Pride Park Stadium
Derby County secured seven Sky Bet Championship points in a week as the Rams drew 1-1 with West Bromwich Albion in their third match of the week on Friday night.
After a quiet first half at Pride Park Stadium, Patrick Agyemang put Derby ahead in the 44th minute when he was in the right place at the right time to steer home a dropped ball in a busy penalty area.
A battling second-half display saw John Eustace’s team on top of the contest and controlling as, but the visitors cruelly denied Derby maximum points with a late equaliser from Chris Mepham, with goal-line technology judging his bundled effort over the line in added time.
Jacob Widell Zetterström came in as one of five changes from the team that took three points away at Charlton Athletic on Tuesday night, with the Swedish stopper returning after a bout of illness.
The opening exchanges saw chances few and far between for both teams, with early Baggies sub, Samuel Iling-Junior, having the best chance when he received the ball in space to shoot in the 13th minute, but the attacker fumbled his effort wide.
George Campbell’s corner header in the 19th minute also went close as he rose highest and aimed to see the ball arrow to the wrong side of the far post.
The theme remained as neither side took a foothold in the half, exemplified as Derby strung together a neat passing sequence but saw a pass go too far and away from the grasp of Ben Brereton Díaz as the ball was switched across the field.
A ball over the top by Sondre Langås into the path of Agyemang looked to prove fruitful in the 38th minute, but the assistant referee adjudged the onrushing striker to have been tough in the tussle with defender Nat Phillips.
Agyemang got the game going in the 44th minute when a free-kick from the left flank was spilt by goalkeeper Max O’Leary for the striker to bundle into the back of the net.
Isaac Price arrowed over the bar for the visitors in the 55th minute after a sharp turnover saw Iling-Junior to find him with a shooting opportunity in space at the far post.
Derby made the first changes of the night when Oscar Fraulo, Corey Blackett-Taylor and Liam Thompson entered the field with Clark, David Ozoh and Rhian Brewster departing.
The Rams nearly doubled their advantage when Agyemang threaded Brereton Díaz through on goal in the 68th minute, but the forward’s strike dragged just wide of the post as he battled with his defender to take the chance.
Blackett-Taylor nearly fashioned an opening for Fraulo in the 72nd minute when a diagonal switch from Lewis Travis allowed the winger to charge down the flank, but his cut-back to the Danish midfielder was swept up by the West Brom defence.
The Rams flew near again after a prolonged spell of possession around West Brom’s box ended with Brereton Díaz heading into the path of Agyemang. O’Leary then saved the ball onto the body of the striker for it to deflect just wide.
The Rams flew near again after a prolonged spell of possession around West Brom’s box ended with Brereton Díaz heading into the path of Agyemang. O’Leary then saved the ball onto the body of the striker for it to deflect just wide.
West Brom came near to equalising in added time as substitute Daryl Dike saw the ball bounce to him, but couldn’t stretch to finish.
The resulting corner did see the game level as Mepham profited from a goalmouth scramble to steer the ball over the line.
Derby County: Zetterström (GK), Batth, Langås, Agyemang (Salvesen 85), Brewster (Blackett-Taylor 63), Ozoh (Thompson 63), Elder, Ward, Brereton Díaz (Sanderson 85), Travis (C), Clark (Fraulo 63).
Unused Substitutes: O’Donnell (GK), Forsyth, Weimann, Jackson.
West Bromwich Albion: O’Leary (GK), Campbell, Phillips, Bielik (C), Price, Molumby, Diakaté, Styles (Maja 62), Johnston (Dike 62), Heggebø (Wallace 62), Grant (Iling-Junior 8).
Unused Substitutes: Griffiths (GK), Mepham, Taylor, Mowatt, Gilchrist.
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The Rams will travel to Ashton Gate to face Bristol City next Friday night in the Sky Bet Championship (8pm kick-off).
