Reading 2-2 Derby County: Two late goals see Rams earn draw at Royals

Derby veteran Curtis Davies leaps high to head home the last-minute equaliser

Curtis Davies' 90th-minute equaliser saw Derby County fight back from two goals down with five minutes left to earn a point at fellow relegation strugglers Reading.

But Derby heaped on the pressure during the final half-hour and substitute Colin Kazim-Richards pulled one back late on to set up a nervous finale.

In the final minute of normal time, centre-half Davies then headed home to level the scores and extend the unbeaten run of the bottom-of-the-table Rams to four matches.

• Relive Monday's EFL action as it happened
• Latest Championship table

Up-for-sale Derby came into the match on a run of form that belied their position at the bottom of the table, having won their last three matches through December.

Looking to pull off what would be one of the most spectacular relegation survivals after a 21-points deduction, they had to do without manager Wayne Rooney on the touchline at the SCL Stadium. Rooney tested negative for Covid-19 but didn't make the journey south as a precaution after coming down with cold-like symptoms.

Reading, meanwhile, had seen all three of their matches over the festive period called off because of Covid-19 cases and hadn't played since 11 December.

The home side made the better start and Andy Carroll had a golden chance to put them ahead after 17 minutes. John Swift - back in the squad after a hamstring injury - sent in a perfectly weighted cross which Carroll headed towards the inside post, but Derby keeper Ryan Allsopp dived low to palm it away.

Teenager Luke Plange's strike was the Rams' only shot on target - forcing Luke Southwood into a save - in an opening 45 minutes lacking many clear-cut chances before Hoilett spectacularly broke the deadlock.

Southwood launched the ball downfield towards target man Carroll, who nodded it on to Hoilett. The winger's right-footed strike flew straight past Allsopp into the top-right corner.

Hoilett was making his first start for the Royals since he scored in the win over Cardiff on 2 October, having been out with a hamstring injury. He made it 2-0 not long after the restart, striking the ball between the legs of Derby keeper Allsopp from a free-kick.

Kamil Jozwiak found the net for the visitors a few minutes later but was flagged offside as Derby began dominating possession and building pressure in and around the Reading box. Yet they were still missing that clinical final touch.

Super substitute Kazim-Richards had come off the bench to score in Derby's last two games, and after being brought on in the second half he did the same again to pull one back. As a corner was whipped in, Southwood jumped but missed the ball and Kazim-Richards was there to nudge it in behind him.

Then, in the 90th minute, Davies jumped highest to meet a cross from Nathan Byrne and power a header past Southwood and secure Derby a precious point.