‘We go again’ was the message from Andre Wisdom as Derby County were forced to settle for an Emirates FA Cup Fourth Round replay as they were held to a goalless draw by Sky Bet League Two side Northampton Town.
Neither side could make the breakthrough at the PTS Stadium as the Rams struggled to break down the stubborn Cobblers defence which means the two teams will have to do battle again at Pride Park Stadium for a place in the Fifth Round of the competition.
The game had few clear-cut chances; however, it could have been a different story had an apparent pull back on Jack Marriott by Northampton defender Charlie Goode in the first-half received punishment.
Referee Darren England waved away that protest and despite the Rams pushing for the opening goal, they could not find the goal they craved.
“It’s a replay so we will have to get the job done at home, hopefully,” Wisdom told RamsTV following the game.
“Fair play to Northampton, they put a good performance in today. It was tough for us at times, tough for us to play, tough for us to create chances but all in all it was a draw.
“They have a direct style of play with two big strikers and it meant a lot of second balls to win. There was a lot of crosses, a lot of balls into the box so we just had to deal with it the best we could.
“I felt we did that well as we got a clean sheet. Even though we didn’t create much, it’s good to lock up the doors at the back.
“Hopefully we can be more creative next time around, put the game to bed and advance in the cup.
“We made the most of what we could, and we go again.”
The replay now adds another fixture into an already-busy February. The Rams have seven games during the month, but the defender does not believe it will be an issue.
“That’s part and parcel of the game,” he said. “We have been through periods like this before. Christmas and New Years was the same but we need to make sure we manage ourselves well.
“The medical staf will show us what to do and we are all experienced professionals so we know we need to manage our bodies.
“There is a lot of travelling in there but we will give our all every time we step onto the pitch. All we can hope for is to get results on the board.”