By Scott Cooper
March 3 2005

MATCH REPORT | DERBY COUNTY 3-3 WOLVES | A freak last minute goal from Derby County substitute Marco Reich won Derby an undeserved point in a pulsating encounter at Pride Park.

It was a game full of drama and a game in which I Williamson, the referee on the night, would want to forget. Wolves boss Glenn Hoddle made himself stay clear of Williamson after the game in fear of his own reaction.

The man in black, or in yellow as he wore at Pride Park, awarded Derby a soft penalty 13 minutes from time. It was a penalty which should never have been. Rob Edwards was believed to have taken down Peschisolido inside the box. Even the Derby players later said it shouldn't have been a penalty, but what happened next was beyond belief.

Idiakez converted the penalty from the spot. However Williamson made him re-take the penalty because he stopped in his run-up. Some reports suggest it was Derby players encroaching, but either way it was the home side who were in the wrong. It was Derby County's inability to take a penalty in the correct manner which caused the first hold up, but why should it be retaken if Wolves are not in the wrong? Wolves had played the game by the book, Derby caused the error, yet Derby get the second chance.

However penalty number two it was. Idiakez took it, Oakes saved it. 'Take it again' said the man from Berkshire. This time it was Oakes who came off his line too early. Third time lucky for Derby it was then as Idiakez sent Oakes the wrong way for the third.

Either side of the penalty mayhem was some superb football in a game dominated by the visitors. Ironically it was Idiakez who handed Derby the lead with a superb free-kick after Lescott had felled Rasiak.

Wolves had already had a good goal disallowed when Edwards crossed for Kenny Miller who made no mistake from close range to level the scored at one each after 12 minutes.

The game was tied at 1-1, but nobody could envisage what was to happen in the next 45 minutes. Again it was 45 minutes Wolves dominated, but somehow the home side managed to score twice.

First however was a contender for miss of the season. Derby Keeper Lee Camp saved excellently from Miller and the ball fell to Seol who had to tap into the empty net. Incredibly the World Cup star managed to direct his shot over the bar from seven yards.

Wolves then took the lead for the first time. A Paul Ince free-kick from the right was headed home by Joleon Lescott and Wolves had the lead and deservedly so.

Less than five minutes later though and the game was level for the second time. This time it was the mayhem of the penalties, but later on Wolves were handed a golden opportunity for the three points.

On the 90th minute mark Carl Cort smashed the ball into the net following a Seol cross. Wolves had taken the lead for the second time, but due to the penalty farce, caused by Derby, 3 minutes of added time was played.

In the last of the three minutes a long Derby free-kick was floated into the box, Craddock headed away, but the ball hit Reich and rebounded onto the crossbar. The ball could have landed anywhere, but such was Wolves luck, it fell to Reich to tap home for an undeserved point.

DERBY 3-3 WOLVES