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Darren Bent: Derby have proved they can cut it in the Premier League

 Derby County's Darren Bent celebrates scoring his side's first goal of the game during the Emirates FA Cup, Third Round match at The Hawthorns. Picture by PA
 Derby County's Darren Bent celebrates scoring his side's first goal of the game during the Emirates FA Cup, Third Round match at The Hawthorns. Picture by PA  Derby County's Darren Bent celebrates scoring his side's first goal of the game during the Emirates FA Cup, Third Round match at The Hawthorns. Picture by PA

Darren Bent believes Derby's FA Cup win at West Brom proves they can cut it in the Premier League.

The Rams reached the fourth round with a 2-1 comeback victory at The Hawthorns thanks to goals from Bent and Tom Ince.

Derby are seventh in the Sky Bet Championship and have lost just once in their last 12 games in all competitions having knocked a higher division side out of the Cup for the first time since 1986.

The club has not been in the Premier League since 2008, where they recorded a record low points total of just 11, but as they target promotion this season Bent feels their Hawthorns victory shows promise.

"It's a fantastic result. I thought we played really well in the first half, but we showed that we could compete with a Premier League side," said the striker.

"When you are playing these Premier League sides you have to show them respect and we had to be cautious because they have some quality players.

"We were disappointed to go in a goal down. In the second half, we didn't have anything to lose and we went out to have a right go. When you look at the chances that we created compared to them, I think we deserved it."

Bent's 25-yard effort cancelled out Matt Phillips' first-half opener just after the break and, four minutes later, Ince won the tie with a free-kick.

"It's always nice to get goals," Bent told the club's official site. "People that have watched me over the years associate me with tap ins and I'll take any kind of goal, but the FA Cup is a special competition and for us to advance into the next round by beating a Premier League side, it doesn't get much better than that."

Albion went out of the FA Cup against a Championship side for the second successive season after losing at Reading last year and boss Tony Pulis admitted he was surprised at the result.

"I didn't see it coming, the two goals were disappointing. We battered them at times, we've got 60 crosses in and 30 shots," he said.

"All the stats showed we've had a right go but in cup football you need the breaks. We're really disappointed."