Derby County claimed another point on the road in a 1-1 draw against Preston
North End at Deepdale in the Sky Bet Championship on Saturday.
The game was the Rams' first since the last international break of 2024
and the result sees Paul Warne’s side with five points from their
last three games.
Sam Greenwood’s headed goal put Preston ahead after 23 minutes, but the lead didn’t last long as Jerry Yates’ third goal in as many games for the Rams brought the tie back level just before the half-hour mark at Deepdale.
Derby looked lively in the opening stages as they pushed forward, won two corners and saw Yates receive a high ball in behind in the opening exchanges, but the Rams couldn’t find the opening to hit the target.
Kaine Kesler-Hayden had the hosts’ first attempt in the 10th minute. The attacker struck a low effort through a sea of legs from 20 yards out, but goalkeeper Jacob Widell Zetterström got down low to sweep up the strike with ease.
The scoring was opened by Preston in the 23rd minute. Greenwood latched onto Ryan Ledson’s delivery into the box and headed a looping ball over the reach of Zetterström and into the back of the net.
Derby replied six minutes later though. Yates tucked home a well-executed free kick when he met Ben Osborn’s delivery from deep, which was flicked on by Eiran Cashin, with a diving header in the 29th minute.
Ali McCann forced an excellent diving save from Zetterström in the 40th minute. The midfielder sent the ball towards the top left corner from the edge of the penalty box, but the Swedish shot-stopper got in position to parry the ball away from danger.
The Rams countered from the resulting corner. Ebou Adams slipped Liam Thompson in on the left flank and the midfielder’s low cross was blocked by Jordan Storey and deflected just wide of the near post.
Dajaune Brown came close to stealing the ball under pressure in the 58th minute. He pressed Ben Whiteman who had the ball in his own penalty area, but the centre-back just recovered before Brown could pounce.
Paul Warne made Derby’s first change of the game in the 60th minute as Brown made way for Kane Wilson. Nathaniel Mendez-Laing and Marcus Harness entered the field of play nine minutes later as the Rams continued to push for the lead.
Derby pushed up through Wilson and Harness, as the two substitutes aimed to liven up the game and forge a chance. Wilson’s low delivery moments after coming on couldn’t find a Derby body in the box as they applied pressure.
Harness looked to play Yates into space in the 77th minute but Preston’s defence held firm and left no gaps for the striker to exploit.
Craig Forsyth looked to play Harness into the box in the 90th
minute, but again the Lilywhite’s defence held strong against Derby’s threat.
Harness fizzed a shot towards goal deep into added time, after the ball dropped to him in space on the edge of the area following a corner, but the ball went just over the crossbar and the two teams settled for a point apiece.
Preston North End: Woodman (GK), Whiteman (C) (Holmes 88), Whatmough, McCann, Riis (Frøkjær-Jensen 75), Storey, Hughes, Ledson (Osmajić 46), Greenwood (Keane 79), Kesler-Hayden, Potts.
Unused Substitutes: Cornell (GK), Thórdarson, Okkels, Best, Bowler.
Derby County: Zetterström (GK), Jackson (Mendez-Laing 69), Nelson, Cashin (C), Phillips, Forsyth, Thompson (Harness 69), Osborn, Adams, Brown (Wilson 60), Yates (Collins 85).
Unused Substitutes: Vickers, Bradley, Barkhuizen, Goudmijn, Blackett-Taylor.
Referee: David Webb
Assistant Referees: Jonathan Hunt, Hristo Karaivanov
Fourth Official: Zac Kennard-Kettle
Derby will be back in action at Pride Park Stadium for their midweek fixture against Swansea City on Wednesday 27th November (8pm kick-off).
