Half-Time Report: Stephen Warnock red card leaves Derby County with uphill struggle

Stephen Warnock has been sent off 39 minutes into his Derby County debut, with the Rams level at 0-0 with Reading at half time of their FA Cup fifth-round tie at the iPro Stadium.

Derby sprung out of the blocks and had two early chances to take the lead, with Craig Bryson and Simon Dawkins both drawing saves from Adam Federici.

Omar Mascarell then flashed a free kick just wide of the far post, but Reading showed their prowess from set pieces moments later as they worked the ball to Simon Cox, who crashed an effort against the outside of the post, with Kelle Roos stranded.

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Jesse Lingard almost grabbed a debut goal for Derby, but Federici palmed his effort away before denying Darren Bent's snapshot on the turn.

Ten minutes before the break, Cox blazed a volley over the bar after Pavel Pogrebnyak had headed back across goal for his strike partner.

Warnock was sent to the stands shortly before half time for a second bookable offence after a lunging tackle on Stephen Kelly, leaving his side with a difficult task in the second period.