Town fought back from two goals down to draw 2-2 with Derby County at Pride Park. Goals from Peter Kennedy and Daniele Dichio inside a minute just before the break put the home side ahead. A penalty from Tommy Miller and a header from Darren Bent won the Blues the point.

Central defender John McGreal was not considered fit enough to start so Fabian Wilnis replaced the suspended Richard Naylor alongside Georges Santos, with Jermaine Wright moving to right-back.

Tommy Miller came into a three-man midfield in place of Chris Bart-Williams, also suspended, with Darren Bent returning in a three-pronged attack.

Finnish striker Shefki Kuqi headed a Jim Magilton header wide in the early stages as Town started brightly. However, closest to a goal in the opening exchanges was Michael Johnson, whose header from Peter Kennedy's corner was cleared off the line at the post by Matt Richards.

Darren Bent, back after a knee injury, was close to being put through by Ian Westlake on eight and was even nearer a minute later. The England U21 striker was one-on-one with Lee Grant but was driven wide who blocked his subsequent shot.

Grant denied Bent again in the 12th minute, the keeper grabbing a low Matt Richards cross just before the striker prepared to stab the ball home.

Ian Westlake seized on a loose ball on the edge of the box on 23 but his snap shot was deflected away for a corner.

The Blues had had much the better of the game during the first hour but Kelvin Davis was forced into action by a Lee Morris shot from a few yards outside the penalty area.

There was a blow for Town soon after when Pablo Couñago, attempting a trademark backheel, injured his hamstring. The Spaniard limped around for a couple of minutes before being helped away by physio Dave Williams, the injury looking a fairly serious problem.

Dean Bowditch, impressive in the reserves on Wednesday, prepared to come on as sub but the Blues were forced to play with 10 men for four minutes before the ball finally went out of play.

The loss of Couñago appeared to hit Town badly and Derby had much the better of it in the latter stages of the half. On 36 Daniele Dichio put the ball over when well-placed inside the area after Lee Morris had done well to beat both Matt Richards and Fabian Wilnis on the Town left.

Two minutes later youngster Lee Holmes shot across the face of Kelvin Davis' goal when he might have done better. Two minutes later Fabian Wilnis picked up a yellow card for kicking the ball away after committing a foul in the centre circle.

Town were under the cosh for the first time in the game and in the 42nd minute16-year-old Tom Huddlestone cut in from the Derby right and sent in a low ball which Georges Santos did well to clear from under the nose of Ian Taylor.

A minute later a cleared ball cannoned of Ian Westlake's face and put Lee Morris through on the Town goal. With the midfielder bearing down on Kelvin Davis, Jermaine Wright put in an inch-perfect challenge to take the ball away from him.

With the half coming to an end the Rams were given a freekick 30 yards out from goal for a foul by Fabian Wilnis. Loanee Peter Kennedy took the kick and curled the ball beyond Davis and into the net to put the home side in front.

The game had only just restarted when Derby went two-up. Fabian Wilnis looked certain to clear a ball played over the top but failed to connect. The Dutchman's central defensive partner Georges Santos appeared to have assumed that Wilnis would clear and lost Daniele Dichio who nipped in to lash the ball past Kelvin Davis for his now obligatory goal against Town.

While Derby were certainly the better side during the latter minutes of the half a two-goal lead flattered George Burley's side a little.

Shefki Kuqi wasn't far away from getting on to a Westlake cross inside the area three minutes into the new half, keeper Lee Grant out quickly to claim at his feet.

On 54 sub Dean Bowditch exchanged passes with Ian Westlake, the midfielder taking the ball into the area on the left where Pablo Mills tripped him. Referee Keith Hill had little doubt in his mind and awarded a penalty.

Regular penalty-taker Tommy Miller was for once on the field when Town had a spotkick and he powerfully struck the ball to the keeper's left, Grant going the correct way but not getting there in time.

The goal awoke the previously quiet Town away following as did a clash between Darren Bent and keeper Lee Grant. Bent chased a ball over the top which Grant claimed at Bent's raised foot. There seemed little in the incident, however Grant was incensed and pushed the Town striker.

Referee Hill came over and booked the Derby keeper while Bent, laughing at the whole episode, also picked up a yellow card which seemed harsh.

In the 64th minute the Blues were back on terms. Jim Magilton played a glorious cross-field ball to Jermaine Wright who went past Kennedy before putting in a cross which Darren Bent headed home from close in.

The game from here was very open with both sides going for the three points. Soon after the Town goal Simo Valakari picked up a yellow card for a nasty looking tackle on Tommy Miller who required lengthy treatment before continuing.

There was a scare for Town in the 73rd minute when Kelvin Davis left a Huddlestone cross from the right only to see it rebound back off the post. Ian Taylor hammered the ball back but went wide of the post.

Dean Bowditch fired a loose ball from a Magilton corner over the bar on 74 and was replaced by Alun Armstrong two minutes later after failing to get significantly involved in the game.

Shefki Kuqi ought to have given the Blues the lead in the 78th minute from an Ian Westlake cross. The on-loan striker turned inside his defender but sent the ball well over Grant's crossbar.

Westlake himself put a distant effort over the bar when he had more time than perhaps he realised on 81 before Derby sub Candido Costa shot across the face of goal when unmarked inside the Town box.

With five minutes remaining Kuqi missed another good opportunity, the Finnish international chipping the ball over keeper Grant but also over the bar.

Ian Taylor had a header saved by Kelvin Davis before Joe Royle gave a league debut to right-back Scott Mitchell who replaced Kuqi.

In injury time both sides continued to look for a winner and Kelvin Davis watched a deflected freekick go just beyond his post after a foul by Georges Santos, who picked up a yellow card.

An entertaining encounter which once again saw an impressive comeback from Town, although once more due to conceding disappointing goals in the first half. Unusually the Blues had started reasonably well but were affected badly by the substitution of the influential Pablo Couñago.

With the injury list still lengthy, an injury to the club's top scorer was perhaps the last thing Joe Royle would have wanted.

The second Derby goal came from the kind of mix-up you'd expect from two players playing at centre-half together for the first time, while the opening goal was a fine freekick which Kelvin Davis would have done well to stop.

Ian Westlake put in probably his best display in a Town shirt so far, winning a penalty and looking more comfortable in his more usual central midfield role. Up front neither Kuqi nor Bowditch had their best games while Darren Bent improved as the game went on.

Town: Davis, Wright, Richards, Santos, Wilnis, Magilton, Miller, Westlake, Kuqi (Mitchell 90), Couñago (Bowditch 33 (Armstrong 76)), Bent.

Photo: Action Images

Ipswich Town Polls