Derby County were held to a 1-1 draw by Morecambe at the Mazuma Stadium on Tuesday evening.
A Louie Sibley goal in the second-half ensured the Rams went home from Lancashire with a point on a night James Collins and David McGoldrick both saw penalties saved.
The result means the Rams stay in seventh place in Sky Bet League One, two points outside of the play-offs.
The Rams were given a huge let off within the opening two minutes when Huddersfield Town loanee Kieran Phillips was able to get in behind the defence. A long-ball over the top wasn’t dealt with and Phillips was able to cut inside and fire an effort towards goal but Joe Wildsmith was equal to it and palmed it out towards safety.
Max Bird had the first chance of any note for Paul Warne’s men when he let fly from 25-yards. It bounced awkwardly in front of Shrimps goalkeeper Connor Ripley who did well to tip it around the post for a Rams corner.
The Rams were given the perfect opportunity to take the lead when they were awarded their first penalty of the year. Lewis Dobbin burst down the left and drew a foul from Anthony O’Connor which saw the referee immediately point to the spot. Top scorer James Collins stepped up but was denied by a brilliant save from Ripley.
A minute later and it looked as though Collins would have a chance to redeem himself when Ryan Cooney cynically chopped down Nathaniel Mendez-Laing inside the area but Marc Edwards was this time unmoved and waved away appeals to the bemusement of those in black and white.
And after the controversy it was the home side who took the lead against the run of play as we entered first-half stoppage time. The ball fell kindly to Jensen Weir following a headed clearance from Craig Forsyth and the midfielder took the ball down and fired an unstoppable volley into the bottom corner to give the Shrimps the lead at the break.
It was a blistering start to the second-half that saw Derby awarded their second penalty of the night within the opening minute.
Collins crashed an effort off the crossbar with the help of Ripley’s fingertips, the ball fell kindly back to him and his second effort was stopped by an arm in the Morecambe defence leaving the ref with no option but to award another spot-kick.
Last weekend’s hat-trick hero McGoldrick stepped up this time, choosing the opposite way but Ripley again guessed correctly and got down low to deny Derby for the second time.
It had the feeling of one of those days but the Rams didn’t let their heads drop and got their well deserved equaliser before the hour mark. Haydon Roberts and Dobbin combined brilliantly down the right. The latter then found Louie Sibley with a lovely cross and the midfielder fired home brilliantly past Ripley and into the bottom corner.
Will Osula was introduced as we entered the final 20 and his first touch nearly brought with it a goal. He was played in behind superbly by Forsyth but his first touch took the chance away from him and he fired over the bar of Ripley whilst off balance.
The Rams continued to push and were bombarding the Shrimps box as we approached stoppage time. Eiran Cashin glanced a Sibley corner wide and Liam Thompson blazed over a glorious chance but it wasn't to be and the spoils were shared in Lancashire.
Morecambe: Ripley (C), Gibson, Delaney, Weir, Bedeau, Watts (61’ Connolly), Shaw, Cooney, O'Connor, Phillips (74’ Stockton), Mayor (89' Fane)
Substitutes not used: Smith (GK), Rawson, Gnahoua, McLoughlin
Derby County: Wildsmith, Forsyth, Cashin, Bird (C), Collins, McGoldrick (73’ Osula), Mendez-Laing (84' Thompson), Smith, Roberts, Sibley, Dobbin
Substitutes not used: Loach (GK), Stearman, Oduroh, Rooney
It’s a break from league action for the Rams next up as we travel to National League side Torquay in FA Cup Round One this Sunday (3pm kick-off).
