Colin Kazim-Richards scored his first Derby County goal in the Rams’ 1-1 draw with Coventry City on Tuesday evening.
The striker was a threat in front of goal from the offset in his second start for the club and finally hit the back of the net after meeting Nathan Byrne’s cross in the 83rd minute.
However, just Derby looked to take all three points for the first time at home in the 2020/21 season, Gustavo equalised in added time.
Derby moved the ball well in the opening stages and within six minutes had carved out a chance when Duane Holmes sent a looping ball off the face of the goal which was met by an off-balance Kazim-Richards. He headed down to Tom Lawrence, but the refereed deemed there to have been a foul.
Just two minutes later, Kazim-Richards was the intended target again when Max Bird fired a direct ball over the top of the Sky Blues’ defence but an important touch by Dominic Hyam directed the ball to keeper Ben Wilson.
It was the visitors who came the closest to breaking the deadlock though on 11 minutes. Ryan Giles drilled an excellent ball across the six-yard box and all it needed was a touch from Tyler Walker of Callum O’Hare but the Rams were able to clear.
Another effort for Coventry came ten minutes later when O’Hare played a long ball which bounced down the right flank and Jordan Shipley won the chase to collect it and send a cross into the box. It was well cleared, but fell to Gustavo Hamer who rifled a shot from 25-yards out which David Marshall was able to hold on to.
Kazim-Richards came close again, receiving the ball in the six-yard box, flicking it up to himself to turn and shoot from a tight angle, but his effort glances past the far post.
In the final moments of the opening half, a huge opportunity fell for Bird when the ball was drilled across the goal from the right. Lawrence left it for the defender who was free at the far post but Wilson denied his close-range strike.
Coventry then had the ball in the back of the net when Walker headed on from a free-kick into the area, but the flag was raised for offside.
Just over then minutes into the second-half, huge appeals for a Derby penalty were waved away. The Rams hit the Sky Blues on the counter-attack and Bird played Lawrence in who was brought down in the area, however the referee didn’t blow his whistle.
More good play came moments later. Jason Knight made a run down the right flank and crosses perfectly for Kazim-Richards, but his header was just off target.
There was no mistake with seven minutes left to play, however, as Kazim-Richards bagged his first Rams goal. Bynre delivered a superb ball in from the right and the striker powered his headed effort home.
Soon after, the striker squared to young striker Jack Stretton in his second senior appearance and he rifled a shot from inside the area that struck the crossbar.
But the visitors found the leveller in added time Leo Ostigard’s ball in to the box was cleared but only as far as Hamer who volleyed in to grab a share of the points.
Derby County: Marshall (C), Wisdom, Bielik, Bird, Lawrence (Jozwiak, 80), Byrne (Davies, 90), Kazim-Richards, Clarke, Holmes (Stretton, 80), Buchanan, Knight.
Substitutes: Roos, Forsyth, Shinnie, Sibley, Whittaker, Hector-Ingram.
Coventry City: Wilson, McFadzean, Kelly (C), O'Hare (Bakayoko, 89), Hyam, Giles, Walker (Biamou, 77), McCallum (Ostigard, 85), Dabo, Shipley (Jobello, 77), Hamer.
Substitutes: Camp, Rose, Allen, Sheaf, Bapaga.
