EMOTIONS were in turmoil after Derby County had gone agonisingly close to beating promotion hopefuls Sheffield United.

Disappointment, frustration and encouragement darted around in a battle for pole position following the 1-1 draw at Bramall Lane.

First there was disappointment as the Rams were pinned back late on in a Championship clash they bossed for long periods.

They had led since the 17th minute, thanks to a stunning strike from skipper Robbie Savage, but as the man on the tannoy announced there would be five added minutes and the contest crept into stoppage time, Derby-born Lee Williamson popped up to drill in an equaliser.

Frustration followed quickly on the heels of disappointment.

Derby dominated the first half and could have been two or three ahead before Williamson's last-gasp heroics for the home side.

It felt like another missed opportunity because the Rams could easily have collected maximum points from their last two away games rather than a solitary point.

This was made all the more frustrating when Reading won at Doncaster to tighten the battle in and around the bottom three.

Derby, despite playing well in recent weeks, are only four points above the drop zone.

But just as disappointment and frustration seemed to establish themselves as the over-riding feelings, in swept encouragement, and plenty of it.

Derby took on another side in the top six – Sheffield United have since slipped to seventh – and showed they could more than hold their own, just as they did against Newcastle United, West Bromwich Albion and Nottingham Forest.

The home debacle against Scunthorpe United four weeks ago was seen as a watershed in the season and reaction to the stinging defeat has been encouragingly positive.

A tighter, more energetic, more purposeful outfit has emerged and Derby have been unlucky not to win all of their last six games. Four wins – one on penalties – and a draw suggests the team is moving in the right direction, although there is plenty of work still to do.

Slaying rivals Forest was a huge boost.

The performance also raised the bar and the challenge for the players was to maintain that standard.

They did in the first half against the Blades, who had a patched-up defence and were wary after consecutive defeats.

Without injured skipper Chris Morgan, United fielded a centre-back pairing of Nyron Nosworthy and Toni Kallio, who both made their home debuts. Midfielder Nick Montgomery was deployed as an emergency right-back.

Injuries, especially to defenders, is something Derby know all about from earlier this season and they were in no mood to show sympathy to their hosts.

The front two of Rob Hulse and Kris Commons posed a threat from the first whistle.

Hulse prodded the ball inches wide from Commons' low centre and it was soon clear that Derby's blend was right.

Paul Green was back in a central midfield role and immediately looked more at home. Savage sat deep and used the ball sensibly, Stephen Pearson's running power on the left gave United problems and Michael Tonge was calm and confident on an eye-catching debut.

Green appeared to be pulled back on one surge into the box before Savage put the Rams in front.

Jay McEveley's throw was headed out of the area and Green left the ball for Savage, whose first-time shot was struck so sweetly that the ball whistled past Mark Bunn almost before he could blink.

It was the third goal of Savage's Rams career and another beauty following his free kicks against Doncaster and Queens Park Rangers.

It was also the first goal United had conceded at home in 593 minutes of League action, since they lost to Newcastle at the beginning of November.

Bunn did well to keep out firm drives from Commons and Tonge and another shot from Tonge deflected behind off Jordan Stewart.

United's best moment of the half came when Williamson pulled a shot wide, although they might have had a penalty when McEveley appeared to pull Mark Yeates back.

Otherwise, the half belonged to Derby but there was a nagging concern that they did not have another goal or two to show for their play.

Derby had started their previous five away fixtures in the League with the pace of on-loan striker DJ Campbell up front.

There had to be a different approach with Commons in the side. The ball needed to be played to his feet, something the Rams did with success in the first half.

"We did that numerous times and he caused them problems. When we have him (Commons) in the team we have to get the ball down and play. There is no point playing over the top. We played an awful lot of good stuff in the first half," said manager Nigel Clough.

Derby had plenty of possession after the break but created fewer openings. There were half chances for Green, Hulse and Commons but the Blades edged their way back into the game without ever really troubling Clough's team.

A change of strikers helped United's cause.

Off went Darius Henderson and Ched Evans, who had not made an impact, and on came the sharper Jamie Ward and Henri Camara.

The swap was cheered by the home fans, who had seen their team huff and puff for over an hour. Bunn did not fully recover from a knock he suffered early on and was replaced by substitute keeper Ian Bennett.

There was always going to be a spell of pressure from United and it arrived in the closing stages.

Bywater parried a shot from Stewart and Jake Buxton's terrific challenge prevented Camara from turning in the loose ball. Savage and McEveley blocked shots from Camara and Richard Cresswell headed inches wide.

The benefit of being able to field a settled defence could be seen.

Buxton and Shaun Barker impressed again, McEveley dug in and Nicky Hunt's quality at right-back is shining through.

Behind them, Bywater was assured. He commanded his area and came to collect crosses to ease pressure.

One-goal leads are vulnerable but the cushion looked to be enough as the tireless Green ventured deep into United's half with normal time almost up.

Win a throw-in, play the ball into the corner, buy up time – they were all options. But he lost possession and United were back in Derby's half, desperately pressing for an equaliser.

Referee Graham Salisbury, who did not have a good afternoon, failed to notice Derby's obvious attempts to send on substitute Russell Anderson in a bid to help shore things up and Clough was livid when the equaliser arrived.

A couple of missed tackles around the edge of the area allowed Yeates to progress and the ball dropped kindly for Williamson to fire into the bottom corner.

United manager Kevin Blackwell hailed the courage of his side after they had pinched a point.

"As poor as we were, I've got to give the lads credit for finishing well," said Blackwell. "The crowd weren't happy but courage manifests itself in many ways and my boys showed courage and determination out there."

They did plug away but the ending was harsh on Derby. Very harsh.