1 ................... TOWN to frustrate Town

There were warning signs, though, mainly through set-piece deliveries into the Town box as only a great block on the line from three players prevented Bent’s effort finding the net from Tom Ince’s corner.

Derby slowly began to creep into the game, predominantly as they came to the realisation they had given Town, particularly Mooy, too much time on the ball in the opening 25 minutes.

Yet as the whistle blew for halftime, Town stopper Danny Ward hadn’t been forced into a single save in what was an impressive and professional first-half Town performance.

In fact it took until the 51st minute for the keeper to be forced into making a save, denying Ikechi Anya’s effort as Derby started the secondhalf the brighter of the two sides.

Despite Derby having the better of the play they still seldom threatened in the final third – even when Rams boss Gary Rowett made a trio of changes in the 72nd minute, including the introduction of former Town player Jacob Butterfield.

That substitution was greeted by a gleeful chant of ‘what a waste of money’ mixed in with a chorus of ‘Newcastle United, We’re coming for you’ for good measure.

But as the clock dwindled down it was Butterfield who had the last laugh, firing an equaliser out of relatively nothing for Derby County as his deflected shot left Danny Ward stranded.

The home support were sparked into life as five minutes of additional time was added at the end of the game.

And, as the whistle blew for fulltime, Huddersfield Town will rue what might have been.