Bielik scores dramatic injury-time equaliser for Derby County against Birmingham

After fans had marched in their thousands to save this club, crisis-torn Derby staged an incredible escape that they hope will be repeated when the day of reckoning arrives.

‘Derby County, we’ll fight to the end,’ they sang – and how Wayne Rooney’s team did. In the sixth minute of injury time, with the Rams trailing 2-1 to Birmingham, substitute Krystian Bielik marked his first appearance for exactly a year with an overhead-kick to claim a draw their second-half display fully deserved.

The former Arsenal midfielder, who had been absent with a knee ligament injury, sustained a damaged shoulder in the act of scoring, while Rooney celebrated as joyfully as he did when winning a major trophy as a player, leaping on to the pitch carrying assistant Liam Rosenior on his back.

‘We have been writing our own scripts,’ said the former England captain. ‘I have always said things happen for a reason and I told the players at half-time we would score in injury-time – whether that was for a win or a draw.

‘We are doing all we can on the pitch. The fans will be walking away with optimism and hope and we have a duty to them. I believe we can stay in this league.

‘With no Premier League games today and our game live on TV, it’s a reminder this club is massive, and it’s got a future.

‘The character and mentality of these players represents me as well as the club, the way I played. We are getting the rewards from that, even though it has been difficult, and I believe this point will be massive.’

Rooney, who revealed on Friday he had rejected the chance to be interviewed for the Everton job, insisted no more players would be sold on Monday.

Earlier, it had seemed that not even the support of a sell-out crowd could rescue Derby as goals from debutant Lyle Taylor – on loan from Derby’s rivals Nottingham Forest – and Scott Hogan put Blues 2-0 up after 56 minutes.

It stayed that way until the 87th minute, when Luke Plange struck and then Bielik levelled.

Thousands had walked from the centre of Derby to Pride Park before kick-off. The threat of expulsion from the Championship may have been delayed for at least a month, yet the club still cannot guarantee they will have the funds to complete the campaign, as the takeover stalls amid compensation claims from Middlesbrough and Wycombe relating to Derby’s financial breaches in the past.

After having 21 points deducted this term, they are seven adrift of safety. Nevertheless, these players and fans deserve to lose themselves in this moment.

‘The people above me, Middlesbrough, Wycombe and the EFL have to be sensible,’ added Rooney. ‘People’s livelihoods are at stake and we have to get to the right decision.’

It is four months since the Rams entered administration and the mood among supporters remains passionate and defiant in the face of adversity. The sell-out 32,211 crowd directed their anger at the EFL, former owner Mel Morris and chief executive Stephen Pearce during the early stages of the game.

Rooney urged his team forward yet it was Birmingham who took the early lead. Onel Hernandez held off Curtis Davies and found Taylor, who guided a precise finish into the corner for the perfect start to his Blues career.

Festy Ebosele had replaced the injured Kamil Jozwiak shortly before the break and though he looked lively, it was Blues who struck again 11 minutes into the second half.

Hogan made a clever run to the near post and while his connection on Ryan Woods’ cross was not clean, it was still good enough to beat Ryan Allsop.

The former Aston Villa forward then wasted a fine opportunity to seal the deal, steering Taylor’s cross wide from close range.

The ball would not drop for the Rams, who had started playing with purpose. Ebosele’s cross fell to Tom Lawrence who looked certain to score from 10 yards, only for his shot to hit the hand of defender Teden Mengi and fly over the bar.

Curiously, there was no strong appeal and it was not spotted by the officials.

The goal finally came with three minutes left following another corner that was not dealt with properly.

Seizing on the loose ball, Plange made space before curling home from 15 yards.

Then deep into stoppage time, Richard Stearman headed Lawrence’s free-kick into the path of Bielik, who despatched it in remarkable style.

Birmingham boss Lee Bowyer bemoaned his side’s poor finishing but Derby will feel they deserve the luck. They need a heck of a lot more in the weeks to come.