Derby County were held to a 1-1 draw by Wrexham after a late equaliser cancelled out their early lead at Pride Park. Sammie Szmodics scored in the ninth minute, but substitute Ollie Rathbone tapped home in the 88th to secure a point for the visitors.
Szmodics put the Rams ahead with a terrific finish after a long run and precise pass from Mo Fuseini. The goal came from a swift move that also involved Callum O'Hare having a shot blocked. Wrexham's goalkeeper Anthony Patterson was beaten by the powerful strike but recovered to produce a relatively assured performance afterwards.
Key moments and performances
Josh Vickers made two excellent saves in the Derby goal to deny Callum O'Hare and Jacques Ekomie. Alex Mowatt also made a terrific block to thwart O'Hare just before half-time. Szmodics had another effort clear the bar after the break, while Carlton Morris fired over following a smart Bobby Clark backheel. Wrexham suffered an early setback when Josh Windass left injured in the 15th minute, replaced by the eventual goalscorer Rathbone.
His energy and determination added another dimension to midfield, and his close-range finish in the 88th minute rescued a valuable point. The goal originated from a Kieffer Moore header that Rathbone converted after Sondre Langas was beaten at the back post. Ryan Hedges made a terrific block to stop Danny Imray late on, but the Rams could not find a winner.
Substitutions and the table
Paul Warne introduced Henrik Meister and Rhian Brewster in the 72nd minute, followed by Oscar Fraulo and Lars-Jorgen Salvesen later on. The changes failed to regain the initiative as Wrexham grew stronger. The draw leaves Derby 23rd in the Championship, with only six points from their opening nine matches. Their recent form reads two draws and three losses from the last five games. This precarious position in the standings is compounded by a goal difference of negative seven, having scored eight and conceded fifteen this season. The club's full stats reflect a team struggling for consistency.
A crowd of 29,136 watched the match, which extends Derby's winless run. They now sit fourteen points adrift of leaders Swansea City. With the squad's depth being tested, the latest injuries list will be a concern for manager Paul Warne as he prepares for a quick turnaround. Derby County's next chance to climb the table comes away at Loftus Road this Wednesday night against Queens Park Rangers, a key fixture in their fixtures list as they seek to move away from the relegation zone.
Background and full detail: sports.yahoo.com
Derby County face Queens Park Rangers on Wednesday, October 14. QPR manager Julien Stephan confirmed he has a selection decision at left-back. "We have a big selection decision to make at left-back between Boy Kemper and Dennis Cirkin," Stephan said. Cirkin is available again after a suspension. The Rams, 23rd in the Championship with six points from nine games, drew 1-1 with Wrexham last time out.
Derby County have named an unchanged starting XI for their trip to Queens Park Rangers. Head Coach Paul Warne confirmed the same squad that drew 1-1 with Wrexham. The Rams, 23rd in the Championship with six points from ten games, were beaten 4-1 at Loftus Road on Wednesday. They next face Stoke City at home on Saturday, October 17.
