3/1 To Win
Derby County earned a point in a 1-1 draw against Swansea City in their final away trip of the regular Sky Bet Championship season.
Richard Keogh gave the Rams the lead at the break after heading in a corner delivered to the back post by Harry Wilson.
A corner lead to Sansea’s equaliser in the second-half when Wayne Routledge tapped in to deny the Rams the three points.
The point moves Derby a point ahead of Middlesbrough heading into the final game of the season with the final play-off place at stake.
Chances came for both sides in the opening stages with Matt Grimes drawing a comfortable save from Kelle Roos with his low strike before Kristoffer Nordfeldt was put to a stronger test at the other end when he batted away Bradley Johnson’s header from Mason Mount’s cross.
The Rams deservedly took the lead after 22 minutes from the corner resulting from Mount’s long-range shot taking a deflection to go over. Harry Wilson whipped the corner towards the back post and Keogh dipped his headed effort just below the cross bar.
Derby continued to press high and threaten for a second goal and they came close twice in the final moments of the first-half both through brilliant build up play.
A wonderfully weighted punt by Wilson floated to Tom Lawrence down the left channel who drove into the box to back-heel Mount. The midfielder then crossed in and Swans defender Cameron Carter-Vickers poked it out, just wide.
Moments later, the ball made its way to Wilson on the right of the box and the Welshman chipped towards goal, drawing a brilliant save from Nordfeldt to tip it over.
The home side came close to drawing level in the first five minutes after the restart when they made a break after intercepting the Rams’ short corner. Declan John, who had come on at half-time, was played through and had space to pick his shot. However, a big save by Roos denied him and the Rams keeper was there again to scoop up the second chance shot by George Byers.
Their equaliser came in the 67th minute when Routledge tapped in on the line after Oli McBurnie headed into the post from the Swans’ corner.
As the clock ran down in the final minute of regular time, a quick throwing deep in the Swans’ half by Scott Malone to Tom Lawrence saw the Welshman turn and curl his shot from the edge of the box just over.
Swansea City: Nordfelt; Roberts, van der Hoorn (C), Carter-Vickers, Naughton (John, 45); Byers, Grimes; McKay (Fulton, 45), McBurnie, James (Asoro, 83) ; Routledge
Unused Subs: Benda, Dyer, Rondon, Baker-Richardson
Derby County: Roos; Bogle, Keogh (C) (Evans, 72), Tomori, Malone; Johnson, Huddlestone (Marriott, 81); Wilson, Mount, Lawrence; Waghorn (Bennett, 64)
Unused Subs: Carson, (Marriott, 81) Nugent, Macdonald, Bird
