Latest Derby County news from DerbyshireLive brings you how the players fared in the Championship clash at the Racecourse Ground
14:34, 27 Sep 2025Updated 15:51, 27 Sep 2025
Lewis O'Brien dodged a red card and then threatened to break Derby County's hearts until Ben Brereton Diaz's thunderbolt rescued a 1-1 draw at Wrexham.
O'Brien should have been sent off for an awful tackle on Ebou Adams inside the first 10 minutes and left Derby fuming when he scored with a header in the second half.
But Brereton Diaz salvaged a point with his first goal for the visitors after joining on a season-long loan from Southampton when he struck from 25 yards.
Derby could and should have been ahead inside the first 20 seconds when a long ball from Jacob Widell Zetterstrom found Brereton Diaz inside the box.
The winger nodded the ball down for the waiting Patrick Agyemang, but rather than go for power, he opted for placement which saw him steer wide of the post.
Derby were in control in the early stages as another raid from Andi Weimann ended with a low cross that Wrexham were able to smuggle away from danger.
Wrexham were then lucky not to have been reduced to 10 men when a high and mistimed challenge from O'Brien left Adams in a heap, sparking furious Derby protests.
The referee brandished a yellow card, but TV replays showed that O'Brien was fortunate to escape a more severe punishment leaving Adams requiring treatment.
Once play resumed, Wrexham started to make their presence felt in attack. Ben Sheaf saw a long-range parried by Jacob Widell Zetterstrom, who gratefully clutched the ball at the second attempt.
Buoyed by that move, Kieffer Moore nearly broke the deadlock moments later when he met a cross that he directed at goal with a header on the edge of the six-yard box.
Wrexham were carrying a greater threat and Josh Windass, who scored one of the goals of the season last year for Sheffield Wednesday against Derby, then drilled wide of the far post.
Clear-cut chances were few and far between as Windass fired a free-kick hurtling over the bar as Derby struggled to regain their early momentum.
However, Agyemang did bundle his way into the area before half-time but he was ushered into a cul-de-sac and the chance was gone.
The entertaiment levels dramatically increased after the break as Windass was denied by Zetterstrom before Max Johnston hit a cross against his own post.
In a madcap 60 seconds, Johnston then went close at the other end as he was denied by Arthur Okonkwo who also thwarted Carlton Morris.
But the breakthrough for the hosts came when Issa Kabore produced an excellent cross from which O'Brien glanced into the far corner.
You sensed Derby would need something special to find an equaliser and with 20 minutes to go it arrived.
Craig Forsyth fed a ball down the line for Agyemang to flick into the path of Brereton Diaz who whipped past his marker and curled an unstoppable curling effort into the top corner from distance.
Here's how the players rated.....
Jacob Widell Zetterstrom: Didn't really have a lot to do in the first half during which there were very few clear-cut chances and most of his work was routine. Made a good save from Windass in the second half. Couldn't do much with the header. 6
Max Johnston: Found it hard to get into the game in an attacking sense, but defensively, nothing much came down his side of the pitch in the first half. Hit his own post in the second half and could have scored at the other end in a mad 60 seconds. 6
Dion Sanderson: Kieffer Moore was never going to run past the Derby defence, but his aerial threat and his ability with his back to goal makes him a handful. Sanderson coped well with him. 6
Matt Clarke: Took few risks and defended intelligently. Tried to match Moore in a physical battle and he took a booking that was rather harsh in the first half. Cross for O'Brien's goal took him out of the game. 6
Craig Forsyth: Made one exceptional covering challenge when Adams gave the ball away and his passing was crisp at times. Was a good performance from the long-serving Scot. 7
Ebou Adams: Lucky to escape serious injury as a result of a horror challenge from Lewis O'Brien in what should have been a red card. Battled away and stopped a couple of crosses. Was at risk of a red himself after a first-half booking and was subbed. 5.5
Lewis Travis: Dinked one cross into the box during the first half and he snapped away at Wrexham's midfield as you would expect him to. Couldn't fault his effort. 6
Ben Brereton Diaz: An improved performance to the one we saw against Preston and his equaliser will go down as one of the goals of the season. Can be stronger in certain areas of his game, but no doubting his ability. 7
Carlton Morris: Played in a slightly withdrawn role behind Patrick Agyemang and lost count of the number of headers that he won. Was denied by the goalkeeper but he also helped with set-pieces. 7
Andi Weimann: Struggled to really make an impression in the first half and a couple of opportunities to cross the ball ended with poor delivery. Subbed in the second half. Can do better. 4.5
Patrick Agyemang: Should have fired Derby ahead inside the first 20 seconds when he went for placement rather than power. Chased lost causes but you can see he is still raw. Set up Brereton Diaz. 6
Subs
Bobby Clark (Weimann 62): Won a corner not long after he came on. 5
David Ozoh (Adams 62): Picked up a silly yellow card. Did okay. 5.5
Kayden Jackson (Agyemang 74): Couldn't really make an impression. 5