Rodrigo Riquelme hits first goal for Bournemouth to deny Derby

A glass-half-empty character might argue that Derby failing to kill off opposition for a third successive game is a worrying trend but Phillip Cocu, while pragmatic enough to acknowledge his team remain in a sticky situation, pointed to the positives and a pivotal next week after Bournemouth rallied to ensure they remain the only unbeaten team in England’s top four tiers. Rodrigo Riquelme, a baby-faced winger on loan from Atlético Madrid, stepped off the bench to score his first goal for the club and deny Derby a vital victory.

Jason Tindall, the Bournemouth manager, introduced Joshua King at half-time in place of the injured Junior Stanislas and David Brooks with 20 minutes to play but it was the live-wire Riquelme who made a telling difference as Derby retreated. Mel Morris, the Derby chairman who remains in talks to sell the club to a cousin of the Manchester City owner, Sheikh Mansour, has cited injuries as an aggravating factor in Derby’s slow start to the season and, while the summer signing Kamil Jozwiak was absent through injury, here Cocu welcomed Krystian Bielik back among the substitutes and Wayne Rooney lasted an hour on his return.

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On the face of it, a point on the road at one of the favourites for the Championship title represents a healthy return but Derby should have built upon Graeme Shinnie’s first-half opener. Rooney slotted in on the left of a front three after sitting out the previous three matches while self-isolating in line with coronavirus guidelines but Cocu recognises it is the next run of games, at home to QPR and Barnsley, that are of great significance for Derby, who remain in the relegation zone with a single win to their name.

“It will be very important what we do next week,” Cocu said. “If we can get good results in those games, this will be a valuable point. We know what we have to do next week, continue in the way we play but make sure the home record improves. There is always pressure. Pressure in the media, pressure maybe from fans but also from ourselves. We’re in the position we are in. We cannot discuss it. We know we are in a tough situation, especially when you’re not used to being in this position. We all have to give a little bit more.”

Riquelme says he regards Diego Rico as a big brother and the Spanish compatriots combined to help Bournemouth to a point. Rico’s cross dropped at the back post where an unmarked Riquelme coolly volleyed in. For Cocu, whose Derby side still have only one win to their name, it was a killer blow but they would have regained the lead minutes later had the Bournemouth captain, Steve Cook, not made a miraculous goalline clearance. Lee Buchanan powered at goal, beating Asmir Begovic but not Cook, who took one for the team, the ball smacking him square in the face.

“He is a defender that puts his body on the line when he needs to,” said Tindall. “It’s great that nine games in we are still unbeaten because I think for any team that is a difficult feat to achieve, but we are disappointed we didn’t pick up the three points.”

Shinnie opened the scoring after feeding off the scraps of a poor Rooney free-kick. Martyn Waghorn kept the ball alive after Rooney’s set piece struck Dominic Solanke and Shinnie reacted quickest to poke it in.

Bournemouth rarely troubled Derby early on but improved in the second half with Arnaut Danjuma, the match-winner in midweek, striking a post. This time it was another substitute who made a lasting contribution off the bench.