Notts County continued their build-up to the new season this evening with an entertaining 3-2 defeat to East Midlands neighbours Derby County at Meadow Lane.
A Jay McEveley own goal put Notts ahead before Steven Davies and Robbie Savage goals had the Rams leading at the break - but Luke Rodgers hit back for the home side before Kris Commons netted the winner twelve minutes from time.
County were at full strength with Matt Hamshaw and Ricky Ravenhill back after injury for the visit of the Rams, and boss Ian McParland juggled his line-up from the XI that started against Forest on Saturday.
On a greasy Meadow Lane playing surface following early-evening rain, Derby created the first opening on eight minutes but Steven Davies' long-range effort fizzed just over Pilkington's crossbar.
Davies had a good chance to open the scoring on fifteen minutes when clear on goal, but he dragged his shot inches wide of Pilkington's far post.
Four minutes later the Rams were made to pay for that miss when the Magpies took the lead.
Lee Hughes evaded the offside trap and delivered a superb ball into the box towards his strike partner Luke Rodgers which was inadvertently diverted into his own net by Jay McEveley inside the six yard box.
Derby didn't have to wait long though. In fact within seven minutes they were level, and it was no surprise to see dangerman Davies on the scoresheet.
The former Tranmere Rovers player latched onto a short backpass by Neal Bishop and kept his composure to roll the ball past Pilkington into the County net.
He could have doubled his total before the half hour when Bishop handled the ball on the line from a Derby corner, but Davies crashed his spot-kick off the bar and behind for a goal kick.
On thirty-six minutes the Rams did take the lead when a deep cross into the box by former Wales International midfielder Robbie Savage somehow found its way into the back of County's net.
Pilkington, under pressure from two Derby attackers, was unable get a good hand on the ball and he could only look on as the ball bounced into the roof of his net. Despite claims from the goalkeeper he was impeded, the goal was given.
Rodgers should have had County level at 2-2 at the break, but he fired wide from Hughes' cross from the right six yards out.
Brendan Moloney, Russell Hoult and Craig Westcarr were introduced to the action at the break and Hoult was called into action early in the half to make a good stop from Moxey from eighteen yards.
On sixty-five minutes the Magpies were back on level terms when Luke Rodgers took his pre-season tally to seven in five matches when he side-footed home Hughes' cross from the right-hand side.
Westcarr almost completely turned the game on its head a few minutes later with a good opportunity after neat link-up play with Moloney, but his shot was somehow deflected over by a Derby defender.
With twelve-minutes remaining the Rams went back in front thanks to former Forest attacker Kris Commons, whose harmless cross from the left flew straight over Russell Hoult and into the back of the Notts net via the far post.
It was the second fluke goal of the night Derby had scored, and came against the run of play after a good spell of possession for the home side.
Ben Davies almost hit back immediately with a curling shot from long range but Bywater turned the ball away.
Stephen Hunt was forced out of the final four minutes of the game due to injury and he was replaced by Jamie Clapham, although the injury didn't look too serious as he walked off the field of play.
In the final minute a neat flick by Canham found Davies in space inside the area, however a Derby defender slid in to block the midfielder's snap-shot.
The Magpies play the final game of their pre-season programme on Friday evening when a Liverpool XI come to Meadow Lane.
Notts County: Pilkington (Hoult HT), Thompson, Edwards (Moloney HT), Lee, Hunt (Clapham 86), Hamshaw (Westcarr HT), Bishop, Ravenhill, Davies, Rodgers (Canham 65), Hughes (Trialist 65)
Subs: Facey, Fairclough, Trailist, Trialist
Derby County: Bywater, Connolly, McEveley, Addison, Moxey, Green, Savage, Pearson, Teale, Varney (Commons 61), Davies
Subs: Buxton, Deeney, Mendy, Pringle, Beardsley
Attendnace: 3,859 (1,182)
