He shepherded the Rams through some of their darkest days, cutting a figure of remarkable stability in the face of the uncertainty that was administration.
As Wayne Rooney returned to Pride Park for the first time, he received a warm reception from the Derby faithful, ‘He goes by the name of Wayne Rooney’ sung from all corners of the stadium at times. But in his new role as Plymouth Argyle boss, his brief was different: send them home disappointed.
The Rams came into the game on a high following their first away win of the season at Coventry three days earlier, but Paul Warne made three changes as he reverted to a 4-3-3: Kane Wilson, Craig Forsyth and Nathaniel Mendez-Laing returning to the side. Eiran Cashin and Callum Elder missed out due to suspension and a groin injury respectively.
Argyle were coming off a big win too, having beaten Portsmouth by a goal to nil in midweek, and Rooney made four changes with Adam Randell, Callum Wright, Mustapha Bundu and Michael Obafemi all starting.
After an opening five minutes that Plymouth could be fairly happy with, Jerry Yates opened the scoring for Derby in the eighth minute with a goal that even the man in the away dugout would have been proud of.
Mendez-Laing delivered the first corner of the game, which Wilson and Wright both got their heads to before Yates found the top-left corner with a stunning bicycle kick from six yards out.
Derby were inches away from a second in three minutes when Wilson combined well with Kayden Jackson whose low cross was just out of reach of the arriving Liam Thompson.
The Rams continued to assert dominance. A great move concluded in the 18th minute with Kenzo Goudmijn’s half-volley deflected behind for a corner. And with just over half an hour played, the Dutchman released Kane Wilson down the right flank, who’s cross Yates opted not to strike despite there being no one beyond him.
Plymouth would find an equaliser completely against the run of play, having been awarded a free kick about which Warne would later say: “It felt like a feel sorry for them free kick.”
Randell and Bundu stood over the set piece before the former hits it right footed. His shot took a huge deflection off Yates in the wall to wrong-foot Jacob Widell Zetterström and find the bottom left corner.
Their first away goal since 24th August saw Argyle level at half-time.
Derby came out on the front foot to start the second half with a chance from a free kick of their own in the 49th minute. Mendez-Laing’s right-footed delivery to the back post was punched away by Daniel Grimshaw before Jackson’s shot through a crowd of players was blocked.
With Grimshaw off his line, Yates went for another spectacular goal in the 62nd minute with a looping shot from inside his own half. But the keeper did brilliantly to back-pedal and tip it over the bar without clattering into the post.
Other than Yates’ audacious effort, the game had fallen flat in the second half, so Paul Warne opted to switch to the 3-5-2 that had brought his side midweek success.
Ben Osborn made an instant impact at left wing back, surging past Matthew Sorinola, who could only halt Derby’s number eight by dragging him down by the shirt.
The former Sheffield United man wasn’t too far away from retaking the lead in the 72nd minute as space opened up in the inside left channel, but he drilled his long-range shot wide of Grimshaw’s right-hand post.
With eight minutes to play, Derby players thought they might have got the ball over the goal line. From a free kick, Osborn worked the ball out to Jackson, who’s cross was headed into the hands of Grimshaw, who just kept it out.
In a tense final few minutes, Plymouth looked the most likely to grab a winner, but the points were ultimately shared.
Analysis: Two points dropped
A lot has changed at Pride Park since Wayne Rooney resigned as Derby boss nearly two and a half years ago. But under head coach Paul Warne, the ground remains a fortress for the Rams, while the former England captain’s away record this season is just as poor as it was in his first managerial role.
Given both factors, expectations were high and while the performance felt somewhat dominant, the result certainly didn’t meet them.
The Rams had more than enough chances to be out of sight by half-time. Their performance for much of the first 45 should have seen them win at a canter, but they were punished for their sloppy finishing. Across the 90 minutes, the hosts registered 20 shots, but only four hit the target.
Also disappointing, was Derby’s ball retention. Considering they were facing the side with he worst away record in the division, 53 per cent possession looks sub-par on the surface, though it is worth considering that Plymouth average seven percent more possession than Derby this season. Worthy of more criticism is their 75 per cent pass completion rate.
Both wingers appeared slightly off it for Derby, which will only increase the clamouring for Corey Blackett-Taylor to be given a run out Mendez-Laing to play on the right again. But up front, Jerry Yates put in another confident display. As well as his stunning goal and ambitious second half attempted lob, Yates created the most chances of any player despite having the least touches of any outfield player to play 90 minutes. The Swansea loanee has very effectively fed off scraps in the last couple of games and started to add goals to his creative presence.
The other standout performer at the Coventry Building Society Arena was Liam Thompson. Like Yates he fits that category again. Just as he was at the start of his career under Wayne Rooney, Thompson was a livewire in the midfield once more, partnering well with the more physical Ebou Adams who won the most duels in the match.
Overall, though, it was a missed opportunity for Paul Warne’s side. Who should have had enough to go into the international break with consecutive wins.
For Rooney, who prior to the game told the BBC that the Rams will always have a “huge place in his heart,” his side left Pride Park a very good point.
Derby (4-3-3): Zetterström (GK); Wilson (Osborn 64’), Nelson, Phillips, Forsyth; Adams, Goudmijn (Harness 64’), Thompson; Jackson, Yates, Mendez-Laing (C) (Brown 79’).
Substitutes not used: Vickers (GK), Ward, Bradley, Blackettt-Taylor, Collins, Barkhuizen.
Argyle (4-2-3-1): Grimshaw (GK); Sorinola (Paalson 90’), Szucs, Pleguezelo, Mumba; Gyabi, Randell (C); Whittaker, Wright (Issaka 68’), Bundu (Hardie 68’); Obafemi (Forshaw 78’).
Substitutes not used: Marosi (GK), Houghton, Al Hajj, Gray, Ogbeta.
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