CarlingNet - No 1 for Match Reports

Nottm Forest v Derby 19/10/96 3.00

Nottm Forest            (1) 1 Derby                   (0) 1 FT
Saunders 2                    Dailly 58

Derby mounted a stirring second-half fightback to earn a 1-1 draw from their East Midlands derby with Nottingham Forest at the City Ground.

Dean Saunders had given Forest a flying start with a second-minute goal, but Derby rallied strongly in the second half and after Christian Dailly stabbed home a 57th-minute equaliser Forest found themselves on the rack.

Ashley Ward ought to have fired Derby ahead on 71 minutes but blasted over with only Mark Crossley to beat.

Forest might have snatched victory themselves but Saunders dragged his shot wide nine minutes from time when a through ball from substitute Bryan Roy split the Derby defence.

Unchanged Forest went into the match fourth-from-bottom and looking for their first home league win of the season.

A run of eight Premiership games without a win since their opening day victory at Coventry represented their worst run under Frank Clark.

Forest had only managed two goals in their last five league games and the continued absence of Kevin Campbell with a hamstring strain hardly helped their cause.

Derby, who had failed to score in their last three league games, made one change from the side beaten by Newcastle. Dean Sturridge was ruled out by an ankle injury and Ron Willems came into the side.

Forest needed the comfort of an early goal and Saunders provided it within two minutes.

Ian Woan won a centre circle challenge and released Jason Lee into space down the left wing channel and his instant square pass left Saunders with time to steady himself before planting a low left foot shot wide of Russell Hoult and into the bottom right corner.

Saunders could have completed a first-half hat-trick with some steadier finishing. Lee unwittingly provided him with a 16th-minute opening when his intended shot flashed across the goalmouth but Saunders, unmarked at the far post, misskicked and the chance went begging.

Chris Bart-Williams provided Saunders with another opportunity to double his tally on 33 minutes when he robbed a careless Igor Stimac near the right byline and picked out the Wales striker on the edge of the box. But Saunders blasted his instant right foot effort high over the bar.

Little was seen of Derby as an attacking force although Mark Crossley had to move smartly off his line twice in quick succession to deny Ron Willems.

Saunders was inches away from giving Forest the cushion of a second goal three minutes into the second-half. Allen ran half the length of the field and Saunders, stooping to meet his left-wing cross, was agonisingly close to making contact.

Derby began to dominate possession and stepped up their search for an equaliser which duly arrived on 57 minutes. Willems climbed to nod down Chris Powell's cross and Asanovic calmly teed up Dailly who stabbed the ball past Crossley from 10 yards.

Jim Smith's men began to scent an away win and piled on the pressure but Ward squandered a clear opening on 71 minutes. He burst into the Forest box and had only Crossley to beat but blasted high over the bar when a calm finish was required.