Darren Bent's smartly taken goal has earned Derby County a point away at Bournemouth in their top-of-the-table clash tonight.

After a slow start to the match, Bournemouth took the lead in the 12th minute when Yann Kermorgant chested a cross neatly into the path of Matt Ritchie, and he smashed a volley into the net from 10 yards.

© Getty Images

Things got worse for Derby just three minutes later as Chris Martin was forced off with an injury, and he was replaced by Bent.

The Rams came close to levelling a few minutes later when Will Hughes's fiercely struck a shot from long range which forced Artur Boruc to push it away, before the midfielder slipped a clever ball through to Bent but Boruc blocked his shot.

In-form Bournemouth striker Callum Wilson went close to doubling his side's lead but his header from a Simon Francis cross fell narrowly over the bar.

However, just two minutes later Thomas Ince equalised for Derby, after Bent cut the ball back to him on the edge of the box and he smashed the ball into the bottom corner.

© Getty Images

Bournemouth regained the lead shortly before half time, when Kermorgant set up Wilson and he fired the ball into the top corner from inside the box.

The away side almost equalised for a second time shortly after half time, but Craig Forsyth headed narrowly wide from Jeff Hendrick's corner.

However, they found their equaliser midway through the half when substitute Simon Dawkins found Bent in the penalty box, and he neatly took the ball around a defender and lofted the ball into the net.