Derby County earned a second point in as many games in
the Sky Bet Championship after a battling performance in a 1-1 draw against Oxford United at the Kassam Stadium on
Tuesday night.
The Rams came into the game off the back of a 1-1 draw with Millwall on the road on Saturday.
An early strike from Oxford attacker Dane Scarlett was cancelled out by Nathaniel Mendez-Laing’s equaliser for Derby after half-time - his first goal of the season.
Derby lined up with four changes from the draw at Millwall on Saturday, with Kane Wilson coming into the starting picture in the place of Ryan Nyambe, who left the field of play injured against Millwall with a knee injury. Callum Elder, Ben Osborn and Mendez-Laing came into the side. Meanwhile, Oxford had some familiar faces in their matchday squad, with former Rams Louie Sibley and Malcolm Ebiowei on the bench for the U’s.
The first ten minutes of the game passed without opportunities coming the way of either side, as the teams looked to get a foothold in the match and establish control. Derby looked to threaten when Ebou Adams dispossessed Will Vaulks high up the field, but the midfielder battled to win the ball back and prevent the turnover from leading to a clear-cut chance.
Oxford’s first chance of the game was one they took advantage of as they took the lead. Idris El Mizouni was found in space on the wing to deliver a low cross into the penalty area that Scarlett duly turned into the back of the net with a low finish.
Mendez-Laing looked for an immediate reply as he twisted and turned on the edge of the penalty area and let fly with a stinging shot but it was deflected by the crowd of defenders in front of the goal. Corey Blackett-Taylor teed Ben Osborn up for a shot in the box in the 31st minute but the midfielder was unbalanced as he shot and couldn’t hit the target.
Blackett-Taylor was the again one to fashion the chance as he struck a low strike towards goal, but it was dealt with calmly by Oxford goalkeeper Jamie Cumming.
Tyler Goodrham came close to doubling the hosts’ lead from distance in the 38th minute as he found space and drilled a diagonal shot just beyond the far post from 25 yards out.
The teams went into half-time with the hosts holding a 1-0 lead.
Blackett-Taylor looked to be the threat in the opening stages of the second period. After getting the ball caught under his feet at the first attempt, as he tried to dribble down the left flank, the winger had some impetuous in his next attack - he sped past two defenders and squared the ball to Kenzo Goudmijn in the penalty area. The Dutch midfielder fired the ball towards the target, but his effort was blocked by an onrushing U’s defender.
Mendez-Laing levelled the game from close range in the 55th minute after some tenacious pressing by Jerry Yates allowed the striker to lay the ball off to the attacker in the penalty area. The Guatemalan international confidently struck the ball beyond Cumming in the U’s net for his first goal of the season.
Paul Warne made Derby’s first changes of the game after the goal as Blackett-Taylor and Goudmijn made way for Marcus Harness and Kayden Jackson.
Jackson put in a marauding run down the right wing in the 70th minute and found Mendez-Laing lurking looking for his second goal, but some alert defending saw him closed down and the shot blocked away from danger.
Adams won the ball back and looked to force a fruitful turnover in the 80th minute, but Mendez-Laing’s shot was directed out for a corner. A flurry of corners came Derby’s way as the Rams looked to up the ante in the final ten minutes, but the Oxford backline held firm against the pressure.
Sibley looked to strike from distance in the 83rd minute, but Jacob Widell Zetterström was on hand to make the save for Derby.
Nat Phillips and James Collins came on for Derby as the game
entered its tense final stages, with Yates and Mendez-Laing making way.
No further chances were carved out by either side and the points were shared between two of last season's teams promoted from League One.
Derby County: Zetterström (GK), Wilson, Nelson, Cashin, Elder, Goudmijn (Harness 57), Adams, Osborn, Mendez-Laing (C) (Collins 89), Blackett-Taylor (Jackson 57), Yates (Phillips 89).
Unused Substitutes: Vickers, Forsyth, Bradley, Ward, Brown.
Oxford United: Cumming (GK), Brown, Vaulks (McEachran 68), Moore (C), El Mizouni (Sibley 68), Nelson, Goodrham, Rodriguez, Dembele (Dale 46), Kioso, Scarlett (Harris 62).
Unused Substitutes: Ingram (GK), Long , Ebiowei, Leigh, Ter Avest.
Referee: Gavin Ward
Assistant Referees: Lee Venamore, Hugh Gilroy
Fourth Official: James Linington
Derby will return to Pride Park Stadium on Saturday 26th October for a Sky Bet Championship clash with Hull City (3pm kick-off).
