Another point

Late injury worries forced changes in the starting line-up and a change of shape for The Rams but a workmanlike performance lead to a point returning from Wales with the team and another game without a defeat. Kris Commons and Rob Hulse were the players to miss out with Nacer Barazite coming in for his first start for Derby and Stephen Pearson making his first start of the season after his brief appearance from the bench on Saturday as Derby went one up front in Villa and a five man midfield to try and combat Swansea`s passing game.


The home side started the brightest of the two sides and played some neat football without any real threat up front whilst Derby struggled to keep hold of possession with a scrappy opening to the game. Nacer Barazite had the games first meaningful effort although his effort from outside the error didn`t trouble de Vries in the home goal. Butler, giving Connolly a hard evening down Swansea`s left, then beat the former Plymouth man before his shot again lacked accuracy as the game evened out.

Barazite moved back inside to play just off Villa through the middle and Paul Green moved back to his right-sided role as Derby tried to establish some authority in the game. His first contribution from the right was a cross that fell invitingly but Villa and Kazmierczak getting in each others way and the ball ending up wide of goal from a promising position. Addison and Green then combined well to set up Barazite who went close from 25 yards although his shot was always rising. Overall it had been a fairly uneventful first half with most of the football coming from the home side although Derby were establishing themselves more towards the end of the half without either side carving out any gilt edged opportunities.

The second half started with Butler again looking dangerous down the left but his good work came to nothing as his cross flashed across the area with no-one able to get on the end of the ball. Derby then changed things around by bringing on Nathan Ellington for Kazmierczak with Barazite switching to the left of midfield and Green moving back to the middle. Addison then brought the first save of the game from de Vries with a side footed effort that looked to be sneaking into the corner before it was touched over by the keeper for a corner.

Mark Gower came close at the other end with his 20-yarder crashing against the post with Carroll beaten only for Pintado to make a mess of the rebound when it looked like a tap-in and Carroll saved on the line. Derby promptly went down the other end and took the lead, Addison laying off to Ellington who slipped a neat ball through to Pearson who calmly finished for his first goal since Wembley. Bodde nearly equalized moments later bursting through midfield before firing over from the edge of the box.

Swansea were stepping the pressure up and Pintado couldn`t keep his header down from another Butler cross but the home site weren`t to be denied and equalized in the 73rd minute when Ashley Williams headed home virtually unchallenged from a Gomez corner, the second time in three games The Rams had conceded a straight forward goal from a corner.

The substitutions came thick and fast with Davies coming on for Villa and McEveley replacing Pearson as Jewell looked to tighten things up. Connolly and McEveley both received bookings as the game petered out to the final whistle with both sides seemingly happy for the point from a tough game.

Another quiet night for the stopper, kicking needs working on on this showing. Given a tough evening by Butler but hung in there and reduced the threat second half. Shaky looking performance from the former Watford man. Sloppy on the ball, although not the only one, and caught out of position at times. Solid if unspectacular at the back and stood firm in the face of some late pressure, reading of the play helped cut down on the chances created by the home side. Looks to be forming a good partnership with Leacock although the pair will be disappointed with the equaliser. Played in a couple of positions and didn`t really settle into the game as well as Saturday, needs more quality possession in order to make an impact. Another tidy performance from the youngster who has established himself well in the middle of the park. Perhaps guilty of dwelling on the ball and some wayward passing didn`t help with the shape of the game at times. The usual hardworking performance and showed the commitment, if not distribution in the first-half, needed whilst being moved around the midfield. Looked slightly rusty at times but his usual non-stop running eventually helped to even out the midfield battle and took his goal well when released in the area by Ellington. Worked hard but needs more support if he is to be effective at the front. Looked lively when brought on and a neat touch to set up the opener for Pearson. Played up front with Ellington but the game had closed down by the time he came on and didn`t have much chance to make an impact. Late substitute to tighten things up, managed to pick up a booking in this ten minute spell.

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