Wayne stops the rot

IF referee Oliver Langford had got a buzz out of this game Wayne Rooney would have been furious.

After controlling the first half, Derby were dominated by Wycombe who pulled level through sub Matt Bloomfield, before Garath McCleary smashed a shot against the bar at the death.

The ball looked over the line but the technology in the watch on Mr Langford’s wrist didn’t buzz and Rooney got away with a draw on his debut as solo manager.

“We were all looking at the ref as he looked at his watch to see what he would do,” said Wycombe boss Gareth Ainsworth.

“The ball must have been close to going over.

“But no matter, to come to Derby and get a draw, what a day that is for Wycombe Wanderers.”

Duane Holmes put Derby ahead in the 36th minute with the Rams first goal for nearly eight hours.

Derby looked good at that point, but then Wycombe threw on big Adebayo Akinfenwa for the second half.

Derby got bashed about, lost control, lost an 81stminute goal to Bloomfield and were within a few inches of losing the game.

“I stressed to the players at half-time how important a second goal was,” said

Rooney (above). “Wycombe, given the opportunity, will put the ball into the box and cause you problems, which is what happened.”

Rock-bottom Derby play Coventry on Tuesday looking for their first win in 10 games and their first home victory since June.

It’s a tough job Rooney has taken on but he is determined to make an impression as he waits to hear whether the new owners will still want him in charge when the £60m takeover is completed.

He chopped seven from the team beaten so easily by Middlesbrough in midweek and ditched the pass-pass style of Phillip Cocu.

Rooney got a reaction as the Rams ended their desperate run of four consecutive defeats.

Wycombe keeper Ryan Allsop stopped a George Evans close-range header putting Derby ahead in 24 minutes with a terrific flying save.

But Rooney was calm in his technical area.

Ainsworth had the rockstar look with hair to his shoulders, leather jacket, skin tight trousers and brown shoes.

But Rooney went for the rookie look, swamped in a big, warm coaching jacket over a tracksuit.

Colin Kazim-Richards’ pass was backheeled in by Holmes at the near post to put Derby in front.

“We paid the price for not getting that second goal, but we have stopped the losing run,” added Rooney.

“Maybe I stressed too hard how much we needed that second goal because at the moment the players aren’t confident enough.”