Brereton Díaz stunner rescues Derby a point

Lewis O’Brien crunched into a challenge on Ebou Adams, proceeding to get most of the midfielder, and, crucially, none of the ball.

How’s that for a welcome to Wrexham?

Referee Tom Nield showed O’Brien a yellow card. A decision which aggrieved Derby players, and their travelling fans, whose annoyance was compounded when the former Forest man connected with wing back Issa Kaboré’s pinpoint, near-post cross to head past Jacob Widell Zetterström.

It was always going to be O’Brien.

Looking to bounce back from defeat at home to Preston, John Eustace opted to deploy a 4-2-3-1 formation, making two changes as Patrick Agyemang made his first start. 20 seconds into which, the USMNT striker arguably should have scored, when he curled the ball wide.

Though they were in control in the opening stages, The Rams failed to register another shot throughout the first half but did keep the ball better than they had done in previous games, helping them limit their hosts to half-chances too.

Ben Sheaf fired straight at Zetterström from 25 yards, who gathered the ball at the second attempt, and Josh Windass’ low ball was missed by everyone (no sixty-yard wonder goal this time, fortunately for Derby).

Windass later fired well over the bar from a free kick as both goalkeepers were relatively inactive.

But Wrexham’s best chance came three minutes before the break, when Issa Kaboré burst down the right to cross, only for Kieffer Moore to loop a header over the bar.

And there was more controversy, when Patrick Agyemang’s shirt was pulled in the box by Dom Hyam, but no penalty was awarded.

The second half was more eventful. Windass’s long-range curling effort saw Zetterström forced into a save at full stretch.

 Max Johnston then had a rather chaotic minute, clearing the ball off his own post before being thwarted on the volley by Arthur Okonkwo up the other end, who then denied Morris.

But after two good chances for Derby, it was Wrexham who took the lead, O’Brien sending The Racecourse into raptures. Were Phil Parkinson’s about to get a first home league win of the season?

Well, Brereton Díaz stepped into the role of villain to Wrexham’s film star owners. Craig Forsyth played the ball down the line for Patrick Agyemang, who flicked the ball the Chilean. He then cut inside and curled the ball into the top right corner from 25 yards out.

Wrexham huffed and puffed in search of a winner, but ultimately failed to find one, as the game and usually high-scoring Wrexham, failed to live up to their blockbuster billing.

Analysis: A point gained in difficult circumstances

John Eustace described The Racecourse Ground as a “hostile environment” when speaking to BBC Radio Derby post-match, though was not drawn into commenting on whether Lewis O’Brien should have been sent off.

In a game of very little, which could have gone either way, a sending off would have tipped the balance. So would the potential penalty on Patrick Agyemang, or the one Carlton Morris felt he should have won in the second half. But John Eustace remains keen not to use excuses.

Wrexham have been the league’s great entertainers, scoring and conceding a high number of goals, including late winners. That Derby failed to put many past Wrexham, who ahead of the game, had conceded the joint-most goals this season (alongside Derby and QPR), but limited the league’s fifth-highest scorers to just one goal, and few chances, subverts the problems they have had this season.

It shows the improvement in The Rams’ defensively since a rocky first couple of games. No one personifies this more than Dion Sanderson, who made nine clearances and seven headed clearances, at times playing as more of a right back when Max Johnston pushed up and Lewis Travis dropped in.

Going forward, it was clear that Derby still need to gel, and both Patrick Agyemang and Ben Brereton Díaz need to gain fitness (as Eustace admitted to RamsTV), but there were more positive signs. Agyemang found some good positions and got another assist, but his effectiveness did fade as the game went on, pointing to the lack of fitness.

Aerial duel winner extraordinaire Carlton Morris (he now leads the league in the metric) benefitted from this with targets to aim his flick-ons to in both Agyemang and Brereton Díaz.

The Chilean represents something that Eustace has done well this summer: signing players with clear quality, but whose form had dipped and giving them the right environment to rediscover it. You could make the same argument for Brewster, Clark, even Morris. And Sanderson at the back too. The goal today is a microcosm of the strategy working.

Next up, an in-form, newly promoted Charlton side, as Derby still chase their first home win.