Football Bet of the Day: Rooney's Rams to progress

Visitors to march on

Northampton Town v Derby County
Friday 24 January, 20:00
Live on BT Sport 1

Last night I suffered the most frustration I've endured in Greece since I lost my camera on a school trip to the Parthenon. PAOK won 1-0 at struggling Lamia, but that second goal just wouldn't come. We move on.

We're off to central England now, because Northampton Town are up against Derby County in the fourth round of the FA Cup.

The Cobblers are in the mix for promotion from League Two, as they are currently sixth in the division, two points adrift of third spot. They have put together a run of four wins in five games in all competitions. On home soil, they have won eight of their last nine matches, and they haven't lost at Sixfields since the first week of October, when they were defeated 1-0 by Leyton Orient. Northampton midfielder Ryan Watson is in terrific form, having scored in three of his last four appearances.

Derby's catalogue of mishaps on and off the field in recent years has been populating Twitter feeds recently, but beyond the comedy is the worrying fact that the club's players were paid late in January. That was put down to a delay in investment, but a few fans were still spooked. Derby's repeated brushes with promotion failure haven't come cheap.

On the field, things have been looking up. Also they are still nine points off the playoff places in the Championship, Phillip Cocu's side have a least hit a rich vein of form. They have won four of their last five competitive matches, including a 1-0 success at Premier League side Crystal Palace in round three.

Star signing Wayne Rooney (34 and still razor-sharp) is yet to taste defeat since arriving at Pride Park, and Derby are arguably in their best form of the season. Northampton are missing key defender Scott Wharton because of suspension, and although the Cobblers knocked out League One side Burton in the previous round, Derby may well outclass their opponents tonight, especially with Rooney involved. I'll back the Rams to win here at 1.910/11.