rob Hulse netted his first goal since the 3rd of March.
The Blades still took a good following down the M1 despite it being televised live around the world on Sky Sports. Ugo Ehiogu picked up an injury while the centre midfield position was vacant because of the departure of Michael Tonge.
Montgomery were a surprising choice in the starting line-up as the likes of Lee Hendrie and fellow team members seemed to be ahead of the injury prone midfielder.
He was the first player in a red and white shirt to compete against the Rams, but it wasn't a good return to action as he conceded a free-kick. Commons didn't trouble Paddy Kenny.
Montgomery then did a repeat. He fouled Commons but this time he went into the referees book just 20 minutes into the game. The Blades back-line couldn't rest on their laurels because a long throw was launched into the box by a Derby player. Rob Hulse eventually got his shot away but Kenny prevented by tipping the ball round the post.
United responded when Halford curled the ball round the Derby wall from a free-kick about 25 yards out. But the deadlock wasn't broken when the ball hit the outside of the post with Carroll stranded.
The long goal-kick from Carroll then lead to the score line being broken. Commons crossed the deflected ball into the area and the ball met the former Doncaster man Paul Green who could head the ball onto Kilgallon. Unfortunately for the thousands of Blades' in the away end, they saw the ball trickle into the net.
But the 26,000 Ram fans were soon in their seats again when Kenny's long kick met Quinn who could thread the ball through to the chasing Billy Sharp. He had to be strong to hold off the defender in the corner until help was provided. Halford was in space with Sharp passing the ball a little down the line where Halford could launch a superb cross into the area. Darius Henderson leapt well to beat the defender in the air and he scored his first league goal as a Blade when his header superbly nestled into the back of the net with Carroll having no chance.
Many parts of Pride Park were stunned with all home sections silenced. Four good chances occurred when Derby could have restored the lead at least three times! Surprisingly the ball fell to Sharp in the area when the Blades went surging to take the lead just before half-time. But Sharp curled the ball over the goal with the ball inches away from dropping in over the line.
Derby made one change while Kevin Blackwell opted not to make any at the halfway mark. 10 minutes went in the second interval when referee Foy awarded Derby a controversial penalty. Paddy Kenny lead the protests to indicate to Foy to consult his linesman. After hard persuading, the referee eventually did that. The penalty was changed to a corner after he came to a decision with his fellow official.
Jewell was out of his designated technical area a few times with the fourth official having to vacate him into the allowed area. Henderson provided more battles with Paul Jewell's defence when the former Watford man headed the ball down well to Quinn but he wasn't at his best and couldn't trouble the keeper.
Stewart's pitch perfect cross was headed against the crossbar with venom by Villa with Kenny on the brink of being beaten. The cross into the area failed to be cleared again when Barzine chipped the ball towards Hulse who handled in the process but still volleyed the ball past Sun Jihai and Paddy Kenny from close-range. How ironic that his last goal before this was for the Blades in the Premiership two years ago.
Blackwell brought on Cotterill and Beattie to add more attacking play to the plot. Beattie were in the mix straight away when he crossed the ball to Henderson but he couldn't convert his header.
Nick Montgomery was replaced by Danny Webber. There were many glee in the away section with that change as Montgomery unfortunately didn't put in a good display. Beattie were carded in the 90th minute for some bizzarre reason.
Everyone except Kenny went up for the final action of the encounter. The three minutes of added time didn't cause Derby anymore real pressure except the header from Beattie and Henderson at the same time. That agonisingly went past the post.
And for the first time for nearly a year, 26,000 Rams in the stadium could cheer with relief and happiness when they recorded their first league win since September 17th 2007 and the first three points in Paul Jewell's rein. United will have to go back to the drawing board with a good display against Coventry City on Tuesday night.