Derby 1-1 Portsmouth: Blues show quality and grit to earn point at play-off chasing Rams

Colby Bishop’s classy header gave the Blues a first-half lead, before the Rams sub swept home a second-half free-kick in a see-saw clash at Pride Park.

John Mousinho’s side were excellent for periods of the game in front of a crowd of 31,744 - the home side’s biggest of the season.

The Pompey boss’ side showed they certainly weren’t thinking about their summer holidays, as they withstood an early Derby firestorm to assume control of the game after the opener.

The home side came back over the final third of the clash, however, with the pressure building late on, but Mousinho’s men saw out a decent result.

Pompey were lucky not to be three down after taking a fearsome early battering from the home side.

David McGoldrick was causing all manner of problems ad hit the post from 20 yards after four minutes, before teeing up Nathaniel Mendez-Laing who fired just wide.

The winger then saw Marlon Pack clear his effort from virtually off the line and then Matt Macey saved well from McGoldrick’s 20 yarder.

A bolt from the blue arrived in the 24th minutes when Joe Morrell picked out Colby Bishop at the back post and his placed header beat Joe Wildsmith via the post.

Suddenly it was ole football from Pompey, with Bishops deflected effort by the Derby keeper before he denied Joe Pigoott and somehow kept out Connor Ogilvie’s close-range header.

Pompey started the second half as they finished the first - playing some lovely football.

The home side slowly began to build a head of steam as the half progressed, however, without testing the Pompey goal.

And they levelled it up with 19 minutes left as Conor Hourihane’s free-kick was met by Curtis Davies - and Collins was there to sweep the ball home.

Lewis Dobbin’s cross then somehow stayed out of the net after taking a deflection off Rafferty.

The home side pushed late on but Pompey saw out the draw through six minutes of stoppage time.