Bent on ball

DARREN BENT salvaged a point for Derby – but it was not enough to put them top of the Championship.

Bent, on loan from Aston Villa, capped the Rams’ gutsy fi ghtback from two goals down with a close- range fi nish seven minutes from time.

It was hard on Rotherham – whose second- half surge put Steve McClaren’s men up against it. Tom Ince, on loan from Hull, cancelled out former Derby midfi elder Paul Green’s opener for the Millers to send the sides in all- square at half- time.

Rotherham, who had defender Jack Hunt carried off injured before the interval, should have taken the lead shortly before Derby’s Jamie Ward shot wide, when unmarked striker Matt Derbyshire aimed a close- range header straight at Rams keeper Lee Grant from a Ben Pringle free- kick.

Derby defender Richard Keogh had an early escape , appearing to handle the ball in the area while on the ground, trying to

SPORT IN BRIEF

49th- minute free- kick and saw the ball sail into the top corner from near the touchline.

Rotherham increased their lead soon after as Derbyshire took advantage of a mix- up between Richard Keogh and Omar Mascarell to fi re past an exposed Grant.

McClaren made a triple substitution as Derby went in search of a win to push them to the top of the table. It paid immediate dividends, Ince volleying home his second of the night off a post to reduce the arrears in the 64th minute.

Substitute Simon Dawkins should have levelled with 15 minutes left but scuffed his close- range effort. Bent showed him how it was done with a deft trademark fi nish to level to set up a grandstand fi nish.

ROTHERHAM ( 4- 4- 2):

Goals:

( 4- 1- 4- 1):

Goals: Referee:

Booked: