County Down (and Out)

5th Round

Derby County v Manchester United

Thursday 5th March 7.45pm

Once again we made the short trip to Pride Park for the visit of the constantly improving Manchester United.

It would be the first opportunity for Rooney to face his old club in a Rams shirt, and the excitement around the city was tangible.

We gave ourselves plenty of time to arrive and get in, only to be faced with extensive queues at the turnstiles. This had not been the case for the previous game and, without meaning to cast aspersions on the Derby faithful, the prospect of watching a top Premier League side drew more interest than that of a League 2 club.

By the time we got inside it was close to kick off, so we grabbed a coffee and went up to the stand. We had seats in the front row, just to the right of the goal. I don't usually enjoy sitting so low but there was acres of legroom and I hoped Phyllis and Derek were as comfortable wherever they found themselves.

Across the stadium, a huge contingent of visiting supporters drowned out any efforts from the Rams fans. We got a rendition of 'Steve Bloomer' at the start but, for the rest of the match, it was all United. Very impressive, and I bet some of them even came from Manchester.

For long spells in the first period, Derby matched their higher ranked opponents. Sibley had a great chance to open the scoring but saw his shot slip just wide. He was also instrumental in winning a free kick on the edge of the box, which Rooney eagerly stepped up to take. He curled his shot perfectly for the bottom corner only to see the right palm of Romero push it round the post.

United took the lead in the 33rd minute with a huge stroke of fortune. Derby were defending resolutely, blocking and tackling, and when the ball fell to Shaw he could only manage to hit his shot into the turf. However, the ball looped up and over Kelle Roos, who could only watch as it dropped behind him, nestling into the back of the net. The United player may claim he meant it but I'm not as 'Shaw' as him. 0 - 1.

As the interval approached, the visitors doubled their advantage. Following a bit of a scramble in the Derby box, the ball landed kindly for Ighalo who finished well.

Half Time Derby County 0 - 2 Manchester United

During the break, we had to sample the culinary delights of Pride Park as we had not managed for the Northampton game. While we queued, we spotted some friends who quickly took advantage of our advanced position, greeting us as they slipped into the line. They even got served before us!

I bought a cheeseburger, Samuel had Chicken Dippers and chips and we both had a soft drink. Prices reflected the league status of the club (oh, for those sub-fiver days back in August), although the quality was pretty good.

With nothing to lose, Derby started the second half with intent and almost capitalised on their approach. Bird had a strong effort saved by the reliable Romero, while Waghorn saw a header skim the post.

United recovered from this early onslaught and put the game beyond the hosts with 20 minutes remaining.

Ighalo had been a threat throughout the match and proved his worth again. His shot beat Roos but was cleared off the line, only to rebound back to the United forward who made certain at the second time of asking. 0 - 3.

Despite the game being over as a contest, the Rams continued to probe, seeking a consolation, and gained a free kick in the dying minutes. Rooney tried again, curled it beautifully, beating Romero but, unfortunately, not the cross bar. Oh, so close.

Full Time Derby County 0 - 3 Manchester United

Derby had given a very good account of themselves, with Rooney commanding in midfield, and with this form they could be contenders for the Championship play offs.

United, meanwhile, showed their quality and, with a relatively young side, look likely to go from strength to strength.

Ratings - Food 7/10 (tasty burger, delicious dippers, but a bit over priced); facilities 9/10 (it is still a decent modern stadium); atmosphere and entertainment 8/10 (great effort from Derby, impressive support from United, good to have a full stadium)

Attendance 31379

Round trip 22 miles

#FACup

Jack and Alex

WBA 2 - 3 Newcastle United