Third Round Day of the FA Cup, tenterhooks. Mid table Championship Rams against high flying Tranmere Rovers perched near the top of the division below. It can’t be plain sailing not with Derby’s cup record.

Expecting an argument, we arrive to pick up tickets early. Very early, just after ten o’clock. We don’t get one, argument that is, as the club use common sense and belatedly open another section of the East Upper after cramming “customers” into the inferior Lower Blocks.

The first result of the day!

Filling the hours we wander round the Eagle Centre or Westfield as it is now known. M&S further reductions, one shirt stands out, and incredibly it’s my size. Sold, result number two.

Back to Pride Park and free admission into the Pedigree Suite, beer in glasses, plenty of room, excellent Turkey Cobs, Roast Potatoes with herbs and sea salt they’re delicious.

If Carlsberg did pre match it would be like this. They do and until 13:30 it’s only £2.50 a pint.

Watch Brighton beat the Toon Army after a rolling cheating Seagull gets Ameobi sent off. Chats to Evan Simpson a fellow Rams-netter, then the blinds come down and it’s time to go.

A change from the fine performance against Middlesbrough, Freeman is dropped and Gareth Roberts starts. We set up 4-5-1 it lasts a short while, then its 4-2-3-1 morphing into 4-4-2, before the whole thing becomes too fluid to figure out.

Tranmere do start well however, Adam Legzdins is called into action; they play football these scousers, no kick and rush here. The only kicker is ex Leeds United’s rotund Andy Robinson who might be classed a nasty piece if he could ever move fast enough to catch anybody.

Catching or rather picking up a back pass the Rovers keeper concedes and Indirect Free Kick in his area. We act like five year olds faced with a childproof bottle of pills and eventually throw away opportunity.

It’s scrappy with neither team holding the ball particularly well.

As befits the match the first goal is a messy affair. Paul Coutts shot squirms under Owain Fon Williams body and Ben Davies slides over the line seemingly sitting on the ball.

One - Nil half time it’ll do.

Second half and Conor Sammon takes a shot, it deflects off a defender, off the hapless Williams and into the back of the net. We are two up with our third shot on target. Tranmere’s defence is atrocious.

Two becomes three after Williams palms Michael Jacobs’ shot for a corner and from the set play John Brayford lying on the floor in the six yard box swings a leg and sweeps the ball into the back of the net.

Jeff Hendrick fires one straight at the keeper then moment’s later beats Williams with ease finding the corner of the net to add the fourth goal.

Conor Doyle is brought into the fray, he takes his time to adjust to game but when he does he releases a killer pass to fellow substitute Mason Bennett who blasts the ball into the net. Bennett at a mere sixteen years of age becomes the youngest goal scorer for the Rams at first team level.

Doyle then feeds Brayford with another inch perfect pass as Derby look for a sixth. It’s not to be though and referee Mark Halsey bring the game to an end.

A fine victory but one that flattered the Rams, eight shots on target, five goals, we have played much, much better and full credit to Tranmere and their fans for trying and singing till the very end.

Three results then - for me anyway - almost a perfect day.

Photo: Action Images

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