DERBY COUNTY 0
BARNSLEY 0

BARNSLEY absolutely battered Derby County at Pride Park but were left scratching their heads as their magnificent, totally dominant display only earned a point.

Although loathed to change a winning side, Reds boss Simon Davey hand was forced with an ankle injury to Adam Hammill sidelining the Liverpool winger. Andranik Teymourian came back into the team following a three game ban while Darren Moore shook off his slight injury worries to face his former employers. Derby went with the same side that was beaten 4-2 by Sheffield United last weekend as they looked to bounce back at an expectant and packed Pride Park.

The players were led onto the pitch by a ram, which was then taken on a lap of honour of the Pride Park playing surface. It was a light moment that punctured the anticipation ahead of what was a colossal game for both sides.

Derby were right at it from the first whistle and ex-Red Gary Teale was quickly galloping down the left wing to earn a first minute corner. Teale's delivery was spot on but Rob Kozluk was in the right place to make a telling interception on the near post.

The Reds responded with Jon Macken battling his way to a free kick in a good position on the edge of the box two minutes later. Andranik's cross was dangerous but Lewin Nyatanga was in the right place to block Macken's header away.

Barnsley were guilty of hanging onto the ball too long in the area on six minutes as Michael Mifsud, Jamal Campbell-Ryce and Hugo Colace all had chances to shoot but the Rams were able to smother the danger away. Campbell-Ryce did get a shot away a minute later when he cut in from the left hand side but his effort was never going to trouble Stephen Bywater.

Teale again had the chance to race at Barnsley on nine minutes after Bywater's quick throw released the winger but his wayward drive took a nick off Kozluk and flew well, well wide. John Eustace was next to try his luck from distance seconds later as the Reds struggled to deal with a corner from the left but his shot almost hit the back of the stand.

Nacer Barazite's silly fall to the floor infuriated the away supporters on eleven minutes as the Derby midfielder hit the deck way too easily under the lightest of touches from Kozluk. The referee rightly waved away his impassioned pleas for a free kick.

Campbell-Ryce found a way through the Derby defence on 16 minutes after putting Barazite on his backside before smacking a drive against a defender. The winger recovered to pick out a fine pass to Anderson in space but the Brazilian's shot dropped just over the bar.

A slip by Martin Albrechtsen gave the Reds a great chance on 21 minutes as Macken sent Mifsud away in behind the Rams defence and through on Bywater. You would have put your mortgage on the little Maltese striker hitting the back of the net but Bywater came to Derby's rescue with a fine save. Andranik and Macken just could not force the loose ball home.

Another great chance fell to the Reds on 26 minutes when Stephen Foster ducked out of the way of Andranik's free kick to give Mifsud a shooting opportunity but the striker fired straight at Andy Todd.

Andranik got in behind Derby yet again on the half hour after racing past Paul Connolly and the Iranian picked out a fine cross along the six yard line for Macken to attack but Nyatanga was in the right place to make a telling interception and prevent a certain goal.

Mifsud did Todd up like a kipper again on 32 minutes to draw a hefty foul from the Derby defender and give the Reds another chance to shoot 30 yards from goal. Bobby Hassell curled the free kick towards the top corner but Bywater was quickly over to make a smart save.

Derby's defence fell apart again a minute later as Foster's header was allowed to bounce all the way through to Macken ten yards out but the striker found his path to goal blocked by four white shirts and his low drive was hacked to safety.

Derby were being made to look absolutely woeful by a majestic Barnsley display. The best the Rams could offer came on 37 minutes when Teale let fly from all of 30 yards but his effort flew well, well wide although it did give Heinz Muller something to do as he ran to pick up the ball.

Macken found a pass to split Derby yet again on 38 minutes as he gave Mifsud the chance to run and shoot but the striker's effort smacked into Todd and bounced out for a corner.

When Derby did get half a chance they found the Reds defence almost impregnable. Steve Davies managed to get half a yard to shoot on 41 minutes but this time Moore was in the right place to make a telling block.

Campbell-Ryce threatened to make the entire Derby defence look stupid on 43 minutes as he raced past half a dozen half hearted challenges before having his run checked by Connolly's crude lunge. Connolly rightly picked up a caution.

Derby were right at it again from the first kick of the half with Eustace bringing a stop from Muller inside a minute. The Reds responded and Mifsud again managed to get in behind the Rams to pounce onto Connolly's mistake but Bywater was quickly out to make another fine save. Connolly then managed to hack the rebound off the line.

Mifsud again broke through on 49 minutes as he took Colace's pass in behind but his first touch was a little heavy and another chance went begging.

Kozluk's collision with Muller ended his game seconds later as the full back was forced out of the action and was replaced by Mounir El Haimour.

A lunge by Eustace on Macken gave the Reds another shooting chance 30 yards from goal on 57 minutes. Again Hassell took the free kick but his effort flew a foot or so over the top of Bywater's crossbar.

Derby almost snatched the lead on 61 minutes when Davies low cross took a wicked deflection in the area and looped just wide of the far post. Rob Hulse then sprang into life a minute later as his cross-shot fizzed past Muller and out of play.

Muller finally has a save to make on 65 minutes when Eustace let fly but the big German was quickly down to parry his effort well away from goal.

Barnsley laid siege to the Derby goal on 67 minutes as Campbell-Ryce's free kick dropped in the area. Moore had a chance before Foster tried the spectacular but his over head kick was straight at Bywater.

The Derby goal led a charmed life on 70 minutes when El Haimour's cross deceived Bywater and smacked back off the woodwork before bouncing away.

Barnsley pulled Derby apart yet again seven minutes later when Colace's exquisite pass beat the offside trap to put Macken clean through on Bywater but the keeper made himself big to pull off another magnificent last-gasp save.

El Haimour had the Derby defence scrambling once more on 79 minutes as he cut in from the left before shooting but Todd was in the right place to block his low shot. Andranik was forced out of the action on 81 minutes through injury to be replaced by Martin Devaney.

Muller was a little worried on 82 minutes when Hulse got his head to Stephen Pearson's cross but the ball bounced well wide of the target in the end.

Derby's one real chance of the game came on 87 minutes as Teale managed to get in behind Hassell and cross to give Mile Sterjovski a free header at the back stick but the striker put his effort high over the bar.

There were some worried glances from the Reds bench in stoppage time when Anderson went down after a challenge with Teale. The midfielder looked in great discomfort when he left the pitch, to be replaced by Dennis Souza.

DERBY COUNTY: Bywater, Connolly, Savage (Pearson 73), Hulse, Nyatanga, Davies (Sterjovski 81), Todd, Teale, Barazite (Bannan 45), Albrechtsen, Eustace.
Subs: Carroll, Villa.

BARNSLEY: Muller, Hassell, Foster, Moore, Kozluk (El Haimour 49), Campbell-Ryce, Anderson (Souza 90), Colace, Andranik (Devaney 81), Macken, Mifsud.
Subs: Steele, Bogdanovic.

REFEREE: Andy Penn (West Midlands)
ASSISTANT REFEREE: Rob Merchant (Staffordshire)
ASSISTANT REFEREE: Gary Sutton (Lincolnshire)
FOURTH OFFICIAL: James Adcock (Nottinghamshire)

Attendance - 32,277
Away Attendance - 1,429