Derby County were held to a goalless draw by Northampton Town in the Emirates FA Cup Fourth Round at the PTS Stadium.
The two sides will now meet again in a replay at Pride Park Stadium to decide who will move on to the next round of the competition.
The home side had the first of the chances, coming after five minutes. Nicky Adam’s sent a corner towards the edge of the box for Jordan Turnball swung in a shot that ricocheted back. After a scramble in the box, the ball landed to Vadaine Oliver who shot just wide.
The Cobblers forced the Rams to defend for the majority of the opening stages, but on the 14-minute mark Jack Marriott went through on goal with just David Cornell to beat. As he looked to burst into the box he was hauled down from behind by Charlie Goode by referee Darren England failed to even award a free-kick.
Goode’s log throws seemed to be causing most of the danger from Northampton. Ten minutes after he took down Marriott, he sent a throw into the area. Paul Anderson’s half volley from just inside the box was blocked high and was headed on by Chris Lines to Andy Williams who turned and sent his shot into the side netting from yards out.
Straight down the other end, Andre Wisdom sent a ball in from the right that caught a Northampton player and fell into the path of Chris Martin. The striker took the chance but Goode got his body in the way of his low effort.
Minutes later, Martin looked to get on the end of a cross by Jason Knight after the young midfielder made a blistering run down the right, but the cross was deflected out.
Six minutes into the second-half, the Rams had their best chance of the evening so far from a set piece. Wayne Rooney whipped in from the corner towards an unmarked Curtis Davies. The defender rose to head the ball that came at him with slightly too much pace and he guided it just over the crossbar.
Soon, the Cobblers had a set-piece of their own result in the ball grazing the crossbar. Adams’ free-kick from midway in the Rams’ half found Goode in a crowed box who sent his headed effort too high.
Derby continued to apply the pressure and Davies had another chance when he dived in to get his head on the end of Marriott’ cross but this time he was inches wide. Then on the hour mark, after good build-up play, a clever short pass from Martin found Knight in the right of the area. He sent the ball across goal from a tight angle, but no one was there to turn it in.
Chances came few and far between for both sides as the game proceeded with the Rams coming closest to grabbing a late winner from Rooney’s last minute corner, but it flashed across goal and Cornell punched it out of danger.
Northampton Town: Cornell; Goode (C), Turnbull, Harriman; Hoskins, Watson, Anderson (Pollock, 75), Lines, Adams (Roberts, 86); Williams (Warburton, 61), Oliver
Unused Subs: Hall-Johnson, Martin Arnold, Johnston
Derby County: Roos; Wisdom, Davies, Forsyth, Malone; Knight (Whittaker, 82), Bird, Rooney, Sibley (Bogle, 75); Marriott (Waghorn, 66), Martin
Unused Subs: Hamer, Shinnie, Clarke, Holmes