Derby County came from behind to earn a 4-4 draw against Huddersfield Town in a thrilling Championship match this afternoon.
Tom Ince fired the Rams into the lead, but three goals late in the first half from Oscar Gobern, Mark Hudson and Reece James turned the match in Huddersfield's favour.
Derby fought back in the second half and they levelled the scores with strikes from Jesse Lingard and Simon Dawkins.
Nahki Wells then restored the home side's lead, but with 11 minutes left to play Ince scored his second of the match to earn his side a point.
Find out how the action unfolded below.
Good afternoon everyone! Our Championship coverage today continues with a vital clash at the John Smith's Stadium. Derby need a win to keep up their promotion challenge, but they may not have it all their own way against an in-form Huddersfield side.
Derby have recovered from their recent slump to put together a four-game unbeaten run that has got their playoff bid back on track. They are probably too far away now from earning automatic qualification, but a win today would strengthen their grip on fifth place.
PRE-MATCH: The #DCFC players take in the surroundings of the John Smith's Stadium ahead of #HTAFCvDCFC pic.twitter.com/Wd3posnLlQ
— Derby County (@dcfcofficial) April 18, 2015
Huddersfield are unbeaten since the start of April and in the past few weeks they have secured their place in the Championship for another season. They should be able to go out and enjoy their last three games without too much pressure, as they seek their highest ever finish in the division.
TEAM NEWS: Derby have made just the one change to their starting lineup this afternoon, as Will Hughes is back from suspension and returns to the midfield in place of Simon Dawkins. Meanwhile, Huddersfield are unchanged from the team that drew against Brighton in midweek.
HUDDERSFIELD XI: Smithies, James, Hudson, Lynch, Scannell, Butterfield, Miller, Wells, Smith, Gobern, Coady
DERBY XI: Grant, Shotton, Keogh, Whitbread, Warnock, Hendrick, Bryson, Hughes, Ince, Lingard, Bent
HUDDERSFIELD SUBS: Murphy, Edgar, Hogg, Wallace, Lolley, Billins
DERBY SUBS: Roos, Christie, Russell, Ward, Sammon, Forsyth, Dawkins
For a season that started so poorly, Huddersfield are ending strongly and recent wins over Ipswich and Nottingham Forest have secured them a fourth consecutive season in the Championship. Chris Powell has done a great job since his arrival as manager and he will want them to keep up the feel-good factor as they head into the summer.
#htafc vs #dcfc The players are out for the warm up ahead of the clash against @dcfcofficial #htafcsnaps (TH) pic.twitter.com/1KfILqIcxL
— Huddersfield Town (@htafcdotcom) April 18, 2015
Derby will come into the game in good spirits too, after thumping Blackpool 4-0 in midweek. It was a game that they were expected to win, but getting a few goals would have provided a confidence boost. Two of their strikes from that win came from Darren Bent, who has bagged 12 goals since his loan move from Aston Villa.
There were plenty of goals when these teams met back in November, as Derby ran out 3-2 winners. Hopefully we can expect plenty more excitement today, as in each Derby and Huddersfield's last few games, there has been no shortage of goalmouth action.
The teams are both out on the pitch and we are now just a few minutes away from kick off.
KICKOFF! We are underway at the John Smith's Stadium!
Nothing too much to report in the early stages of this match in terms of chances, as both teams look to settle. The hosts have shown slightly more threat, but Coady's cross from the right failed to pick out any of his teammates.
Derby are enjoying the majority of the ball at the moment, but we are still yet to see either keeper tested. There have also been a few delays and it's very stop-start at the moment.
SAVE! We do see the first shot of the game and it comes from the hosts. Scannell does well to drive into the box and he then fires in a strike which forces good save from Grant.
SUBSTITUTION: This is such a blow for Derby, who are forced into an early change. Bryson is the man who is unable to continue and he is replaced by Dawkins.
In the past few minutes it's the hosts who look the more threatening and they have delivered some decent balls into the Derby box. So far the visitors have been able to clear the danger, with Scannel's shot the only attempt on goal so far.
CHANCE! Derby win a free kick in a very good position when Hughes is brought down just outside the box. Ince steps up to take the set piece, but he sees his strike beaten away by Smithies.
GOAL! Huddersfield 0-1 Derby (Tom Ince)
Moments after seeing his free kick saved, Ince strikes to give Derby the lead! It was a superb goal from the forward, who fired a cracking effort into the top corner from 25 yards out.
SHOT! Ince has looked lively for the visitors this afternoon and he has another chance with a powerful attempt that heads wide of the post. Huddersfield just can't handle him at the moment and he really has been in great form since his arrival in January.
McClaren will be delighted at how his team have played in this first half and they look in charge at the moment. That goal from Ince has really settled them down and he will want them to go on and really stamp home their advantage.
SHOT! The hosts haven't shown too much threat, but they have a glimmer of the goal when Wells is picked out by Miller. However, he can't get his effort on target and Grant watches as the ball goes harmlessly wide.
SUBSTITUTION: Derby are forced into making their second change in this first half. This time Whitbread can't play on and Christie takes his place.
This game really hasn't been allowed to flow due to a number of fouls and the two injuries that Derby have picked up. We have seen some great moments, especially from Ince, but it has been very frustrating for the supporters.
