Derby County were back on their travels in the Championship as they swapped Derbyshire for a trip to Oxfordshire.
The Rams took on fellow promoted side Oxford United in a clash between two sides that are hopeful of retaining their place in the second tier for the foreseeable future.
With nearly identical records in the league and just one space between them, both Paul Warne and Des Buckingham were looking to put some breathing room between themselves and their rivals.
The home side got off to the better start as Dane Scarlett evaded his markers to poke home the opener for the U’s.
Derby never quite got going in the first half, but after the break, they were back to their usual, aggressive selves with a bit more quality.
The visitors pulled one back through Nathaniel Mendez-Laing’s effort but were unable to pick up another goal to earn all three points.
With another away point in the bag, here’s a look at five things we learned from Derby’s trip to Oxford.
Nathaniel Mendez-Laing position debate
So far this season, there have been some questions as to whether Nathaniel Mendez-Laing can step up to the plate in the Championship yet again.
While he has a few assists to his name, the winger was missing a goal and a statement performance back in the second tier.
Fortunately for Derby, he provided just that in the second half as he scored an important equaliser for the side.
The Guatemalan international looked the most likely to bag another, starting to run the show for the side, but was unable to do so.
It brings up further debate over the best position for Mendez-Laing, who started on the right flank with Corey Blackett-Taylor on the left.
While the 32-year-old did score while he was on the right, he looked equally bright when moving to the left or in the number ten position.
It remains to be seen whether Warne will look to keep him on the right, which appears to be more favoured.
Kenzo Goudmijn struggles
It was another night to forget for summer signing Kenzo Goudmijn, who just can’t quite get himself involved in away games.
The Dutch star, who has impressed at times this season, made just 23 touches of the ball and had a passing accuracy of 65% before he was hooked around the hour mark.
These struggles aren’t exactly new for Warne, but it’s clear that he must find a way to get Goudmijn to influence games as he can change them.
Jerry Yates needs more support
Another player who seems to struggle in those away games is Jerry Yates, though it’s not through a lack of effort.
The striker works his socks off on a consistent basis, hence the desire for Warne to pick him every game, even if he has only recently bagged a well-deserved first goal for the club.
In all, Yates only had 17 touches of the ball, with the vast majority of those coming outside of the opposition box.
The lack of service and support makes it tough for him to get into the game, but he has shown already what he can do with little at his disposal.
Against Millwall, he scored for the first time, while a bouncing ball was capitalised on by the forward against Oxford to set up Mendez-Laing for the equaliser.
In all though, if Derby want to start picking up more wins on the road, they need to find a way to get Yates involved more.
Paul Warne substitution pattern
For two games in a row now, Warne has made similar substitutes in a similar state of the game to keep Derby in the game.
In both the clash with Millwall and now Oxford, the Derby boss has brought on both Nat Phillips and James Collins in the final moments.
The duo works as a pair in two ways, the first can be viewed as a defensive move to ensure that the Rams take home an important point in both matches.
However, from an attacking perspective, they both add height and aggression in the opposition box for moments of madness from set pieces.
While it has certainly helped the side keep hold of points on the road, it may be a matter of time before that substitution routine earns some extras late on.
Ebou Adams position trick
One thing that Warne also seems keen to do with his team away from home is start with Ebou Adams in the number ten role.
While that isn’t exactly for his playmaking ability, it is much more about the midfielder’s engine and pure work rate.
The Gambian international covers vast ground and can often support Yates in the press, while also retreating to help deeper in midfield if required.
It hasn’t always come off for the manager, with larger spaces left behind the star instead, but it is something he is keen on doing.