Derby's demoralising season reached a new low as they were dumped out of the FA Cup by Preston.
The Coca-Cola Championship strugglers stunned the Pride Park crowd as they effectively wrapped up victory by half-time in their fourth round tie, racing into a 3-0 lead courtesy of a Simon Whaley strike either side of goals from the impressive Karl Hawley.
Rams substitute Rob Earnshaw pulled one back early in the second half but it was scant consolation for County, who will hope their takeover by American investors can improve the club's fortunes.
A miserable day for Paul Jewell's side, who have not celebrated a home victory since September 17, was completed in injury-time when Lewin Nyatanga was sent off for a professional foul on Neil Mellor, who then converted the resulting penalty.
Having been ineligible for the midweek penalty shoot-out victory over Sheffield Wednesday, captain Robbie Savage was restored to the starting line-up along with fellow recent arrivals Hossam Ghaly and Emanuel Villa.
Ex-North End winger Eddie Lewis was also named in the side.
The Lilywhites made changes of their own, with Chris Sedgwick and Darren Carter handed starting berths.
Considering the league positions of the teams - Derby are bottom of the Premier League and Preston 22nd in the Coca-Cola Championship - it was no surprise to see both begin nervously.
Rams defender Claude Davis was particularly culpable, two clumsy touches putting his goal in danger only for the home side to escape.
The home side threatened briefly when leading scorer Kenny Miller's well-struck effort was blocked by Youl Mawene but it was Preston who took a 13th-minute lead.
Andy Todd was caught dithering in possession by Chris Brown on the left of the Derby area and he squared for Hawley to slot low into the right corner.
It could have been two when the unmarked Paul McKenna blazed over from the edge of the area but Derby's day got even worse soon after when Lewis hobbled off to be replaced by Gary Teale.
A curling free-kick from Savage on the half hour was as close as Derby came to making a breakthrough, the Welshman's effort dipping the wrong side of the left post.
But the defensive frailties which have cost Derby so dearly already this season were again exposed two minutes later by a sweeping move.
Hawley charged clear down the right and found Carter on the edge of area. He moved the ball to the unmarked Whaley on the left side and with his marker Marc Edworthy nowhere to be seen the midfielder had plenty of time to steady himself and curl low inside the right post.
Chris Sedgwick's shot then flashed wide of the post before Preston did make it 3-0. Again Hawley capitalised on an initial error from Todd, tucking the ball inside the right post as an increasingly frustrated Pride Park crowd let the home side know exactly what they thought at the half-time whistle.
Todd and Villa made way for Giles Barnes and Earnshaw at the start of the second half and within 10 minutes it had the desired impact as the Wales international broke the offside trap to convert Miller's pass, calmly slotting underneath Preston goalkeeper Andy Lonergan.
Savage should have reduced the deficit further when he found himself alone at the far post but his close-range effort was well saved by Lonergan before some frantic but effective defending ensued.
The Championship strugglers, who had lost four of their last six matches coming into the clash, should have put the tie beyond doubt when Mawene rose unmarked but nodded a corner wide and Stephen Pearson headed against his own crossbar.
North End substitute Mellor was inches away from a fourth with an audacious chip late on but the former Liverpool striker was then bundled over by Nyatanga, who received a straight red for the professional foul.
Mellor composed himself to fire the resulting penalty low into the right corner to complete a disastrous day for Derby.
