Plymouth are the third club Wayne Rooney has managed since he left Derby in the summer of 2022
Wayne Rooney oversaw a draw on his return to Derby County as his Plymouth Argyle side battled back to snatch a point at Pride Park.
Pilgrims boss Rooney was warmly welcomed back by many at Derby – a club where the former England captain ended his illustrious playing career to make his first move into management.
But Rooney, whose Rams tenure ended in relegation while they were in administration in 2022, was afforded little early joy on the pitch as Jerry Yates put the hosts ahead with an acrobatic close-range finish.
Cruelly for Yates, his stunning goal was cancelled out by a free-kick from Plymouth’s Adam Randell that deflected off the Rams forward before the break.
A scrambling save by Daniel Grimshaw later denied Yates what would have been another astonishing goal, as he tried to beat the goalkeeper from just inside his own half.
It ensured the Pilgrims moved out of the relegation places as they picked up just their second point from a possible 24 away from home this season.
Jerry Yates' goal against Plymouth was his third for Derby
Despite being the boss when Derby dropped out of the Championship, Rooney endeared himself to the Rams faithful for all he did while the club was in administration and battling to avoid the drop after being deducted 21 points in the 2021-22 season.
A year earlier he had managed to guide them to safety after taking over from Phillip Cocu, but his only full campaign in charge was defined by the club’s financial plight.
Plymouth are the third side Rooney has managed since leaving Derby, a side that the decorated former Manchester United striker says will always have a ‘huge place in his heart’.
The reunion dominated the build-up to the game, but Yates was quick to grab all the attention with a bicycle shot that will be among the contenders for goal of the season.
Nathaniel Mendez-Laing's corner was met by Kane Wilson, and Plymouth’s attempt to clear the header made it only as far as Yates, who beat Argyle keeper Grimshaw at his near post with his audacious effort.
The Rams pressed for a second but a succession of promising opportunities came to nothing before Plymouth captain Randell levelled from a set-piece that took a decisive deflection off Yates on the way to beating goalkeeper Jacob Widell Zetterstrom.
Yates again went for the spectacular as he tried to restore the lead after the break, but an ambitious shot from inside Derby's own half was kept out by Grimshaw as Plymouth held on for a share of the points.
Derby County head coach Paul Warne told BBC Radio Derby:
“We just needed a second goal. I thought our performance was really good, I thought we dominated in virtually every way and for us to concede from what looked like a very soft foul and deflection, I don’t think the goalkeeper had a lot more else to do than that.
“We changed the shape, we changed the players and I don’t think we, as a team, could have done a lot more. But you need to take your chances when you are on top and, unfortunately, today we didn’t.
“That is the only disappointment, I can’t really knock the lads for their effort and attitude. I think we leave feeling like it’s two points dropped.”
Plymouth Argyle boss Wayne Rooney said told BBC Radio Devon:
“It was a good professional performance after going a goal down so early on.
“Derby are the best in the league at set plays and we knew that. To concede so early on we knew it would be a tough game, but I thought we did well to get back into the game.
“We tried to play our way in and we got back into the game at 1-1. The second half I thought we started OK and, in fairness to Derby, they switch to a back five and went a bit more aggressive and we didn’t deal with that as well as I would have liked.
“Then we had to show character to stay in the game, so in the end I’m pleased with the point.”
