Deflected equaliser completes Rams raid

PLYMOUTH Argyle ended a fivegame away losing run in the Championship with a hard-fought 1-1 draw against Derby County at Pride Park on Saturday.

- CHRIS ERRINGTON

Former Derby player and manager Wayne Rooney saw his Pilgrims’ side fall behind in only the eighth minute after a superb overhead kick from striker Jerry Yates and the home side had good chances as the first half went on to extend their advantage.

However, they did not take any of them and Argyle drew level in the 41st minute when midfielder Adam Randell, returning to action after missing two matches with a thigh injury, scored with a deflected freekick.

Derby did most of the pressing during the second half and Yates came the closest to getting a second with a spectacular long-range attempt from inside his own half, but Argyle ‘keeper Dan Grimshaw was just about able to touch it wide.

Argyle’s wait for a first away league win of the campaign has now stretched to eight games but in the circumstances they will have been more than satisfied with the draw.

Randell took over from Jordan Houghton in central midfield as one of four changes to Argyle’s starting line-up against Derby from the 1-0 midweek win against Portsmouth at Home Park.

Not only that, the 24-year-old midfielder wore the captain’s armband for his hometown club in their final fixture before the third international break of the season.

The trio of Callum Wright, Mustapha Bundu and Michael Obafemi also came into the side for Rami Al Hajj, Freddie Issaka and Andre Gray respectively.

Three-goal joint top scorer Morgan Whittaker lined up against the club where he began his career, while the Derby team included former Pilgrims’ defender and captain Curtis Nelson.

Rooney sent out the Pilgrims in their usual 4-2-3-1 formation, with Obafemi leading the attack and the trio of Bundu, Wright and Whittaker supporting him.