NIGEL Clough was again left frustrated after his Derby County side contrived to lose a 2-0 lead in injury time to draw 2-2 with Queen’s Park Rangers.
The Rams were two up and coasting towards the end of Saturday’s clash at Pride Park after Kris Commons and James Bailey had found the net with excellent goals.
But Patrick Agyemang pulled one back two minutes into injury time and, after Bailey had missed a one-on-one to seal the win, Jamie Mackie popped up with the equaliser.
It was hard luck on Derby again after they put in another good display, this time outplaying the league leaders for long stretches of the game.
But they did not quite see it through and now have to wait two weeks to get back on the pitch against Sheffield United after the international break.
“It was frustrating as we played so well for so long and got punished at the end,” said a disappointed Clough afterwards.
“It’s been the story of the last three league games. Three good performance and not quite getting the rewards from them.
“We were worried about the first goal they scored. Once the first one goes in it changes the game completely.
“If you don’t concede that it doesn’t give them the inspiration to throw everyone forward and anything can happen then.
“I thought we should have finished it off at 3-1 in stoppage time when we went clear and that would have been game over.
“So, we can’t quite finish it off and can’t quite hang on at the other end at the moment.” Despite only drawing 2-2 after looking set for a first home win of the season, Clough was not too despondent following a good display from his young side.
“When we sit down and anaylyse it, with a second-half performance without a striker on the pitch, the effort that’s gone in was absolutely magnificent,” he said.
“We can’t ask any more from then than what’s gone in. Mixed in with it was some very good play, and two excellent goals.
“There was a lot of encouragement, which is a word we’ve been talking about.
“For the next 42 games we’re very encouraged by what we’ve seen.” Commons, who was excellent in the first half, limped off as half-time approached with another injury to his troublesome hamstring.
But Clough is hopeful that the problem is not serious and that the talented forward will be fit in time for the Sheffield United game.
“He felt his hamstring not long after scoring and ideally when it’s that close to halftime we like to get them in and assess them at the break,” said the Rams boss.
“But he didn’t feel he could do that. It’s a very slight strain, it’s not gone. With intensive treatment, we’ll try to get out there against Sheffield United in two weeks.
“He’s stayed injury-free for about eight weeks, which is a long time for him in recent history. We hope it’s not too bad and he’ll be back out there a week on Saturday.
“It’s important not to leave him on and turn it into a six to eight-week job. We’ll see how it settles down.” Clough will now continue his efforts to bring in several transfer targets, including Notts County midfielder Ben Davies, 29, who was involved as County scored two injury time goals to draw 3-3 with Bournemouth.
Spanish forward Alberto Bueno, 22, could arrive after the Rams made a loan offer to his club, Real Valladolid, while West Bromwich Albion have been approached with a loan offer for striker Chris Wood, 18.
James Vaughan, from Everton, is also on Derby’s radar after a brief spell at Pride Park last season.
“We’re going to keep making enquiries, following up things and seeing who we can get,” said Clough.
