WAYNE ROONEY secured a storybook reunion against Manchester United.
And he even sealed the dream tie himself from the penalty spot when he grabbed Derby’s fourth goal of the night.
Wayne Rooney scored a late penalty to secure the win for Derby to set up a dream reunion with Man UtdCredit: Rex Features
The Old Trafford legend will face his former club at Pride Park in the fifth round next month after Phillip Cocu’s side dumped Northampton out.
And it was fitting that Rooney got himself on to the scoresheet with a 77th minute penalty.
Not even he could have imagined this scenario when he returned to English football with Derby.
After making his Rams debut last month, Rooney had his eyes firmly on guiding Derby into the Championship play-offs.
But once the fifth round draw was made, Rooney was handed the chance of a dream tie against Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side.
Rooney is United’s all-time top goalscorer but it will not be the first time he has met United since leaving Old Trafford in 2017.
He faced them twice for Everton two seasons ago – and lost both games.
Now the 34-year-old Rams skipper will be hoping to end that run and make sure United’s season takes another downward turn.
Goals from Andre Wisdom – his first in almost EIGHT years – and Duane Holmes put Derby in control before the break.
Northampton hit back straight after half-time with a goal from Nicky Adams.
But Derby soon added a third through Jack Marriott to restore the Rams’ two goal advantage.
And then came Rooney’s moment.
The former England skipper had been relishing this replay with the prize of a clash with United at the end of it.
And when Scott Wharton brought down Tom Lawrence in the area, Rooney grabbed the ball and confidently scored from the spot for his third Derby goal in successive games.
Derby will face Man Utd in the next roundCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Sam Hoskins scored from the penalty spot with seven minutes to go as Keith Curle’s side refused to roll over, but this was Derby’s night.
Rams boss Cocu made five changes from the side that hammered Stoke 4-0 on Friday – but Rooney kept his place and captained the side.
Northampton, backed by more than 4,000 travelling fans, made four changes and started the game as the lowest ranked team still left in the
competition.
But they sit fifth in League Two and took the game to Derby in the early stages.
They had a penalty appeal turned down after nine minutes when Andy Williams’ shot appeared to hit a Derby hand.
And Chris Lines fired over from a tight angle inside the six yard box.
Northampton were clearly in the mood to make Rooney work for his United tie and Derby woke up after 12 minutes when Jack Marriott drilled a shot just wide of the far post.
Rams looked certain to score eight minutes later when a superb through ball from Rooney set Marriott free.
He set up Chris Martin in front of goal but an excellent last-gasp tackle from Michael Harriman denied the Derby striker.
Marriott found himself through on goal after 22 minutes, but Cobblers keeper David Cornell raced out to block the shot.
But Derby were pressing for an opening goal and it came six minutes later through Wisdom.
Northampton did not deal with a former and Wisdom swivelled and drive a shot home from close range.
Nicky Adams scored Northampton’s firstCredit: Getty Images – Getty
It was the right-back’s first Derby goal and only the second of his career.
The last time Wisdom scored was on his Liverpool debut in 2012 – and there were almost 2,700 days between the goals.
Derby were two up 10 minutes before the break when the in-form Holmes broke clear and ran to a pinpoint Scott Malone pass before dummying the
keeper and scoring.
But Northampton stunned Cocu’s side less than 90 seconds after the break when they pulled a goal back through Adams.
Paul Anderson caught Rams napping and his cross from the left was turned in by Adams.
But Derby needed just four minutes to score again.
And there was some dispute over the goal as Marriott met Martin’s cross only to see Cornell parry it clear with the ball seemingly over the line.
Malone followed up to make sure of the goal, but it was credited to Marriott.
Either way, Derby had survived a shaky moment and stayed on course for the next round.
Martin then threatened a fourth goal as he saw his powerful shot blocked.
But Northampton still wanted another goal and Hoskins had a shot blocked by Rams defender Matt Clarke.
Rooney’s penalty put paid to any hopes they had of a late comeback.
But Northampton won a penalty of their own with seven minutes left and Hoskins netted from the spot after Curtis Davies had brought down Williams.
The game was wide open compared to the first game, a cagey 0-0 draw at Sixfields, and sub Martyn Waghorn almost squeezed home a fifth for Derby.
And Rams keeper Kelle Roos produced an acrobatic tip over the bar to stop Hoskins adding another.
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
