Derby County 2-2 QPR
Derby County surrended two goals in injury time as Championship leaders QPR held the Rams to a 2-2 draw at Pride Park.
Kris Commons' goal late in the first half put Derby on their way, and James Bailey looked to wrapped up the victory before the hour.
But Patrick Agyemang and then Jamie Mackie crashed home injury time goals to break Derby's hearts when a deserved win looked to be the outcome.
With Rob Hulse and Chris Porter still nursing injuries, Commons led the line up front as Nigel Clough named an unchanged side from last week's line-up at Coventry.
The only change was tactical, with Commons operating up top and Dean Moxey on the left of the attacking midfield three.
Youngsters Mark O'Brien and Callum Ball drafted into the matchday squad as substitutes as a result of Derby's injury problems.
Hulse and Porter joined Pearson, Addison, Davies and Anderson on the sidelines and Tomasz Cywka was deemed unfit to start after sustaining a fractured cheekbone a fortnight ago against Cardiff City.
In his pre-match press briefing this week Clough had stated that one of QPR's main strengths was the way their have made blistering starts to games this season.
Neil Warnock's side showed their danger within three minutes, with Bywater called into action to make a low stop to keep out the dangerous Adel Taarbat.
The loose ball fell to Jamie Mackie, but his goalwards effort was blocked by Roberts for a corner.
Commons was pivotal to Derby's best moves of the half, getting on the ball and keeping the Rs defence on their toes.
He tried his range on eight minutes with a long range effort, but Kenny saw the shot drift wide.
Shaun Barker almost registered his name on the scoresheet for the first time this season before the fifteen minute mark, but he dragged his left-foot shot into the side netting from Conor Doyle's corner.
Neither goalkeeper was seriously tested in the first period, but five minutes before the interval Derby got the breakthrough their persistence deserved.
Moxey and Green combined well down the left, and the former's low cross expertly guided into the back of the net by Commons from a few yards out.
The Scot shimmied to shoot, leaving Kenny grounded as he slotted the ball past the former Sheffield United goalkeeper for his second goal of the season.
It was the first goal Rangers had conceded in the Championship this season, with Derby showing their quality to create and finish the move in expert fashion.
Moments before the break Commons was withdrawn from the action as a precaution after feeling his hamstring tighten, and he was replaced by Cywka.
That move saw Moxey move up front, and Cywka - with the aid of his protective mask - slotted into the attacking midfield three.
Derby continued to frustrate their opponents early in the second period, who were given no time on the ball and little opportunity to get the influential Taarabt into the game.
Clough opted to make his second change of the game early in the half, bringing Dave Martin on for the hardworking Doyle who had run himself into the ground.
But it was the other substitute, Cywka, who stretched the visitors' defence for the Rams to double their lead a minute before the hour.
Cywka worked is way into the area with some neat footwork, and he picked out Bailey lurking unmarked on the edge of the box, and he curled a delightful effort from outside the area beyond Kenny for his first ever career goal.
Derby didn't rest on their laurels, and kept the high energy approach which had seen them deservedly get into the winning position their found themselves in.
Roberts, Cywka and Bailey all had the confidence to try their luck from range, but on each occasion they were thwarted by Kenny.
QPR rang the changes in hope of pulling back at least a goal, and their travelling support were rewarded with a late goal from Agyemang from close range but Derby had done more than enough to take the points.
Bailey had a golden chance to make it 3-1 in the closing seconds, but Kenny pulled off a fine save....and it was a miss Derby that would come back to haunt the Rams.
Straight down the other end Mackie let fly with a thunderous low drive which flew past Bywater to send the QPR players, staff and fans wild.
From nowhere, they had fought back to take a point.
It was heartbreaking stuff for Derby who left the field with their chins on the floor.
It may be hard right now, but there so many positives to take from the game.
Derby frustratingly have to wait two weeks now for their next game, at home to Sheffield United.
Derby County: Bywater, Brayford, Barker, Leacock, Roberts, Bailey, Savage, Green, Commons (Cywka 45), Doyle (Martin 57), Moxey (Ball 90)
Subs: Deeney, Pringle, O'Brien, Buxton
Booked: Moxey
Goals: Commons (40), Bailey (59)
QPR: Kenny, Orr, Hill, Derry (Buzsaky 61) , Helguson (Agyemang 62), Faurlin, Mackie, Gorkss, Connolly, Ephraim, Taarabt (Clarke 70)
Subs: Ramage, Leigertwood, German, Cerny
Booked: Hill
Goals: Agyemang (90), Mackie (90)
Referee: M Haywood
Attendance: 25,874 (1,655 QPR fans)
Collstream Man of the Match: James Bailey
