Bryson is late Rams hero as he rescues a point against the Canaries,
CRAIG Bryson’s first goal of the season - and his first for Derby County in 14 months - rescued a point for the Rams last night.
Timm Klose’s header had put Norwich City in front and left the Rams staring defeat in the face as the minutes ticked down.
But up popped Bryson with only four minutes of normal time to go.
He bundled in a centre from six yards out and the Championship clash at Pride Park Stadium ended 1-1.
The Scottish midfielder’s previous goal for Derby came at Sheffield United in August 2017. He spent the majority of last season on loan at Cardiff City but he has been a regular starter this season and Derby are delighted to have him back.
The draw means the Rams have won only one of their last five League games but they sit outside the top six only on goal difference.
This was a patchy performance and deserved no more than a point but credit to the players because they kept going after falling behind.
The division remains remarkably tight - six points separate the teams in the top half - and the key is to pick up points when not at your best.
Derby made one change to the team following the disappointing performance and result at Bolton Wanderers on Saturday. Scott Malone came in at left-back for Craig Forsyth.
Norwich stuck with the side that beat Wigan Athletic 1-0 and they came into the game as one of the division’s form teams having won fourth consecutive League games and progressed to the fourth round of the Carabao Cup.
But the Canaries were almost undone inside five minutes when a long punt forward by Rams goalkeeper Scott Carson picked out David Nugent, who rifled in a low shot from an angle that Tim Krul had to parry.
Harry Wilson burst into the box a couple of minutes later after playing a one-two with Nugent. He was crowded out by Max Aarons and Christoph Zimmermann, and went down. Derby claimed for a penalty but it was an optimistic claim.
Early indications pointed to Derby looking to mix up their play and at times go long from Carson rather than continually trying to build from the back, or maybe scouting reports had highlighted an area where they could punish the visitors. They certainly appeared to be focusing on the left-back area of Norwich’s team.
One of Derby’s failings at Bolton was a lack of crispness about their passing. They moved the ball quicker against Norwich, whose own approach play was bright with Emi Buendia often involved.
His neat footwork won a free kick just outside Derby’ area. Marco Stiepermann delivered and Rams skipper Richard Keogh made an excellent headed clearance.
This sparked a spell of Norwich pressure in which Teemu Pukki’s deflected shot looped narrowly wide and then Jamal Lewis, raiding from left-back, stung Carson’s hands with a drive.
Krul fumbled a centre from Malone and then made a couple of saves from Mount as the Rams began to press more but the best chance of the first half fell to Norwich five minutes before the break.
Todd Cantwell surged towards the area from midfield. There was a slice of fortune in the way the ball broke for him in the area and suddenly he had a clear sight of goal but there was Carson to make the save and keep Derby level.
Derby needed Nugent, as the focal point of the attack, to hold the ball better in order for attacks to build and they also needed more from wide players Wilson and Mason Bennett, who both flitted in and out of the game.
Norwich popped passes around confidently at the start of the second half and Derby boss Frank Lampard and his assistant Jody Morris could be seen in deep discussion in the technical area, no doubt talking about potential changes.
They made one after an hour when Tom Lawrence replaced Bennett and then a second five minutes
MIDFIELDER SCORES A LATE LEVELLER AGAINST CANARIES TO SHARE SPOILS
later when Nugent made way for Jack Marriott.
Norwich were asking more question than Derby at this stage and they went ahead after 69 minutes.
Pukki saw his shot deflected behind for a corner. Buendia took it and Klose met the ball to head past Carson from close range. It never looks good when a team concedes from a set piece and this didn’t look good.
Derby have now conceded the first goal in seven of their 11 League matches. The statistic speaks for itself and highlights how the Rams are making life difficult for themselves.
Krul did well to punch away a testing, in-swinging free kick from Mount and the keeper did even better when he displayed brilliant reactions to tip over a goalbound effort from Mount.
A match-winning save for Norwich, many in the stadium probably thought, but no, as Derby levelled matters on 86 minutes.
Substitute Martyn Waghorn centred from the right and as Bryson went to meet the ball, it appeared to strike him on the knee and find the corner of the net.
A huge roar went up and an even louder one followed when the fourth official’s board showed five minutes of added time during which Krul had to make a save from Marriott as Derby went in search of a late winner.