Matt's heads up play earns home point for Rams

DERBY County's wait for a first home League win of the season continues after Matt Clarke rescued a point in a 1-1 draw against Charlton Athletic.

- BY LEIGH CURTIS

James Bree had given the visitors the lead amid a poor first half from the hosts but Derby were much better after the break and clinched an equaliser when Clarke headed in a Lewis Travis cross.

Both sides started the game at a lively pace but despite the best intentions, neither goalkeeper was put under any real stress.

A cross for Patrick Agyemang ended with halfhearted appeals for a penalty amid claims he was being held but the referee waved them away.

At the other end, the pace of Tyreece Campbell was a nuisance as he planted a cross into the box, which Callum Elder misjudged.

The ball was shifted to Bree but his shot was blocked as Derby cleared their lines.

Agyemang was doing his best to try to unsettle the Charlton defence but some of his work was a little rushed.

A break midway through the first half promised much when the American fed Ben Brereton Diaz but he couldn't replicate his heroics from Saturday's draw at Wrexham as his shot was blocked.

But with seven minutes to go until halftime, Charlton found the breakthrough when a long ball downfield wasn’t dealt with by Dion Sanderson.

From there on in, Charlton whipped a series of quick passes together which ended with an unmarked Bree lashing the ball in at the back post.

It was a terrific move which summoned a response from Derby but despite enjoying possession in and around the final third, their delivery into the box was poor.

Eustace saw enough by halftime to make a change, as Ebou Adams was replaced by David Ozoh in the centre of midfield.

He was involved immediately as he fed Elder on the left and his cross landed on the roof of the net.

Charlton’s response was for Charlie Kelman to drill a shot through the legs of Elder which, Jacob Widell Zetterstrom beat clear.