Krystian Bielik scores late equaliser for Derby against Birmingham

Krystian Bielik scores in the 96th minute during his first appearance for a year as Derby County come from two goals down to rescue a valuable point in their fight to avoid the drop against Birmingham City

• Derby County scored two goals in the final nine minutes to earn a valuable draw
• Birmingham City had led through goals by Lyle Taylor and Scott Hogan 
• But late goals from Luke Plange and Krystian Bielik recused a point for the Rams 
• Thousands of fans protested outside the ground in a bid to save their club

After their fans had marched to save their club, Derby staged an incredible escape that they hope will be repeated when the day of reckoning arrives.

‘Derby County, we’ll fight to the end,’ they sang – and how the team did. In the sixth minute of injury time, with the Rams trailing 2-1 to Birmingham, substitute Krystian Bielik marked his first appearance for exactly a year with an overhead-kick to claim a draw their second-half display fully deserved.

The former Arsenal midfielder, who had been absent with a knee ligament injury, sustained a damaged shoulder in the act of scoring.

Krystian Bielik scored a 96th equaliser as Derby sealed the comeback against Birmingham

The Rams had trailed 2-0 going into the final minutes but twice struck late on to rescue a point

Earlier, it had seemed that not even the support of a sell-out crowd could rescue Wayne Rooney’s as goals from debutant Lyle Taylor – on loan from Nottingham Forest – and Scott Hogan put Blues 2-0 up after 56 minutes. 

It stayed that way until the 87th minute, when Luke Plange struck and then Bielik levelled.

Thousands had walked from the centre of Derby to Pride Park in the hours before kick-off, carrying banners bearing the images of former managers Brian Clough and Jim Smith.

 A goal from Lyle Taylor on his debut having moved from Nottingham Forest began the scoring

Before Scott Hogan doubled the  lead in the 56th minute and looked to have the game won

The threat of expulsion from the Championship may have been delayed for at least a month, yet the club still cannot guarantee they will have the funds to complete the campaign.

It is four months since the Rams entered administration and the mood among supporters remains passionate and defiant in the face of adversity. 

The sell-out 32,211 crowd directed their anger at the EFL, former owner Mel Morris and chief executive Stephen Pearce during the early stages of the game.

But Luke Plange’s 87th-minute strike gave Derby County hope of rescuing a valuable point

Bielik then completed the dream comeback during his first appearance in exactly a year

Rooney urged his team forward yet it was Birmingham who took the early lead. Onel Hernandez held off Curtis Davies and found Taylor, who guided a precise finish into the corner for the perfect start to his Blues career.

Taylor should have made it two in the 15th minute only to direct his volley too close to Ryan Allsop after finding space at the far post.

Rooney’s frustration was clear and he let rip at fourth official Stephen Martin after seeing play waved on as Kamil Jozwiak was barged over on the edge of the penalty area.

With the point, Wayne Rooney’s side have cut the deficit from them and safety to seven points

Derby tried to rally. Jason Knight’s cross was poorly cleared to Max Bird, who fired wide. Then Neil Etheridge produced a fine reaction stop to prevent Richard Stearman turning in Tom Lawrence’s free-kick. 

Lawrence is wanted by promotion-chasing Bournemouth yet despite Derby’s financial situation, Rooney said on Friday he had been assured by administrators that no more players would be sold in this transfer window.

If that appears a gamble, Rooney could not worry about it. His side survived by the skin of their teeth shortly before half-time when Allsop denied Hogan, who was clean through.

Birmingham City stay in 17th but have played three games more than 16th-placed Swansea

Festy Ebosele had replaced in the injured Jozwiak shortly before the break and though he looked lively, it was Blues who struck again 11 minutes into the second half.

Hogan made a clever run to the near post and while his connection on Ryan Woods’ cross was not clean, it was still good enough to beat Allsop.

The former Aston Villa forward then wasted a fine opportunity to seal the deal, steering Taylor’s cross wide from close range.

Before the game, thousands of fans marched on Pride Park in an effort to save their club

Whatever may happen next, Derby have some youngsters who should have good careers. One is Ebosele, who forced Etheridge into a sharp save from 20 yards. Another, Knight, then escaped down the right and crossed for Bird – again, a near miss resulting in a corner, which Davies headed wide. 

Then Etheridge watched with relief as a fierce drive from substitute Colin Kazim-Richards fizzed past the post.

Still the ball would not drop for the Rams, now playing with purpose. Ebosele’s cross fell to Lawrence who looked certain to score from 10 yards, only for his shot to hit the hand of defender Teden Mengi and fly over the bar. Curiously, there was no strong appeal and it was not spotted by the officials.

The Derby fans were joined by Birmingham City supporters as they held up banners and signs

Derby fans were become ever more agitated and their anger threatened to boil over when Taylor was substituted and he sarcastically applauded them, smirking as he returned to the bench.

The goal finally came with three minutes left following another corner that was not dealt with properly. Seizing on the loose ball, Plange made space before curling impressively into the corner from 15 yards. When Lawrence’s free-kick went astray, Blues looked to be home until another ball into the Birmingham box reached Bielik, who despatched it in remarkable style.

There was an element of controversy here, too, as Bielik’s foot was high as Mengi tried to head clear, but Derby will feel they deserve the luck. What a comeback.  

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