Last time out: 

Derby 4 Northampton 2 (Adams, Hoskins)

It will be the first time that Rooney – United and England’s all-time top scorer – has faced his former side since playing for Everton in a 2-0 defeat at Goodison on 1 January, 2018. Playing as a deep-lying midfielder, the 34-year-old has been a key player for Derby since joining Cocu’s side at the start of January. The Rams have won five and lost just one of the eight games he has been involved in, while his latest goal was his third in as many games for the club.

Rooney played a pivotal role in Derby’s 1-0 win against Premier League side Crystal Palace in the third round and was once again involved in most of this game’s key moments. It was from his corner that the hosts took the lead as David Cornell failed to deal with the delivery and Andre Wisdom pounced on the loose ball to score his first goal for Derby and his first since his debut for Liverpool in a Europa League tie against Young Boys eight years ago. Apart from a brief spell in the first half, Derby were in complete control of the first half and deservedly added a second when Duane Holmes was put through by Scott Malone, drew out the keeper before side-footing home.

Out of nowhere, however, the visitors halved the deficit when the Derby defence was caught half asleep soon after the start of the second half with Nick Adams driving the ball in from a decent cross. But Derby restored their two-goal advantage when Jack Marriot headed powerfully at goal and, although David Cornell got a strong hand to it, the ball had just gone over the goalline. Northampton pressed to try and set up a tense finish but hopes of comeback were ended when a foul on Tom Lawrence presented Rooney with the chance to get on the scoresheet and he made no mistake with confident spot-kick into the bottom corner. The visitors then converted a penalty of their own when Andy Williams was brought down inside the box in the final 10 minutes and, although Sam Hoskins converted, it was to be nothing more than a consolation for the visitors.

Port Vale 1 (Burgess OG) Salford 1

Tom Elliott scored his first league goal for Salford City as they held Port Vale to a 1-1 draw at Vale Park. Salford defender Cameron Burgess had given Vale a 55th-minute lead when he turned the ball into his own net, but substitute Elliott equalised 21 minutes later. Vale dominated the early proceedings and nearly went in front when Richie Bennett diverted the ball towards goal, but Salford goalkeeper Kyle Letheren somehow kept it out.

Vale went close again minutes into the second-half when David Amoo stormed his way through the visitors’ defence, only to launch his effort straight at the Salford stopper. They broke the deadlock when Mitch Clark, signed on loan from Leicester City, burst into the box and sent the ball in, only for Australian defender Burgess to put it past Letheren. However, Salford clinched a point when Elliott, who joined from Millwall in the January transfer window, headed in fellow substitute Richie Towell’s cross 15 minutes from time.

Most recent meeting: 

Saturday, August 10, 2019 – Port Vale 1 (Amoo) Northampton 1 (Watson)

Port Vale and Northampton were left waiting for their first League Two win of the season after playing out a 1-1 draw at Vale Park. David Amoo gave Vale a deserved lead when he headed home in the 26th minute. But the Valiants were pegged back by Ryan Watson’s leveller in first-half stoppage time.

Manny Oyeleke headed over inside the opening minute, before he curled an effort wide midway through the first half as the home side enjoyed a good opening. Amoo put them ahead when he headed home from David Worrall’s corner. A shot from Jamie Gibbons hit the side-netting as Vale nearly doubled their lead five minutes later. Watson equalised two minutes into stoppage time after getting on the end of a Joe Martin corner. Leon Legge headed narrowly wide from Tom Conlon’s free-kick just after the restart, before Luke Joyce cleared Scott Wharton’s header off the line eight minutes into the second half. Scott Brown pulled off the save of the match to keep out Watson’s point-blank header after 65 minutes to ensure the points were shared.

Record v Port Vale:  P71 W29 D21 L21