Derby County’s Under-21s played out a 1-1 draw with Sunderland at Eppleton Colliery Welfare in Premier League 2 - Division 2 on Monday night.
Winger Sonny Blu Lo-Everton equalised in the 89th minute to help the young Rams pick up their first league point of the campaign.
In what has proven to be a difficult season for Pat Lyons’ side, they looked to be heading towards another defeat when Sunderland forward Harry Gardiner put the hosts ahead six minutes after half-time, but Lo-Everton’s well-taken late leveller ensured Derby returned from the north-east with a share of the spoils.
The two teams traded opportunities during the first half, with Arsenal loanee Kido Taylor-Hart going closest when he hits the crossbar with a powerful strike from the edge of the box just after the half-hour.
But despite their promising first 45, Derby fell behind soon after the restart when Gardiner controlled a cross before firing past Harry Evans.
Undeterred by conceding, Osazee Aghatise thought he had restored parity just five minutes later but was adjudged to have handled a clearance before applying the finish.
Chances came and went at either end before a late Sunderland strike was chalked off. Caden Kelly the man denied by the offside flag when he thought he’d made sure of the points.
And the home side were made to rue that disallowed goal just two minutes later, when Lo-Everton burst away from his marker before firing into the bottom corner to earn Derby a draw and end a long losing streak in Premier League 2.
The young Rams return to action on Friday 24th February, when they host Nottingham Forest in the last 16 of the Premier League Cup (kick-off 7pm).
Derby County Under-21s: Evans (GK), Oduroh, Brailsford, Robinson (Hawkins 89), Grewal-Pollard (Kelly-Caprani 82), Bates (Solomon 82), Ibrahim, Taylor-Hart, Lo-Everton, Aghatise (Oseni 89), Vigar.
Substitute Not Used: Roberts (GK).
Sunderland Under-21s: Richardson (GK), Wilson, Crompton, Johnson, Taylor, Scott, Middlemas (Sohna 46), Lihadji (Burke 68), Kelly, Watson, Gardiner.
Substitutes Not Used: Young, Jessup, Fieldson.
