Coca-Cola Championship
Gareth Davis reports from Ashton Gate

Derby are up and running in the Championship this season with a hard-earned and deserved 1-1 draw away to last season's play-off finalists.

Paul Jewell's men had taken a while to get into the game and they were behind to Nicky Maynard's first-half strike.

But they finished the half strongly and levelled early in the second thanks to Paul Green's finish, and from there either side could have gone on to win.

Both teams could have pinched the points and both goalkeepers were kept fairly busy but the winner wouldn't come.

Derby will perhaps be the happier as they leave Ashton Gate and they will be looking to build during a clear week ahead of next Saturday's visit of Southampton to Pride Park.

Andrejs Pereplotkins returned to the Rams' starting line-up for the visit to Bristol City and took up a place on the right of midfield, replacing Steve Davies who was on the bench.

Otherwise Derby were unchanged from the side that started against Lincoln City in midweek with Robbie Savage continuing in midfield, while Claude Davis retained his place in the centre of defence with Alan Stubbs still out.

Paul Connolly and Jordan Stewart missed out oon a place with the bench cut from seven substitutes in the Carling Cup to five in the Championship.

Ex-Ram Michael McIndoe might have opened the scoring on four minutes as he stole in on a loose pass and played a one-two with Dele Adebola and picked up the return ball before forcing Roy Carroll into a fine save low to his right.

The home side were on top early on and were again through with eight on the clock as Adebola strolled away, only for Jay McEveley to get back with a fine last-ditch challenge.

But they were forced into an early change as centre-half Jamie McCombe was carried from the field with what looked like a nasty head injury sustained after a collision inside the Derby box. His place was taken by Brian Wilson.

Derby's first major break arrived on 20 minutes with Rob Hulse and Nathan Ellington involved to feed Kris Commons, who cut inside only to see his right-footed shot deflected away for corner.

Ellington rose to meet Commons's flag-kick but couldn't get enough power on his header and the ball skipped away.

And the opening goal arrived two minutes later but the home fans were the ones cheering.

Adebola fed substitute Wilson inside the box and though his shot was saved by Carroll, in steamed Nicky Maynard to gleefully fire home the rebound from close-range and open his City account after his club-record move from Bristol City.

Commons drove a 25-yard free-kick into the arms of Chris Weale as the Rams looked for an immediate response, though his effort was  never going to cause any serious problems.

Ellington drove wide of the near post but City were soon back on the attack and almost made it two through a dipping Gavin Williams volley on 28 minutes that was just off-target.

Carroll had to be sharp twice in a matter of seconds soon afterwards as first he beat away Bradley Orr's powerful effort, before he was up to grab the ball again after it rebounded dangerously off McEveley and towards goal.

At the other end Weale was scrambling to get across as Commons flashed in another hard-hit 25-yarder that wasn't far past hte post.

It was Commons v Weale once more on 35 as the Derby man curled in a fine free-kick that City's stopper got down low to turn around his post.

The Rams had been enjoying a better spell as half-time approached but despite more possession they were struggling to make an impact, save for a couple of long-range Commons efforts.

Steve Davies came on at half-time to replace Pereplotkins as Paul Jewell looked to shake things up and turn the game around.

And Derby started the second period brightly with a Commons free-kick causing some concern inside the Bristol City box before Hulse turned on Davies's touch but fired his shot ovver the bar.

Then Hulse looked as if he would break away on Ellington's excellent pass but Wilson got back with a fine challenge on the edge of the box.

And the Rams were level six minutes in to the second period as they capitalised on some poor home defending.

Ellington's low cross into the box wasn't cleared by Lee Johnson and it fell to Paul Green, who took his time from 12 yards and finished well with his left foot for his first competitive goal in Derby colours.

The home faithful might argue that it wasn't a fair reflection on the game to this point but the Rams had finished the first half well before getting the second period up and running while on the front foot.

Ellington almost put Derby in the lead with what would have been a goal to out-spectacular his efforts against Lincoln as first he skipped past Louis Carey with an excellent touch before firing his shot into the side-netting with Weale beaten.

City's first real break of the second half came midway through as they forced a corner that McIndoe took and Skuse controlled beforoe seeing his effort deflected away for another flag-kick.

Bradley Orr got on the end of the second delivery and powered down a header that was blocked in front of goal.

Both sides were starting to push forward in search of a winner with time ticking down and it was the home side who came close on 78 through skipper Carey, whose header from Johnson's corner flashed just over.

Davies, having earlier put a cross-shot just past the target, came inside again to threaten from Commons's pass and drove his next effort into the arms of Weale.

Tito Villa was given his chance to impress on 82 as he took over from Ellington, who - as a former Bristol Rovers star - received a warm reception from the City faithful.

And Derby looked in on 85 as Commons and Green linked together but Green's final pass was just too far in front of Davies, who had made a lung-busting run to get in a good position.

Villa's cross was then palmed away by Weale but Commons, from a narrow angle, couldn't force the ball home.

The pressure continued as Albrechtsen nodded Tyrone Mears's free-kick across goal and Villa rose to firmly head the ball towards goal, only for Weale to grab smartly.

Play went back and forth for the final few minutes though neither side could ultimately force that all-important breakthrough and steal the three points.

But from Derby's perspective, a point away to the side beaten in last season's play-off final, especially having come from behind, is not to be sniffed at.

Bristol City: Weale, Orr, McCombe (Wilson 15), Carey (C), McAllister, Williams (Sproule 74), Skuse, Johnson, McIndoe, Adebola (Brooker 62), Maynard.

Substitutes: Basso (GK), Trundle.

Derby: Carroll, Mears, Davis, Albrechtsen, McEveley, Pereplotkins (Davies HT), Savage (C), Green, Commons, Hulse, Ellington (Villa 82).

Substitutes: Bywater (GK), Kazmierczak, Leacock.

Attendance: 16,389 (925 visiting fans).