Bristol Live’s Bristol City fan columnist offers his verdict on the Robins’ 1-1 draw with Derby County at Pride ParkBristol City’s Sinclair Armstrong, Max Bird and Rob Dickie react after Derby County’s leveller(Image: Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)

Almost a year ago, I left Derby County’s Pride Park feeling extremely disappointed, having watched Bristol City lose 3-0. Fast forward a year, and that feeling of disappointment was still there at the final whistle, albeit in different circumstances.

This time around, we’d largely controlled the game, were rarely threatened, but couldn’t hold on to the lead given to us by Scott Twine and had to settle for a draw. As I trudged my way back to the Holiday Inn Express (other hotels in Derby are available), it felt very much like two points dropped rather than one gained and a missed opportunity.

Whilst we didn’t cause the Rams too many problems ourselves, we were the better side after the opening 15 minutes, and having taken the lead with a well-worked goal, we should have gone on to extend our advantage and should certainly have defended Derby’s equaliser better than we did.

READ MORE: Bristol City see Emil Riis worry realised as Adam Randell stands tall in frustrating Derby drawREAD MORE: Derby County 1-1 Bristol City recap: Robins concede late leveller after Scott Twine opener

Let’s go back to the beginning and the starting line-up. I, like many others, predicted that Rob Dickie would come back into the side for his first league start of the season. Dickie came in for George Tanner and took the central role in the back three, with Zak Vyner moving to the right. I also thought that Mark Sykes would be the right wing-back, with Ross McCrorie moving to the left, at the expense of Yu Hirakawa.

It was the bench that disappointed me and had fans talking beforehand. It was the usual suspects, with attacking options in Fally Mayulu, Sam Bell, Harry Cornick, and Sinclair Armstrong all amongst the substitutes. We know that the club are probably happy to accept offers for all four, and I would have preferred to have seen Josh Stokes or Adam Murphy in place of Cornick.

Unusually for us under head coach Gerhard Struber, we started the game off slowly and allowed Derby to get a foothold. There was an early scare when ex-City frontman Andi Weimann saw a shot crash against Dickie. The ball struck Dickie on the elbow, but his arm was in a natural position, and Weimann was close to him when he hit the shot. It was never a penalty, and thankfully, the ref saw it that way.

We gradually got into the game with Adam Randell and Jason Knight having a growing influence, albeit Knight didn’t do enough when he had possession. Randell impressed me; he goes about his work well, disrupting the opposition and laying the ball off. The former Plymouth Argyle man isn’t spectacular on the eye but is effective in everything he does.

Adam Randell impressed in Bristol City’s draw with Derby County(Image: Bradley Collyer/PA Wire)

Having taken control of the game, we opened the scoring on 35 minutes, and it was that man Twine at it again. Anis Mehmeti made a great run to take the defenders away, and Twine’s clever movement, knowing when to hold his space, was spotted by Sykes. He controlled the pass before curling a lovely shot into the bottom corner. Twine was off and running before the ball hit the back of the net; he knew it was in as soon as he struck it.

I have been so impressed by him in the opening games this season. We know his quality on the ball, but it is his work rate and willingness to chase and harry that have really caught my eye. That’s three goals already for Twine, and if he can stay fit, he will get even better, I’m sure.

Emil Riis was forced to leave the field on 54 minutes following a kick to the Achilles, and on came Sinclair Armstrong in his place. I thought Sincs did okay for most of the time without ever really looking like he was going to score. He showed some decent hold-up play and made several good runs. However, there was one moment when he inexcusably gave the ball away when a simple pass was on.

When talking of Riis’ withdrawal, Struber, in his post-match comments, said that it wasn’t too bad and he’d hope to be able to have him play some part in the Carabao Cup second round match, away at Fulham on Wednesday. Struber went on to say that we don’t have someone behind Riis who is of the same level, and this is something where we have to do something. I honestly don’t think we will do any business in the remaining days of the transfer window, without first seeing players leave the club.

Emil Riis competes for a header in the Derby County box(Image: EFL)

We did create a couple of decent openings with Amrstrong and Mehmeti having shots, neither of which really tested Jacob Zetterstrom in the Derby goal. At the other end, Radek Vitek’s only concern was the referee counting to eight when he had the ball in his hands and having to get rid of the ball in time. The on-loan goalie seemed to panic a little at the sight of the ref holding his fingers up as he counted, and a couple of times surrendered possession with a poor throw-out.

I felt that Struber got his next change on 73 minutes wrong. Randell was taken off, with Max Bird coming on. As with last weekend’s game against Charlton Athletic, the change didn’t really have a positive impact. I would have kept Randell on and would have brought Bird on for Twine or Mehmeti.

Having withstood all that John Eustace’s side could throw at us, which wasn’t much, and with Dickie, Vyner, and Atkinson coping with the physical presence of Carlton Morris, the focal point of the Rams’ attack, we got a sucker punch in the 86th minute. From a dodgy-looking throw-in, McCrorie was caught sleeping somewhat and was on his heels at the back post.

Whilst Vitek made a good save from the initial header, he could only palm it out, and with Sykes having let Morris get the run on him, the former Luton Town man forced the ball over the line, despite Dickie’s efforts to keep it out. It was a gutter. That was Derby’s first shot on target.

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We could so nearly have won it at the death with a Twine free-kick. Zetterstrom saved, though, clattering into the post as a result. I think a draw was probably the right result on the balance of play, with neither side doing enough in the final third.

I’m expecting changes for the Fulham cup game and would like to see a couple of youngsters given a chance. Whilst I would like us to progress, I would rather rest a couple of players and make sure that everyone is fit for the game against Hull City on Saturday.

Our 3 Peaps in A Podcast players rating were: Radek Vitek 5.5, Rob Atkinson 6.0, Zak Vyner 6.0, Rob Dickie 6.0, Ross McCrorie 5.5, Mark Sykes 6.0, Adam Randell 6.5, Jason Knight 6.0, Anis Mehmeti 5.5, Scott Twine 7.0 *MotM and Emil Riis 5.5

For the substitutes who must play a minimum of 20 minutes (including injury time), we went with: Max Bird 5.5, and Sinclair Armstrong 6.5. A game average player rating of 5.96 and a season average of 6.54.

For Gerhard Struber, it was 5.5. I would like to see different options on the bench, not like-for-like. I want to see Josh Stokes and Adam Murphy given a chance to make an impact.

READ MORE: John Eustace makes Bristol City claim after late leveller denies Reds away win over Derby CountyREAD MORE: Bristol City player ratings vs Derby: Twine shines again but late goal denies Robins away win