Town's reserves drew 1-1 at Derby County's Pride Park stadium on Tuesday night. Marcus Tudgay gave Derby the lead on six minutes, but Owen Garvan equalised for the Blues four minutes later.

Derby included Paul Boertien and Marcus Tudgay alongside promising youngsters Nathan Doyle, Lee Holmes and Lee Grant, whilst Town fielded another young team, but which included first-teamers Pablo Couñago, Dean Bowditch and Matt Richards.

The Rams fired a warning when Tudgay headed just wide before he did get on the scoresheet from a free-kick after a foul on Lee Holmes. Cassidy sent the kick over and Tudgay headed the ball past Shane Supple from close-range.

Town levelled just four minutes later. A low ball was hit into the Derby area and good awareness from Owen Garvan allowed him to make room for himself and fire a shot past Derby keeper Grant.

Dean Bowditch was close to giving Town the lead in the 26th minute, when he turned and unleashed a shot which Grant had to tip round the post for a corner.

At the other end, Holmes delivered a good cross from the left, but Tudgay couldn't quite get on the end of it.

On 40 minutes, Antonio Murray shot just wide of Lee Grant's goal and a goal-kick was given, even though there was a suspicion of a touch from the keeper.

In first-half injury time, Boertien drilled in a low cross but Wilkinson fired over the bar from close range.

Holmes hit a shot from 25 yards in the 53rd minute as space opened up ahead of him, but his effort was well-saved by Shane Supple in the Town goal.

Just after the hour mark, Derby almost scored after Holmes back-heeled the ball the ball into the path of Boertien. His swinging cross was right on the head of Tudgay but the frontman couldn't quite direct his header on target.

Town also ought to have taken the lead, through Bowditch. The striker's low drive was saved by Grant and then his re-bound hit the bar instead of making the net bulge.

Blues' substitute Liam Craig had a clash of heads with Turner before Derby replaced Cassidy with Giles Barnes.

Shortly after coming on, pacy sub Barnes won a free-kick out on the right. Holmes curled the ball in and Supple was forced to tip over.

16-year-old Darryl Knights went wide and then Bowditch missed another chance when he failed to sting Grant's hands from eight yards out.

Reserves: Supple, Synott (Craig 62), Richards, Mitchell, Collins, Hogg, Murray (Flack 46), Manning, Counago (Knights 62), Bowditch, Garvan. Not used: Atay, Clarke.

Derby: Grant, Doyle, Boertien, Turner, Martin, Nyatanga, Cassidy (Barnes 66), Bolder, Tudgay, Wilkinson (Ainsworth 77), Holmes. Not used: Kirby, Booth, Nix.

Thanks to James Ager for the report.

Photo: Action Images

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