On Friday, Sport.co.uk picked a Championship game of the week to watch out for; fortunately it didn’t disappoint...
Derby County 2
Commons 39, Bailey 59
Queens Park Rangers 2
Agyemang 90, Mackie 90
If you ever needed to convince a fellow football fan that he is a fool to leave a match early, then you should look no further than the events that unfolded at Pride Park on Saturday afternoon. A engrossing game saw Queens Park Rangers claim what had looked for ninety minutes an unlikely point. Two goals inside injury time, first from substitute Patrick Agyemang and the second coming from one time Rams target Jamie Mackie, left the Derby players looking as distraught as they will ever be this season. For ninety minutes they demonstrated just how well Nigel Clough has got them playing this season. Unfortunately for Derby, games last longer than ninety minutes.
It was a high tempo game from start to finish, with both teams coming out of the starting blocks quickly and threatening early on. Derby's John Brayford was inches away from connecting with a Kris Commons corner inside three minutes, before Adel Taarabt dribbled smartly inside the box and forced an excellent save from Stephen Bywater at close range. Left-back Gareth Roberts was on hand to make an equally impressive block after Jamie Mackie had lashed the rebound goalwards.
After being involved for much of the first ten minutes, Adel Taarabt found time on the ball increasingly restricted as both Robbie Savage and James Bailey marshaled the space in front of the back four superbly. Savage was quick to put some tough tackles in on the Moroccan and the tricky play-maker looked to become increasingly frustrated with how the first-half was panning out.
While keeping Taarabt quiet was key, Shaun Barker handled target man Heidar Helguson better than most Championship defenses. The Rams started to look the more likely to nick the opening goal. Commons was starting to make the kind of contribution many had expected Taarabt to be making at the other end, and the Scotsman saw his low 25 yard effort fly the wrong side of Paddy Kenny's left hand post.
Derby's best chance of the half came in the 13th minute, when a Conor Doyle corner fell to Brayford who passed to Barker at the back post, who could only find the side netting. Derby's breakthrough came on 39 minutes after a neat interchange between Dean Moxey and Paul Green saw Moxey burst into the penalty area and slide a delightful pass across the six yard box for Commons. Commons got the ball under control quickly, before looking up and clipping the ball smartly over a grounded Kenny. It was no more than Commons and Derby deserved.
The jubilation was quickly tempered however when the goalscorer had to be replaced prior to half-time, complaining of a tight hamstring. Taarabt gave a final warning before half-time that Derby could not get complacent, Green gave possession away cheaply inside his own half and the Moroccan seized on the opportunity, beating two players before firing wide of Bywater's left hand post.
The second-half started much as the first half had. Left-winger Hogan Ephraim was brought down on the edge of the Derby penalty area, and from the resulting free-kick Taarabt fizzed in a dangerous ball only for it to be deflected over by a Derby head. Tomasz Cwyka, who had replaced Commons, was looking like the perfect replacement as his low centre of gravity and skilful runs caused both Rangers' midfield and defence numerous problems.
On 59 minutes, Cwyka's work came to a head as he beat two players on the left side of the box before playing a neat pass to Bailey on the edge of the area. Bailey was composed to take a touch before passing the ball into the corner of the net. Kenny was well beaten again.
Neil Warnock reacted quickly with a change in personnel. Within ten minutes of the second goal going in, he had made all three of his changes. Derry, Helguson, and Taarabt being replaced by Akos Buzsaky, Patrick Agyemang, and Leon Clarke.
QPR were starting to keep the ball better, and in more dangerous areas, but Derby seemingly had the game under control. There was tough tackling in central midfield from Green, Savage, and the increasingly impressive James Bailey, while Moxey, playing as a makeshift centre forward for the second game running, was full of hard-work and didn't let the Rangers defence rest easy in possession.
The game had seemingly been coming to it's natural end when it came to life again in the 91st minute. With Derby trying to push up, a slide pass was played into the left channel. Agyemang beat Barker to it and managed to hold him off while driving into the area and calmly lifting over the on rushing Bywater. The QPR players rushed the ball back to the centre circle sensing a more dramatic climax may lay in waiting.
James Bailey then had the chance to put the game to bed and double his personal tally when finding himself one-on-one with Paddy Kenny. Kenny stayed big and the former Crewe man could only fire straight at him. Derby still had chances to run the ball into the corners or fire into row Z, but when Leacock failed to deal the presence of Agyemang, Jamie Mackie burst powerfully into the area to shoot underneath Bywater and deal the Rams a cruel blow. The QPR fans, players, and staff were sent into raptures.
This was Championship football at it's best. So next time you go to a football match, home or away, and find your team trailing 2,3 or even 4 down, maybe think twice before heading for the exit.
Derby County: (4-2-3-1) 1. S Bywater, 2. J Brayford, 3. G Roberts, 4. P Green, 5. S Barker, 6. D Leacock, 8. R Savage(c), 10. K Commons (Cwyka 44), 16. J Bailey, 21. D Moxey (Ball 90+1), 23. C Doyle (Martin 57)
Subs: 13. S Deeney, 15. D Martin, 17. J Buxton, 18. B Pringle, 19. T Cwyka, 25. M O'Brien, 26. C Ball
QPR: (4-2-3-1) 1. P Kenny, 2. B Orr, 3. C Hill, 4. S Derry (Buzsaky 61), 7. A Taarabt(c) (Clarke 70), 9. H Helguson (Agyemang 62), 11. A Faurlin, 12. J Mackie, 13. K Gorkss, 16. M Connolly, 25. H Ephraim.
Subs: 24. R Cerny, 6. M Leigertwood, 8. L Clarke, 10. A Buzsaky, 19. P Agyemang, 22. P Ramage, 33. A German.
Attendance: 25,874 (1,655 QPR Fans)