REPORT: Derby County 1-1 Millwall

Derby County left it late to earn themselves a hard-earned 1-1 draw at home to high-flying Millwall on Wednesday night.

Chances were limited in the opening 45 minutes, with the visitors hitting the post through Femi Azeez while Rams defender Callum Elder forced a fine save from Lions goalkeeper Max Crocombe with a stinging long-range strike.

Both sides pushed to break the deadlock in the second period and striker Patrick Agyemang fired over for the Rams after a cross fell kindly to him inside the penalty area.

Millwall took the lead with just under ten minutes remaining at Pride Park Stadium as Rams defender Matt Clarke unfortunately headed the ball into his own net from a right-wing cross.

However, the centre-back played his part in the Rams levelling late on as Joe Ward’s corner was headed into his own net by Jake Cooper under pressure from Clarke with two minutes of normal time remaining to earn the Rams a share of the spoils.

Key Moments

Head Coach John Eustace made two alterations to the weekend’s starting line-up, as Liam Thompson and Andi Weimann returned in place of Ebou Adams and Lars-Jørgen Salvesen. Sondre Langås took the armband for the Rams, while Rhian Brewster was back on the bench after missing the last four games through injury.

The first chance of the contest fell Derby’s way. Agyemang pinched the ball back deep into the Millwall half, playing in Bobby Clark, who cut in and curled goalwards from 18 yards but saw his effort deflect behind.

Millwall thought they had taken the lead shortly after when Elder’s clearance rebounded off Azeez into the path of Mihailo Ivanovic, only for the assistant referee’s flag to deny the Serbia international, who had tapped in on the goal line.

Agyemang twice came close with his head as Derby pushed for the opener. First, he glanced wide from a pinpoint Clark cross, before the Rams’ number 42 drove forward to tee up Ward, whose deep delivery saw Agyemang head into the side netting from an acute angle.

In a half of few clear-cut chances, Elder’s long-range effort stung the palms of Crocombe, firing in a 25-yard strike to give the Millwall shot-stopper.

Roared on by the Pride Park home support, Derby started the liveliest after the restart. After surviving an initial scare inside the opening 60 seconds - when Azeez curled wide of the far post - the Rams’ added intensity looked likely to be rewarded with the game’s first goal.

It would have been against the run of play had Tristan Crama’s deflected effort beaten Jacob Widell Zetterström. On the counter from a Rams corner, the visiting defender’s shot flew off Dion Sanderson to force the Swede into emergency action.

Agyemang’s perpetual threat was almost rewarded when his persistence down the left flank saw him battle beyond his man to turn a goal-bound effort at Crocombe, before the American’s effort was lifted over from ten yards moments later.

Substitutes Salvesen and Brewster combined to create a chance for the former, but the Norwegian’s right-footed low-driven effort across goal was turned behind.

Then came the first own goal of a rollercoaster final ten minutes. After some neat build-up play down the right, Thierno Ballo’s whipped cross was inadvertently headed into his own net by Rams central defender, Clarke.

Derby were behind for just eight minutes, however, as Millwall skipper Cooper - in a tussle with Clarke - put through his own net from a Ward corner to restore parity with just two minutes to play.

Brewster almost won it with mere seconds remaining of normal time, but drove his long-range strike inches wide of the post as the two sides had to settle for a point apiece.

The Teams

Derby County: Zetterström (GK), Clarke, Langås (C) (Blackett-Taylor 85), Agyemang, Weimann (Brewster 67), Thompson (Jackson 85), Elder (Adams 85), Ward, Brereton Díaz (Salvesen 67), Sanderson, Clark.

Unused Substitutes: Vickers (GK), Forsyth, Batth, Nelson.

Millwall: Crocombe (GK), Crama, Cooper (C), Taylor, Ballo (Langstaff 90+2), Ivanovic, Neghli, Azeez (McNamara 89), Doughty (Bryan 89), Kelly, Bangura-Williams (Emakhu 68).

Unused Substitutes: Benda (GK), Grant, Matthews, Harding, Howland.