Pride Park Stadium
Derby County secured a point in a 1-1 Sky Bet Championship draw against Bristol City at Pride Park Stadium on Friday night
Scott Twine gave the visitors the lead in the first half, and the Robins held their lead against Derby’s pressure for much of the game.
Striker Carlton Morris hauled the Rams level with three minutes of regulation time to go, netting his third goal in as many matches for Derby since joining from Luton Town in the summer.
The draw gives the Rams their first point on the board in the Championship with three games played so far.
Defender Matt Clarke made his 100th appearance for the club in the contest with Derby's line-up showing one change from the 5-3 home defeat to Coventry City last weekend with Andi Weimann replaced Kayden Jackson in attack.
Weimann had the first effort of the game in the sixth minute following Callum Elder’s long throw which reached him on the edge of the box. The Austrian attacker hit a fierce shot that was blocked by Bristol defender Rob Dickie, and Weimann’s shouts for handball were waved away.
Ebou Adams looked to create down the right flank after being played in by Liam Thompson’s high ball. The midfielder put a low cross into the box towards striker Carlton Morris, but again Dickie was on hand to clear the danger.
Twine gave the Robins the advantage in the 35th minute when he was played into space in the box and he slotted a low strike into the bottom corner.
The visitors kept their advantage going into half-time, despite Adams and Weimann both looking to break down both flanks, with the Robins’ defence holding firm.
Derby came out after the break looking to push for an equaliser.
Dion Sanderson’s pass played Adams down the right early on and won the Rams a corner. The delivery from Elder was aimed towards Sanderson’s head, and the ball floated in the air for Adams to attempt an overhead kick, but Bristol cleared the danger.
Derby’s first changes of the game came in the 58th minute, when Rhian Brewster came on to make his debut for the club, and Bobby Clark and Joe Ward also entered the field, with Thompson, Weimann and Ryan Nyambe departing.
The substitutes looked to have an immediate impact as combinations between Clark, Ward, and Brewster opened up play at the top of the pitch but just required a final touch to create a clear-cut chance.
John Eustace made two further changes in the 69th minute as Derby continued to push for a levelling goal; Kenzo Goudmijn and Jackson entered the field with David Ozoh and Danny Batth being replaced.
Brewster knocked the ball into the path of Jackson, who was running down the left wing in the 71st minute. The forward played a low cross into the box that just evaded the oncoming Morris, with the Rams applying further pressure.
Morris made it 1-1 in the 86th minute when he was alert at the far post to tuck away a loose ball after Ward’s headed effort was parried into the striker’s path by Bristol goalkeeper Radek Vitek.
Jacob Widell Zetterström made a vital save minutes later when Twine’s free-kick effort looked certain to go in via the top corner, but the Swedish shot-stopper stretched to parry the ball wide of the mark.
Derby pushed for a late winner but in the end they had to settle for a point under the Pride Park floodlights.
Derby County: Zetterström (GK), Batth (Jackson 69), Clarke, Morris, Weimann (Brewster 58), L Thompson (Clark 58), Ozoh (Goudmijn 69), Elder, Nyambe (Ward 58), Sanderson, Adams (C).
Unused Substitutes: Vickers (GK), Osborn, Rooney, Forsyth.
Bristol City: Vitek (GK), McCrorie, Randall (Bird 73), Atkinson, Twine (90+5), Mehmeti, Knight (C), Vyner, Dickie, Sykes, Riis (Armstrong 54).
Unused Substitutes: Lumley (GK), Mayulu, Tanner, Bell, Roberts, Cornick.
Referee: David Webb
Assistant Referees: Matthew Smith, Bhupinder Singh Gill
Fourth Official: Gavin Ward
27,849 (1,853 Bristol City supporters)
The Rams head to Turf Moor on Tuesday night to face Burnley in the Carabao Cup Round Two action (7:45pm kick-off).
