Derby County boss Steve McClaren has confessed that his side "got out of jail" in their Championship clash against Brentford thanks to Darren Bent's stoppage-time equaliser at the iPro Stadium.
The Rams struggled throughout the match as they fell behind in the first half from Alex Pritchard's strike, but McClaren's men battled until the end to earn a vital point in their battle to reach the playoffs as Bent struck at the death.
"I would be very disappointed if I was Brentford going home with just a point," McClaren told Sky Sports News. "They were better than us, they passed the ball better than us, they were more fluid than us.
"But we stayed in the game and got in some vital blocks and tackles and showed enough character to do that. We probably made more mistakes in one game than we have in all the previous home games and we know that. Today was important to win, important not to lose and we've done that.
"There are four games to go and we have to be better than that but at the present moment we are scrapping and fighting for our lives and that's what the players did. They fought and stayed in the game and got a bit of luck and anybody whose watched us all season will say 'about time'. We got out of jail, we got a big point and we've got four opportunities to get in the playoffs."
Derby are fifth in the Championship on 72 points with four matches remaining this season.
Simon Sinclair
