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Derby County player ratings v Plymouth as 'assassin' all action but Wayne Rooney let off the hook
Jerry Yates scored one of the goals of the season but Derby County couldn't ruin Wayne Rooney's return to Pride Park as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Plymouth.
Derby got off to the perfect start when on-loan Swansea striker Yates scored his second goal in as many games when he produced a terrific overhead kick from a corner.
Derby were in control and their tails were up after such a fabulous opener and Liam Thompson was a whisker away from making it 2-0 when he just failed to connect from a Kayden Jackson cross. The chances kept coming as Kenzo Goudmijn flashed a half-volley over the bar after a deflection and then Kane Wilson produced a rampaging run that led to him feeding a cutback into the area, but nobody was on hand to capitalise.
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Nathaniel Mendez-Laing then dragged a shot wide when he should have hit the target. Warne would have worried that a lack of a second goal had still left the door ajar for the visitors and that proved the case when Adam Randell levelled with a free-kick that deflected past Jacob Widell Zetterstrom.
Derby kept pushing for a second goal after the break and it nearly arrived in spectacular fashion when Yates spotted Daniel Grimshaw off his line and sent an audacious 60-yard lob towards goal that Plymouth's goalkeeper just kept out.
Ben Osborn flashed a shot wide of goal from distance as Derby continued to look for chinks in the visitors' armour. Grimshaw saved a header from Curtis Nelson, but Warne's side could not find a way to take all three points.
Here's how the players rated....
Jacob Widell Zetterstrom: The only major action that the Sweden international had to make in the first half was to pick the ball out of his net after Adam Randell's free-kick took a wicked deflection. 6
Kane Wilson: The right-back provided plenty of attacking impetus and was a real asset in that respect. Was one of Derby's best players going forward in the first half. 6
Curtis Nelson: The centre-back had a solid game against his old club and he will fuming that he was unable to keep a clean sheet because Plymouth rarely threatened. 7
Nat Phillips: After a good performance in midweek against Coventry, the on-loan Liverpool defender backed it up again here with another strong display. 7
Craig Forsyth: Defended well and kept a close eye on Morgan Whitaker. Not as influential going forward like Wilson was but it was another performance in which he didn't do much wrong. 7
Ebou Adams: Warne calls him the smiling assassin and he was here, there and everywhere. Rattled into Plymouth tackles and you can always bank on him to deliver an action-packed performance. Passing let him down mind. 6
Kenzo Goudmijn: Played some super passes that got Derby in behind the Plymouth defence, but the issue was that Warne's side couldn't make the most of them. 6
Liam Thompson: Ran himself into the ground as he chased Plymouth whenever they were in possession. Was so close to a goal too when he just missed out on a Jackson cross. Played well. 8
Kayden Jackson: The winger showed good pace at times and created a decent opportunity in the first half. Always willing, always working. But didn't have a sight of goal. 5.5
Jerry Yates: Scored a terrific overhead kick which you thought would lead to Derby dishing out a big win. Scurried about the top of the pitch and tried to link play and almost scored an audacious 60-yard lob. 7.5
Nathaniel Mendez-Laing: Just seemed to be a tad off the pace. Work looked tired and laboured and he had two good chances to test the keeper but didn't. Not his day, really. 4.5
Subs
Ben Osborn (Wilson 65): Did a decent job at left wing-back. 6
Marcus Harness (Goudmijn 65): Had a shot that was blocked. 5.5
Dajaune Brown (Mendez-Laing 78): Didn't have a sight of goal. 5
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