A dramatic late equaliser from substitute Arnaud Mendy meant Derby County ended their pre-season programme with a 2-2 draw at home to Premier League Stoke City this afternoon at Pride Park.
Ricardo Fuller's strike just after the hour looked to have secured victory for the Potters, but Mendy struck only moments after coming off the bench with an acrobatic effort from close range deep into injury time.
Liam Lawrence had given Stoke an early lead after just eight minutes but midfielder Stephen Pearson hit back for the Rams early in the second half.
Nigel Clough's side were missing several key players through injury for the visit of the Premier League side with summer signings Lee Croft and Shaun Barker, as well as Chris Porter, Rob Hulse and Dean Leacock all sidelined.
The Rams coaching staff are however refusing to rule any of five out for the opening weekend of the Championship season against the Darren Ferguson's newly-promoted Peterborough side at Pride Park.
There were however first Pride Park appearances for Jake Buxton and Dean Moxey following their summer arrivals from Burton Albion and Exeter City respectively.
Fittingly, a minute's applause took place before kick-off to remember the late and great former England Manager Bobby Robson who sadly passed away in the early hours of yesterday morning.
Derby got the game underway and quickly set about taking the game to the visitors, but on eight minutes against the run of play a fluke goal gave the Potters the lead.
Liam Lawrence received the ball in space down the right wing and his attempted cross-shot took a wicked deflection off of the unfortunate Jay McEveley which left Bywater stranded as the ball dipped over his head and into the back of the net.
The Rams sought a quick response and the majority of the game was played in Stoke half, but Tony Pulis' defence were proving to be difficult to break down.
Steven Davies curled a free-kick narrowly over before the half hour after a slick and patient passing move by the Rams in the Stoke half.
Teale and Green combined nicely down the right on thirty-three minutes which saw the latter deliver a superb cross into the box but Sorensen clutched the ball out of the air with Davies ready to pounce.
Davies -the lone frontman for the Rams - almost added to his pre-season tally just before the break when a stray pass by Stoke right-back Ryan Shotton presented an opportunity to the Rams' number 20 but his low shot from eighteen yards was inches past Sorensen's right-hand post.
Deservedly, Derby got themselves back on level terms just a few minutes into the second half when Stephen Pearson ghosted into the Stoke box to head midfielder counterpart Savage's centre from the right beyond Sorensen's reach and into the far corner.
Stoke failed to track the midfielder's intelligent run into the area, and he made them pay from six xyards out.
The home faithful almost had another goal to celebrate moments later but Moxey couldn't direct his diving header on target from another right-wing delivery, this time from skipper Paul Connolly.
Stoke's only summer signing to date Dean Whitehead, who cost £3 Million from Sunderland earlier this month, should have put the Potters back in front just after the hour but his snap-shot inside the box was off target.
Six minutes after his introduction to the action, Jamaica International forward Ricardo Fuller made his mark on the game by restoring Stoke's advantage.
A cross into the Derby penalty box was flicked on by Kitson and the ball fell perfectly for Fuller, who controlled the ball and then set himself up perfectly to crash the ball into the back of the net from six yards out on the volley.
Kris Commons was introduced into the action with twenty-two minutes remaining for the Rams, replacing Steve Davies who put in a tireless shift up front on his own throughout and Giles Barnes followed soon afterwards in place of Jay McEveley.
Shawcross almost added a third for Stoke from a corner but his glancing header flashed just over Bywater's crossbar and in the closing stages Danny Pugh fizzed a powerful left-drive for Stoke from twenty yards out.
Ben Pringle - signed from Ilkeston Town this summer - became the third new signing of the summer to make his Pride Park bow when he came off the bench for the final five minutes in place of goalscorer Pearson.
Deep into injury time there was one list twist in this eye-catching pre-season friendly - and substitute Arnaud Mendy announced his arrival off the bench in explosive style.
The midfielder - playing his third game in four days - crashed home a superb scissor-kick from close range after Sorensen failed to keep out Green's close-range shot.
The strike had the whole of Pride Park on their feet, and the smile on Mendy's face was clear all around the stadium - and just seconds later the final whistle was blown by Referee Mr Kettle.
One concern after this game for Manager Nigel Clough will be the fitness of Giles Barnes, who was carried off on a stretcher in the final minute after only ten minutes on the pitch.
The pre-season fixtures are now complete for Derby and they will step up their preparations for the new season this week ahead of the big kick-off next Saturday.
Derby County: Bywater, Connolly (C), McEveley (Barnes 77 - Mendy 90), Green, Addison, Savage, Teale, Pearson (Pringle 85), Buxton, Davies (Commons 68), Moxey
Subs: Deeney
Stoke City: Sorensen, Shotton, Higginbottom (Dickinson 68), Whitehead, Shawcross, Faye (C) (Cort 59), Lawrence (Pugh 59), Delap, Beattie (Fuller 59), Kitson, Whelan (Tonge 68)
Subs: Simonsen
Attendance: 23,259
