Luciano Zavagno scored his first goal for the club to earn Derby a deserved
point in an entertaining clash with in-form Gillingham at Pride Park.
The Argentine netted with a penalty after the Rams lost star duo Malcolm
Christie and Chris Riggott at the sart of the second half only minutes in
between Guy Ipoua firing the Gills in front on 57 minutes.
The Rams started brightly, with Giorgi Kinkladze firing in a left-foot volley
from 25 yards which flashed wide of the upright, while Ian Evatt tested Jason
Brown in the Gills goal from a similar range.
Winger Kinkladze delivered a fine curling effort from the right-hand side of
the penalty area which centre-back Chris Hope headed out and Paul Boertien
volleyed the resulting corner wide of the left-hand post.
Boertien tried his luck with a 20-yard volley which sailed over the crossbar
and former Sheffield United winger Lee Morris had an effort blocked by Chris
Hope as the Gills held firm against a constant stream of attacks.
The ever-dangerous Kinkladze came close to opening the scoring when he bent in
a superb 25-yard strike which cannoned against the woodwork.
In-form Gills striker Marlon King, with six goals in his last five games,
almost went close to adding to his tally after 27 minutes, but his right-footed
effort from the left was well saved by Lee Grant.
County boss John Gregory was forced into making a change nine minutes after
the restart when Christie was taken off with an injury and replaced by young
striker Marcus Tudgay.
And matters were made worse seconds later when the Rams fell behind to Ipoua's
sixth goal of the season.
Riggott, returning to the heart of the Derby back-line after recovering from a
knee injury, blocked a long-range shot from Marlon King which left the Rams
defender prostrate in the box.
Andy Hessenthaler played in Ipoua and he drilled home, with Riggott playing
him onside.
Gregory brought on Richard Jackson for the injured Riggott and the Rams could
have been two down a couple of minutes later when Grant made a double save to
keep out King's fierce strike and then denied Ipoua on the rebound.
But Derby levelled on 64 when Lee Morris' surging run into the box was brought
to an end by Barry Ashby and Zavagno sent the ball into the top left-hand corner
from the spot.
Derby maintained the pressure with Kinkladze shooting wide, while Morris
missed a decent chance from close range.
But Grant rescued Derby once again in the final 10 minutes when he when he
brilliantly tipped over a King volley from six yards and then kept out Hope's
point-blank header.
Seconds later the England Under-19 keeper parried a fierce drive from Hope and
Zavagno made a goalline clearance to keep out King and earn the Rams a point.
Teams
Derby: Grant, Barton, Riggott (Jackson 59), Evatt, Elliott,
Zavagno, Bolder, Kinkladze, Boertien, Christie (Tudgay 54),
Morris.
Subs Not Used: Oakes, McLeod, Holmes.
Goals: Zavagno 64 pen.
Gillingham: Brown, Nosworthy, Ashby, Saunders, Southall, Hope,
Hessenthaler, Smith, Shaw, King, Ipoua (Sidibe 71).
Subs Not Used: Bartram, Leon Johnson, Spiller, Perpetuini.
Booked: King, Smith, Hessenthaler.
Goals: Ipoua 57.
Att: 22,769
Ref: G Cain (Merseyside).
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