Derby 1-1 Wrexham: Rathbone's late equaliser extends Rams' winless home run
Ollie Rathbone's 88th-minute equaliser earned Wrexham a 1-1 draw at Derby County on Saturday, leaving the Rams still without a home win in the Sky Bet Championship this season.
Derby were on course for three points through Sam Szmodics' superb early strike, only for the Welsh side to rescue a point two minutes from the end in an open game at Pride Park. Both teams created chances, but the finishing largely lacked the quality Szmodics showed when he beat Anthony Patterson with an unstoppable shot.
Szmodics stuns Patterson early
Derby started positively and deservedly went ahead in the ninth minute following a clinical counter-attack. Mo Fuseini sprinted from deep inside his own half to release Szmodics, who cut inside before unleashing a rising drive past Patterson.
The Rams' top scorer came close to a second in the 35th minute when he pounced on a loose ball and curled a shot just wide of Patterson's left post, with Fuseini's pace causing problems for the Wrexham defence from the start.
Vickers keeps Rams in front
The Dragons responded through Jacques Ekomie, who ran into the Derby box and fired in a low shot that Josh Vickers did well to palm away. Vickers rescued Derby again when Callum O'Hare's shot took a deflection, forcing the goalkeeper into a reflex save, with Issa Kabore putting the rebound into the side-netting.
The first half ended with the visitors catching the Rams on the break, but O'Hare's shot was deflected over for a corner that came to nothing.
Chances at both ends after the break
Fuseini made another run at the Wrexham defence in the 58th minute, but his shot was straight at Patterson. The away side got into good positions without making them count, with Danny Imray wasting a chance with an overhit cross before Carlton Morris fired over at the other end.
Wrexham had a good opportunity to level in the 75th minute when O'Hare found space, but blazed over from 12 yards. Derby almost made them pay, with Bobby Clark getting in on the Wrexham right and hitting a low shot which was deflected narrowly wide.
After the home side survived a scramble inside the six-yard box, Ekomie lashed a shot over — and Wrexham were heading for defeat until Rathbone came to the rescue in the 88th minute.
Rathbone to the rescue
The Rams had defended strongly throughout, but when Imray crossed from the right, Kieffer Moore rose to head the ball down and Rathbone nipped in to beat Vickers with a close-range finish, leaving Derby still waiting for that elusive home victory.
For Wrexham, the late point offered further evidence of the resilience their manager Phil Parkinson demanded after September's 6-0 thrashing by West Ham United at the London Stadium — a defeat he described at the time as being among the lowest points of his tenure, vowing to restore the character that has been the hallmark of his side.
Managers' reaction
Post-match reaction from Derby boss John Eustace and Wrexham counterpart Phil Parkinson was still to follow following the full-time whistle at Pride Park.