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Third round
Gareth Davis reports from Pride Park Stadium

Derby had to come from two goals down to earn themselves a replay at Hillsborough after a disastrous opening to their first FA Cup clash under Paul Jewell.

Mark Beevers' volley somehow squeezed through Lewis Price for the opener on six minutes, and on 22 it looked even worse for the Rams as Marcus Tudgay fired the visitors into a two-goal lead.

Craig Fagan and Kenny Miller both missed opportunities to pull one back but Miller made amends on 36 with a crisp finish, then Giles Barnes levelled things up before the interval.

Both sides had chances to win it in the second period and both also had goals ruled out for offside, but the two teams will meet again on Tuesday January 15 for the right to claim a place in the fourth round.

Danny Mills was handed his Derby County debut after signing on loan from Manchester City for the rest of the season - and there was also an unexpected return for Andy Todd.

The experienced defender hadn't played since September 1 with a back and hamstring problem but was fit to take on the Owls and lined up alonsgide Darren Moore at centre-half.

Mills's appearance made it two changes from the side beaten at Bolton Wanderers in midweek with the former England man taking over from the injured Jay McEveley - while Todd was in for Claude Davis.

The 30-year-old was in at left-back, while Wednesday included former Rams Lee Grant and Marcus Tudgay in their starting line-up, while Deon Burton was among their substitutes.

On the bench for Derby was defender Michael Johnson, who spent three months on loan with the Owls before returning to Pride Park in December.

The first efforts on goal fell the Rams' way on six minutes but neither had a real chance of beating Grant.

Eddie Lewis pulled a cross back for Craig Fagan, who saw his effort blocked by Mark Beevers, and it came out to Giles Barnes who shot well wide from 25 yards.

But Beevers was the man on the mark some 60 seconds later as Wednesday opened the scoring.

A free-kick was played up to Tudgay, who nodded it down for the centre-half to drive a left-footed volley goalwards that evaded the grasp of Lewis Price and crept over the line.

Mark Beevers volleys home the opening goal. Picture by EMPICS Sport

Derby, on the back of that late blow at Bolton in midweek, were clearly rocked by going behind so early while the Wednesday fans at the far end of the ground were jumping for joy.

But they really should have equalised on the quarter-hour mark.

Gary Teale glanced Kenny Miller's near-post cross up and on to the top of the crossbar and it dropped down to Fagan, who blazed his effort wildly over from five yards with Grant absolutely helpless.

And on 22 minutes the visitors doubled their lead.

Moore mis-judged a long ball forward from the back, allowing Tudgay to nip in behind him and finish smartly across Price's body from a narrow angle.

Derby almost found a way back into the game with Mills involved down the left as he fed the ball inside to Miller, who skipped past the challenge of Beevers but Grant was equal to his show with a fine parry.

But the visitors were clearly buzzing after extending their advantage and were snapping in to challenges at pace.

The game's first yellow card arrived on 31 minutes as Teale hacked down Etienne Esajas, though it was his second offence, while Derby's first change was prompt as Mears headed off to be replaced by Johnson.

Jonno dropped in at left-back, Mills moved over to the right, and while it wasn't immediately clear what was troubling Mears, he was clearly struggling as he headed down the tunnel.

Tudgay headed a Lee Bullen cross narrowly over as Wednesday continued to play the better football, but Miller should have done better than to fire a Mills pass well over the bar having escaped inside the penalty area on 36.

But seconds later the Scot was on target to half the deficit and give Pride Park something to cheer.

Fagan lifted a ball up from the right and Miller got in behind Richard Hinds before controlling it on his chest and drilling a half-volley clinically past Grant from 14 yards.

Derby's first move of real substance saw Mills, Miller and Teale involved down the right to win a corner two minutes before the interval that produced their equaliser.

Wednesday failed to clear Lewis's delivery and it came out to Barnes, who took a touch before smashing it into the corner through a crowd of players.

Tudgay then saw a 20-yarder deflected into Price's arms seconds before a topsy-turvy first half came to an end.

The second period had only just got underway when Derby were presented with a great opportunity to go in front.

Teale broke down the right and pulled his ball back to the supporting Lewis, who wanted too much time to steady himself on his left foot rather than striking with his right and the chance was gone.

The next chance was Wednesday's however as Tudgay rose at the far post to meet a Glenn Whelan cross but Price was equal to the former Derby man's header.

Barnes then saw a 20-yard shot deflected wide on 55 minutes as Derby stepped up the pressure in a bid to take the lead for the first time.

And in a bid to change the course of the game, Wednesday boss Brian Laws took off Francis Jeffers and replaced him with Deon Burton on the hour.

But it was soon Derby back on the attack as Mills crossed deep for Johnson to rise highest and loop a header back across Grant but unfortunately just past the post.

Wednesday almost sneaked a third on 72 minutes with a direct free-kick just outside the box - though not via the normal route, as Esajas slipped his shot under the wall and just past the post.

Derby immediately broke down the left and Lewis fed Miller, only for the Scot to be denied by a superb reflex save from Grant.

Jermaine Johnson should have done better than over-hit his pass that would have sent Whelan clear, and with the game opening up Fagan then had the ball in the back of the net but had already been pulled back for offside - which he was.

Wednesday then saw an effort of their own ruled out eight minutes from time as Burton turned to finish off Esajas's deflected shot, but once again the flag was up for offside.

Jon Macken was thrown on in place of Teale a couple of minutes later, allowing Fagan to move out to the right while Macken joined Miller up front.

Mills marked his Derby debut with a yellow card for a late challenge on Esajas that referee Phil Dowd kept in his mind and punished the full-back for once the ball had gone out of play.

A late free-kick came to nothing as Grant claimed well, meaning the Rams will travel to South Yorkshire on January 15 for the replay.

DERBY: Price, Oakley (C), Fagan, Miller, Lewis, Teale (Macken 84), Todd, Moore, Mears (Johnson 32), Mills, Barnes.

SUBSTITUTES: Hinchliffe (GK), Edworthy, Feilhaber.

SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY: Grant, Bullen (C), Hinds, Whelan, Tudgay, O'Brien, Jeffers (Burton 60), Esajas, Beevers, Johnson, Spurr.

SUBSTITUTES: Gilbert, McAllister, Wood, Boden.

ATTENDANCE: 20,612 (5,487 visiting fans).