SUBSTITUTE Leon Best netted an 89th-minute equaliser to earn Blackburn Rovers a point in their opening game of the season at Derby County.

Johnny Russell fired home from the spot two minutes before half time after Alex Marrow had been controversially penalised for handball.

Rovers had lost Ruben Rochina to a shoulder injury minutes beforehand, and substitute Best headed against the post at the start of the second period.

Best would later be denied by the upright again, as attempted to turn in Tommy Spurr’s cross.

But the forward scored his first goal for Rovers a minute from time as he hooked in Chris Taylor’s centre.