Last updated on .From the section Championship

Wayne Rooney signed for Derby as a player-coach in September but is not eligible to play until January

Wayne Rooney watched on from the Derby County bench as the Rams were held by Queens Park Rangers in an uninspiring draw at Pride Park.

Rooney will be available to play for the mid-table East Midlands club in January, but England's all-time top scorer began his Derby career by taking his place in the dugout as coach.

While the Rams are still a month away from being able to field the 34-year-old player-coach, it was Martyn Waghorn's fine free-kick - one that would have made the former England captain proud - which put the hosts ahead.

Waghorn then allowed Rangers to level from the spot in first-half injury time, bringing Bright Osayi-Samuel down in the box before Ebere Eze put the penalty away.

Derby went closest to winning it, Jayden Bogle wastefully scooping a chance over the bar before Waghorn glanced a header wide, as they failed to secure a sixth straight home victory.

Rangers picked up just their third point from a possible 21 in a seven-game winless run that leaves them 16th in the table, equal on points with Derby who remain 14th.

Rooney had his name chanted by Rams fans when he was introduced to supporters on the Pride Park pitch before kick-off, with the former Manchester United and Everton forward showing his appreciation with claps of acknowledgment.

The fanfare for the England legend did little to help a side that was hit by another injury blow in the pre-game warm up, as midfielder Krystian Bielik was ruled out and replaced by George Evans.

Bielik's injury came at the end of a week in which both midfielder Graeme Shinnie and forward Mason Bennett were both ruled out for a "few months".

Despite the setback, the Rams made a bright start with Bogle forcing goalkeeper Joe Lumley into an early save before Craig Forsyth headed just wide from the resulting corner.

Ryan Manning and Marc Pugh both sent headers over the bar for the visitors, who looked looked the more menacing before Waghorn curled a left-footed free-kick over the wall and into the top corner to ensure QPR remain without a clean sheet this season.

Waghorn then tested Lumley with a close-range header but QPR remained more convincing going forward as Manning and Jordan Hugill worked Ben Hamer.

The Rams goalkeeper was making his first league start of the season after Cocu dropped Kelle Roos following his poor showing in Tuesday's 3-0 defeat by Fulham.

Derby, disjointed for long periods of the first half, eventually conceded when Eze coolly equalised from the spot.

Both sides had chances to snatch maximum points after the break, Jack Marriott firing over as Bogle and Waghorn also failed to convert for Derby while Hugill twice threatened for QPR.

'Rooney the Ram' lifts QPR

QPR boss Mark Warburton said Rooney's presence for the game helped lift his side.

"We used that," he said. "Some of the press comments said we were almost cannon fodder today.

"The players are professional athletes and they get angered by certain comments.

"I read one statement that basically said Derby couldn't have a better game today so that was great for us. We know we are a good team, we respect Derby but we have to use that negativity and channel it appropriately."

Cocu said such a reaction to Rooney's appearance was to be expected of a Rangers side that had been beaten 4-0 at home by Nottingham Forest just four days earlier.

"From the moment he [Rooney] is on the pitch, a manager can use it for his team," Cocu said.

"Of course, they will lift their game to show how they can play against him so that's something we have to be ready for."