Derby County 1-1 Portsmouth: James Collins earns play-off chasing Rams a crucial draw
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James Collins' equaliser was his 12th goal of the season for Derby
Derby County's bid to reach the League One play-offs will go to the last day after substitute James Collins salvaged a point against Portsmouth at an expectant Pride Park.
The draw, coupled with Peterborough United's draw with Bristol Rovers, means a point for the Rams against play-off bound Sheffield Wednesday next week could be enough to seal a top-six finish.
David McGoldrick went close to giving Derby the ideal start against Pompey, bending an effort onto the post to ensure the noise from the home fans was quickly elevated to thunderous levels.
But with Pompey's first effort of the game, Colby Bishop put the visitors up with a header off the post to quieten the hosts, who knew a place in the two-legged semi-finals could have been sealed if they won and results went their way elsewhere.
Collins' volleyed in a second-half equaliser to ensure the Rams maintain a two-point cushion over seventh-placed Peterborough, who finish their season against Barnsley, who are seventh.
While unbeaten in nine games before their trip to Pride Park, the play-off hopes of eighth-placed Pompey were already over before travelling to Derby.
And yet, Portsmouth boss John Mousinho insisted his side still has much to play for, as they build for a seventh consecutive season in England's third tier.
Pompey made two changes for their final away game of the season, with Joe Morrell and Joe Pigott - who scored the winner against Accrington a week earlier - coming in. Derby, meanwhile, remained unchanged for a third straight game.
Leading Rams scorer McGoldrick was quick to try add to his 25 goals this season, curling an effort from the top of the box onto the post, before seeing the rebound come off goalkeeper Matt Macey and bounce wide.
Nathaniel Mendez-Laing then fizzed a low effort off target after linking up with McGoldrick, who went on to test Macey with another curling effort on 18 minutes as Derby applied relentless pressure.
Pompey survived then stunned the hosts when Bishop ghosted into the area unchecked to steer his header beyond Joe Wildsmith and off the inside of the post after meeting a excellently-placed chipped cross from Morrell.
Wildsmith made two crucial saves in two minutes just before the break to ensure Pompey remained only one goal up, denying Pigott before foiling Connor Ogilvie at his near post from the resulting corner.
In a tense second-half, a floated free-kick from Conor Hourihane, which was flicked on by captain Curtis Davies in the box, provided Collins with the decisive chance to level.
It was a timely strike from Collins, who became the first Derby player in nine games - other than McGoldrick - to score from open play.
Collins then sent a header over, while Lewis Dobbin tested Macey and Haydon Roberts had a cross deflected agonisingly wide.
But although they could not find a winner, Paul Warne's Rams took another significant step towards ensuring they are in with a chance of making an immediate return to the Championship after their first season back in English football's third tier for 36 years.
Derby left 'disappointed, pleased and frustrated' - reaction
Derby County head coach Paul Warne told BBC Radio Derby:
"When you are on top, you have to take your chances because you are not going to be on top for 90 minutes. That is what let us down today - saying we weren't good enough in front of goal is the nicest way to put it.
"We created enough chances to take an easy lead and we didn't, and then it came back and bit us. Luckily we came back and got a goal.
"I leave here sort of disappointed, sort of pleased and sort of frustrated, as I suppose the fans do as well.
"Fortunately we got something out of the game, but not enough."
Portsmouth boss John Mousinho told BBC Sport:
"It was a very strange first half, we could have been two or three down after 15 minutes and then we could have been two or three up after 45, with the goal we scored and the two saves that Wildsmith made.
"At half-time it was a weird one to access because of how poor we had been, then how good we had been. All of a sudden we flicked a switch.
"We have to be more consistent because sides will punish us if we start like that away from home. But it was really good to get the reaction because the lads could have gone on considering the atmosphere and the circumstances."