Aston Villa hammered Derby at Pride Park to plunge the relegated Rams's season into an embarrassing new low.

Derby keeper Roy Carroll had a torrid first-half, failing to clear Ashley Young's free-kick for Villa's first.

John Carew drilled in seconds later before Stiliyan Petrov expertly lashed Carroll's hideously skewed clearance into the top corner from 45 yards.

Gareth Barry slotted after half-time then Gabriel Agbonlahor and Marlon Harewood tucked away to end the rout.

Derby manager Paul Jewell had talked of giving the fans a glimmer of light in a dark season for the Rams and his players, initially, set about that task with zeal.

Though Ashley Young went close with a snap-shot on the half volley after five minutes Derby, backed by a vociferous home crowd, dictated the early play with Kenny Miller providing guile.

The Scottish striker cleverly set up David Jones on the edge of the box on 15 minutes but he could only scuff a tame shot into Scott Carson's arms.

Derby continued to probe impressively but lacked real class around the penalty area and failed to carve out any real clear-cut chances.

But with the game drifting and Villa looking lacklustre, a mistake from Derby goalkeeper Roy Carroll changed the course of the game.

Ashley Young swung an innocuous free-kick towards goal from 30 yards on 25 minutes and, as Olof Mellberg challenged for the ball, Carroll failed to make any real contact to clear and the went straight into the net.

Cue Derby collapsing catastrophically.

Less than 60 seconds later England midfielder Gareth Barry broke down the left wing to cross, Carroll could only push the ball away from a sea of bodies out to John Carew, and Villa's big striker rammed a vicious shot back into the goal.

With Derby's confidence now at rock bottom, Villa streamed forwarding waves but it was another Carroll clanger which led to their third.

A routine punt downfield was skewed towards Stiliyan Petrov who, 45 yards from goal, controlled the ball impeccably and then lashed it back over Carroll's head into the top corner for a breathtaking goal.

With no wins in 30 games, that was enough for some Derby fans who filed towards the exit gates before half-time.

And the East Midlanders suffering continued into the second-half.

On 53 minutes Young neatly played England colleague Gabriel Agbonlahor into the box and the rebound from his low shot, saved smartly by Carroll, was tapped home by Barry with Derby's defence at a complete standstill.

Derby plugged away and Robbie Earnshaw forced Villa keeper Scott Carson into a flying save but the Rams agony continued on 75 minutes.

A simple clearance was inadvertently knocked on by a Derby defender which Agbonlahor latched onto to tuck away easily past Carroll into the corner from 15 yards.

Five minutes before full-time Patrik Berger played in fellow substitute Marlon Harewood and he raced beyond Derby's static defence to coolly slot the ball past the beleaguered Carroll.

The only relief for Derby was the final whistle and they are now in danger of becoming only the second club ever in history to go through a full league season with just one win.

The Rams now stand on the brink of breaking a host of records which would confirm then as the worst ever side of the Premier League - and one of the poorest top-flight teams ever.