3/1 To Win
Derby County progressed to the Emirates FA Cup Fifth Round following a 4-2 victory over Northampton Town to set up a meeting with Manchester United at Pride Park Stadium.
After a goalless draw last month at the PTS Academy Stadium, the Rams came out firing in the Fourth Round Replay to ensure their progression to the Fifth Round of the competition for the second-straight season.
Andre Wisdom scored his first Derby goal mid-way through the first-half as he swung in from a goal-mouth scramble. Minutes later, Duane Holmes coolly doubled the lead when he slotted in from just inside the area.
A tense second-half could have ensued as the Cobblers pulled one back immediately after the break through Nicky Adams, but Derby wasted no time in finding the back of the net again, this time through Jack Marriott’s powerful header from close range.
Wayne Rooney converted from the penalty spot to supply his third goal in as many games for the Rams to take the game out of sight of Northampton, however, Sam Hoskins cut the deficit in half for the visitors in the final minutes, also from a spot kick.
After a relatively quiet start for both sides in the opening ten minutes, the chances soon began to flow for the Rams. On the 12-minute mark, a brilliant ball by Rooney was sent through to Holmes down the right flank. He squared to Marriott just inside the area, but his low effort glanced just wide of the far post.
Three minutes later, good build-up by Derby threatened the goal again. Scott Malone and Tom Lawrence played a one-two on the left side before the Welshman fired a low shot from outside the area towards the middle of the goal, but it was a comfortable save for David Cornell.
Marriott had another chance less than ten minutes later when he went one-on-one with Cornel, but the Cobblers’ keeper came out to meet him and blocked the shot as Marriott tried to lift it over him.
The opening goal came in the 29th minute from a set piece. Rooney whipped in a corner into the box, it was sent high into the air in front of the goal and as it came hurtling back down to the ground, a goal-mouth scramble ensued, but Wisdom was there to cleanly swing his effort into the back of the net.
The lead was doubled six minutes later. Malone picked out Martin across the pitch who flicked on to Holmes and the midfielder bounded into the area and stuttered before coolly firing in past Cornell.
Northampton quickly pulled one back after the break, with Adams firing from close range in the 47th minute.
The two-goal lead was restored four minutes later. Holmes broke down the middle of the pitch before feeding out to Martin down the left. The forward sent the ball back across the goal from a tight angle for Marriott to power his header goal bound.
Cornell managed to see the ball into his chest, but the power tipped him behind the goal line.
With 15 minutes left to play, David Webb blew his whistle to award a penalty to Lawrence who was brought down in the box by Scott Wharton. Rooney stepped up to the spot and rifled his effort into the left of the goal to extend the lead.
The visitors were then awarded a penalty in the final ten minutes when Andy Williams was brought down by Curtis Davies in the area and Hoskins converted the spot kick.
Derby County: Roos; Wisdom, Davies, Clarke, Malone; Holmes (Knight, 69), Shinnie, Rooney, Lawrence; Marriott (Sibley, 77), Martin (Waghorn, 84)
Unused Subs: Ravas, Forsyth, Bogle, Bird
Northampton Town: Cornell; Harriman, Goode (C), Warton; Hoskins, Lines (Pollock, 58), Watson, Adams (Martin, 61); Anderson; Williams, Olivier
Unused Subs: Arnold, Hall-Johnson, Warburton, Roberts, Chukwuemeka
