St. Andrew's @ Knighthead Park
Derby County extended their unbeaten streak in the Sky Bet Championship to four matches after earning a battling point in a 1-1 draw on the road at Birmingham City on Boxing Day.
The Rams played for more than 50 minutes with ten men after Joe Ward was sent off for a second bookable offence on the verge of half-time, following Patrick Agyemang’s headed opener midway through the first half.
Birmingham levelled shortly after the hour through Jack Robinson, before home captain Christoph Klarer was shown a straight red card late on for a high boot, but neither side could find a winner at St. Andrew’s @ Knighthead Park.
The Blues came closest after a lively start in the Second City. South Korean international Paik Seung-ho dissecting the Rams’ defence with a neat pass to play in Demarai Gray, who could only hit the post with a shot from 12 yards out.
Agyemang had an early sighter of his own seven minutes later. Ward whipped in a fearsome cross from the right, but the 25-year-old couldn’t direct his header on target as the ball flashed wide.
The hosts lost Gray to injury inside 15 minutes, but saw ample threat coming down the opposing flank, as Patrick Roberts twice troubled the Derby backline in quick succession.
First, he fired low at Jacob Widell Zetterström, before the former Rams loanee danced his way through a crowd but saw captain on the day Sondre Langås stand firm to block his goal-bound effort.
With momentum building for the home side, Derby picked a crucial moment to open the scoring through the in-form Agyemang to send the visiting Rams supporters into raptures.
The move began with a brilliant ball over the top from Ward, setting free Rhian Brewster - who lofted the ball across the face of goal for Agyemang to head in his sixth goal of the season.
Derby’s task then got significantly more difficult as Ward was dismissed five minutes before the break. The Rams’ number 23 shown a second yellow card for clipping Roberts’ heels during a Birmingham counter. Zetterström was equal to the resulting free-kick, as Derby entered the interval in front.
Head Coach John Eustace made a duo of alterations at half-time, as Curtis Nelson and Ebou Adams were introduced in place of Ben Brereton Díaz and Brewster.
The second half had a different complexion with Derby now at a numerical disadvantage. Agyemang continued to work tirelessly up top but was forced to be more patient in his search for numbers around him.
Both sides scrapped for their openings, with a Callum Elder deflected free-kick threatening a second for the Rams in the early exchanges of the half, while Adams almost bullied his way through following a mazy run down the right flank.
The Blues did have the ball in the net just before the hour, but Jay Stansfield was denied by referee Ben Toner’s whistle following a push by German striker Marvin Ducksch on Zetterström.
But Birmingham did find their leveller midway through the second period, as experienced defender Robinson bundled home a free-kick during a frantic goalmouth scrap. The referee’s watch helping confirm the ball had indeed crossed the line despite Liam Thompson's efforts to clear.
The former Liverpool and Sheffield United left-back stung the palms of Zetterström from 25 yards out moments later as the home side began to attack with more conviction. The siege tested the Rams’ resolve, with Nelson twice throwing his body - and once his face - in the way of goalward efforts.
Zetterström was again tested when Seung-Ho struck a fierce shot from the edge of the box towards the top corner, but the Swedish international goalkeeper was in no mood to be beaten again with a superb stop.
Birmingham skipper Klarer was shown a straight red card in second half stoppage time for a high boot on Adams, but the hosts almost stole it at the death - Robinson again a goal threat as his powerful header thudded into the crossbar and bounced away.
It remained level, however, and Derby completed a battling display to head back home with another point on the board to take their tally to the season to 32 from 23 matches so far.
Birmingham City: Beadle (GK), Klarer (C), Robinson, Seung-ho, Gray (Koumas 15, Dykes 78), Leonard (Willumsson 78), Roberts, Iwata, Stansfield, Ducksch (Furuhashi 59), Cashin (Sampsted 59).
Unused Substitutes: Allsop (GK), Neumann, Fujimoto, Wynne.
Derby County: Zetterström (GK), Batth, Clarke, Langås (C) (Forsyth 90+6), Agyemang (Jackson 85), Brewster (Nelson 46), Thompson, Elder, Ward, Brereton Díaz (Adams 46), Clark.
Unused Substitutes: O’Donnell (GK), Blackett-Taylor, Weimann, Salvesen, Eames.
Derby will complete 2025 by making the short trip across the East Midlands to face Leicester City at King Power Stadium on Monday (7:45pm kick off).
