Derby 1-1 Wycombe: Matt Bloomfield scores equaliser to deny Wayne Rooney’s side victory

Wayne Rooney was denied a winning start to management as Wycombe’s late equaliser left Derby rooted to the bottom of the Championship.

A Derby team threatened with dropping into the third tier of English football since 1985-86 appeared on course for just a second win of the season when they ended a 473-minute goal drought with an impudent flicked finish from Duane Holmes that belied their recent struggles in the final third.

But failure to add to it left them susceptible to last year’s League One play-off winners and substitute Matt Bloomfield spoiled Rooney’s dugout debut late on.

Derby drew 1-1 at home to Wycombe as Wayne Rooney took sole interim charge of The Rams

Matt Bloomfield celebrates his goal in the second half which earned Wycombe a point

Duane Holmes put Derby in the lead as he found the net in the 36th minute at Pride Park

Managing a team for the first time, neglecting the opportunity to even name himself amongst the substitutes in a sign that this represents a new chapter in the 35-year-old’s life, he cut a calm figure on the touchline.

Sat several rows behind him was Steve McClaren, who earlier this week returned to the club for a fifth spell in one capacity or another, this time as technical director.

This is a crucial juncture in Derby’s season, with the visit of third-bottom Wycombe followed by Coventry, a place above the relegation zone, arriving at Pride Park in midweek.

Holmes celebrates after his goal put Derby in the ascendancy in their clash versus Wycombe

Rooney celebrates Holmes’ goal but Derby were unable to hold on to secure the victory

Rooney was taking sole interim charge for the first time as Derby ended their run of defeats

A permanent replacement for Phillip Cocu will not be sought until the £60million takeover of the midlands club is completed and so this pair of fixtures represented a chance to stake a claim.

The Dubai-based Abu Dhabi royal Sheikh Khaled bin Zayed Al Nehayan has agreed a deal in principle through his Derventio Holdings company, and the EFL has approved the sale.

Following talks between Derby’s interim coaching staff on Thursday it was decided that Rooney should lead the side in the interim and the former England captain placed his stamp on the XI by making seven changes from the team that fell to an abject 3-0 defeat at Middlesbrough on Wednesday night, himself included.

The 35-year-old omitted himself from the matchday squad to focus on managerial duties

Only David Marshall, Andre Wisdom, Matt Clarke and Tom Lawrence remained while Colin Kazim-Richards was handed his first start in English football since 2013 in Rooney’s striking role.

Rooney’s touchline attire of all black – a club coat over his tracksuit – contrasted sharply to the leather jacket, jeans and brown shoes combo of his opposite number Gareth Ainsworth along the touchline.

Most of his early instructions were reserved for the former Turkey international Kazim-Richards, who was involved in the contest’s first chance when Holmes failed to connect with his initial centre from the left but Andre Wisdom retrieved the loose ball and picked out the run of Louie Sibley, who headed over the bar.

It took a brilliant save by Ryan Allsop, changing direction to paw out George Evans’ header from a set-piece just past the midway point of the first half, to keep the game goalless, although Derby were not to be denied for much longer.

Kazim-Richards celebrated what he believed was his first goal since his Blackburn days – a punched finish connecting with a sweeping ball from the left from Craig Forsyth – only for an offside flag to curtail his joy.

Louie Sibley of Derby competes for possession with Wycombe’s Josh Knight in the first half

Garath McCleary tries to push forward for Wycombe while being pursued by Graeme Shinnie

The ball was in the net again within 60 seconds, however, with Kazim-Richards turning provider, picking out Holmes, emerging six yards out to convert with an improvised finish.

It was a deserved lead but one that pushed Ainsworth into a half-time rejig. After the break, Wycombe carried a greater physical threat, chiefly through their veteran centre-forward Adebayo Akinfenwa.

And from the third of three corners in quick succession at the start of the half, David Marshall, Scotland’s recent penalty hero, was forced into his first save, pulling down Akinfenwa’s header from under the crossbar.

And two other second-half entrants to he action combined to level things up with nine minutes left on the clock.

Fred Onyedinma, who had headed off the line decisively at the other end to deny Derby a second moments earlier, this time nodded across the six-yard box, and with Marshall drawn out of position, Matt Bloomfield nipped in to convert.

It could have been even worse but Garath McCleary’s powerful late drive crashed off the underside of the bar and bounced back into play off the goal-line.