If anyone is going to get Huddersfield back into the game then it might be Miller, who has given the Derby defence a few problems. It's just not quite happening for the Terriers at the moment though even after Derby's enforced changes.
GOAL! Huddersfield 1-1 Derby (Oscar Gobern)
With seven minutes of the half left to play Huddersfield have levelled and it's another goal of the highest quality. Gobern is the man who finds the net, as he takes down a cross from Coady, before firing a volley into the net that leaves Grant with no chance.
GOAL! Huddersfield 2-1 Derby (Mark Hudson)
What a great turnaround this has been by Huddersfield! Hudson grabs their second goal in the space of four minutes with a powerful header from James's corner. They have caught Derby out cold and this game is looking very different now.
Due to the amount of stoppages we have had in this first half, there are going to be four minutes of stoppage time.
GOAL! Huddersfield 3-1 Derby (Reece James)
This is sensational as James scores straight from a corner to give Huddersfield a two-goal lead! His delivery went into the net at the near post without taking a touch and his team will go into the break very much in charge.
HALF-TIME: Huddersfield Town 3-1 Derby County
We've reached the halfway stage of the match and it's Huddersfield who are in the lead. They have fought back brilliantly after Tom Ince gave Derby the lead and they look poised to extend their unbeaten run to five games.
Derby were on top for most of the half and they have had slightly more possession than the Terriers. However, Huddersfield ended the half strongly and they have managed six shots on goal, compared to three attempts from the visitors.
So, how is the Championship table looking right now? Derby are still fifth and level on 75 points with Ipswich, but Brentford are one point behind them after taking a 2-1 lead over Bolton. There are a couple more big games at the top, with Bournemouth surprisingly behind against Sheffield Wednesday and Watford being held at home by Birmingham.
Derby take the kick off and get us back underway!
CHANCES! Huddersfield have started the second half in the same fashion that they ended the opening 45 minutes. They also have a chance to extend their lead as Wells breaks through on goal, before seeing his strike saved by Grant.
GOAL! Huddersfield 3-2 Derby (Simon Dawkins)
Having almost conceded a fourth goal, Derby go down the other end of the pitch and pull one back! Dawkins is the man who scores as he meets Warnock's cross before slotting an effort past Smithies and into the bottom corner.
I would never have expected this game to have five goals after the slow start from both teams. It really has sprung into life and you would not back against there being one or two more before the end.
GOAL DISALLOWED! Huddersfield have the ball in the back of the net once again, but this time Wells sees his strike after getting onto Miller's pass ruled out for offside.
GOAL! Huddersfield 3-3 Derby (Jesse Lingard)
The goals just keep coming in this match and Derby have fought back to level the scores! The scorer of the second goal turns creator, as Dawkins sets up Lingard on the edge of the box to drive a shot into the bottom corner.
What a difference a goal can do for confidence and after those two strikes, Derby are on top and look the team most likely to score next. It could have been so different had Wells found the net just after half time as 4-1 would have been very tough for the Rams to come back from.
YELLOW CARD! It's taken over an hour, but we finally see a booking, as Dawkins is shown yellow for a foul on Butterfield.
CHANCE! Huddersfield will still harbour hopes of winning this game and they come close to finding the net once more when Miller crashes in a strike that is pushed behind by Grant at his near post.
GOAL! Huddersfield 4-3 Derby (Nahki Wells)
This has been a truly remarkable game and we have now seen our seventh goal of the afternoon! Wells has been great in this second half and after he is picked out by Scannell, he finds the back of the net with a strike that took a deflection and left Grant with no chance.
Almost a chance for Derby as Christie whips a cross into the box that drops to Hendrick, but he sees his effort blocked before Smithies is forced into making a save.
YELLOW CARD! Butterfield picks up a booking for a foul on Hughes.
SUBSTITUTION: For the third time this afternoon Derby have had to make an injury enforced change, with Russell coming on for Hughes.
GOAL! Huddersfield 4-4 Derby (Tom Ince)
Amazing scenes here as Derby equalise again with the eighth goal of an incredible game. Ince, who started the scoring this afternoon, grabs his second of the match, as he drives into the box and fires a strike into the bottom corner.
SUBSTITUTION: First change of the match for Huddersfield, as Hogg replaces Coady.
With five minutes left to play I wonder if there is still a bit more drama to come today. It would be so harsh if one of these teams were to lose, as they have both served up a wonderful game of football this afternoon.
SUBSTITUTION: It's another change for the hosts, as Bunn is back from injury to replace Wells.
We are going to have at least five minutes of stoppage time.
YELLOW CARD! James picks up a late booking for the hosts.
CHANCE! Huddersfield come close to winning it right at the death, as Hudson arrives to meet Butterfield's corner, before powering a header over the bar.
FULL-TIME: Huddersfield Town 4-4 Derby County
A thrilling match is brought to an end with Derby and Huddersfield sharing an eight-goal draw. It means that the Rams are fifth in the table and still in control of their own destiny, while the hosts continue their unbeaten run.
That's all from me this afternoon following an amazing game of football. We've got more live coverage for you throughout the weekend so make sure you stick with us. I hope you enjoy the rest of your day. Goodbye!
Written by
Alex Meyers
Alex Meyers
