Derby 1-1 Nottingham Forest: Colin Kazim-Richards scores late equaliser

Colin Kazim-Richards celebrated a new Derby contract with a stunning equaliser at Pride Park.

The Turkey international fizzed a shot into the top corner from the edge of the area six minutes from time to cancel out James Garner’s first career goal.

The result extended Nottingham Forest’s recent dominance of this famous rivalry, however – Derby have now gone a record eight matches without a win versus their East Midlands neighbours. 

Colin Kazim-Richards scored an 85th minute equaliser for Derby against Nottingham Forest

Colin Kazim-Richards scored an 85th minute equaliser for Derby against Nottingham Forest

Kazim-Richards found the net with an excellent strike as Derby managed to get a point

Teenage Manchester United midfielder Garner, borrowed by Chris Hughton last month, provided Forest with the game’s momentum when he struck eight minutes before the interval.

Victory would have propelled them into the top half of the Championship and taken their points tally for 2021 alone to 23 – no team has taken more.

But in Wayne Rooney’s Derby, who had won six of their previous eight fixtures, they faced another of the division’s in-form sides.

The contest burst into life midway through the opening period as Derby appealed for a penalty following the creation of the first clear-cut opportunity: Graeme Shinnie’s volley was palmed out by Brice Samba, and from the loose ball, Kamil Jozwiak thrashed a shot goalwards that Yuri Ribeiro kept out of the net with a flying block that appeared to inadvertently include the use of an arm.

James Garner, on loan from Manchester United, had put Forest ahead in the first half

The jubilant Forest players congratulate Garner after his goal put them in the lead v Derby

Derby had to make a change in goal in the first half with David Marshall going off injured

Derby manager Wayne Rooney watched on as his team managed to take a point at Pride Park 

Lee Buchanan of Derby attempts to win the ball from Nottingham Forest’s Filip Krovinovic

From the resultant corner, delivered by Shinnie, Jason Knight should have made it 1-0 but failed to punish Forest keeper Samba’s flap when he somehow lifted over the top from five yards.

Yet it was the visitors who took the lead when Ribeiro swung the ball back into the area from a cleared corner and Garner swivelled on Joe Worrall’s knockdown to guide a left-footed shot beyond David Marshall.

A recurrence of a back injury forced Marshall off before the break and a mistake from his replacement Kelle Roos so nearly let Forest in for a second – the Dutchman spilled Garner’s tame effort and recovered in the nick of time to smother at veteran Glenn Murray’s feet.

Kazim-Richards went agonisingly close when he muscled into the penalty area eight minutes into the second period, only to guide wide, but hit a spectacular seventh goal of the season when – following a suspicion of handball – he brought the ball under control and deposited it beyond the diving Samba with a fierce shot.