Take a look at Derby County’s remaining fixtures compared to their rivals in the race for League One promotion.
Derby County saw their promotion hopes take a slight blow as they fell to defeat at Northampton Town. The Rams struggled to show their quality as the Cobblers hit them with a devastating counter-attack that left them one-goal down.
Clear cut chances for Martyn Waghorn and Ebou Adams were turned down before a late red card for Sonny Bradley. With their rivals not playing, Derby manager Paul Warne still has a four point gap at the top, but it looks set to be squeezed heading into the final weeks as teams play their games in hand.
So with that said, here’s a look at how the remaining Derby fixtures compare to that of their rivals in the run-in for promotion.
Derby County fixtures
Blackpool (H) – March 29
Next up for Derby County is a return to home turf as they host playoff-chasing Blackpool. The Tangerines have put themselves firmly in the picture for the top six and will be hopeful of continuing that form against the Rams.
Current position: 9th.
Current form: Two wins, one draw, two defeats.
Reverse fixture: Blackpool Town 1-3 Derby County – 3 October, 2023.
Portsmouth (A) – April 2
League leaders Portsmouth are closing in on promotion, having suffered only four defeats this season. Pompey have plenty of quality that could cause some problems for Derby, with the TV cameras focusing on the match.
Current position: 1st.
Current form: Three wins, two draws, zero defeats.
Reverse fixture: Derby County 1-1 Portsmouth – 16 September, 2023.
Wycombe (A) – April 10
Back-to-back away games will see Derby make the trip to Adams Park, facing off with Wycombe Wanderers. They sit mid-table in the division, but have often proven to be a tough side for the Rams to beat in recent years.
Current position: 13th.
Current form: Four wins, zero draws, one defeat.
Reverse fixture: Derby County 1-1 Wycombe Wanderers – 16 December, 2023.
Leyton Orient (H) – April 13
Leyton Orient will be the penultimate home match of the season for Derby as they continue their hunt for promotion. The Orient have an outside chance at playoffs, having hit some decent form in the last few months, but will need a few things to go in their favour to secure a top six finish.
Current position: 10th.
Current form: Two wins, one draw, two defeats.
Reverse fixture: Leyton Orient 0-3 Derby County – 9 December, 2023.
Cambridge United (A) – April 20
The final away day of the season is against Cambridge United, where Derby will be hopeful of closing in on promotion. The Abbey Stadium outfit will equally be keen to avoid relegation at this stage, having encountered a turbulent season.
Current position: 20th.
Current form: Zero wins, one draw, four defeats.
Reverse fixture: Derby County 0-0 Cambridge United – 30 September, 2023.
Carlisle (H) – April 27
Rounding off the regulation season is a home game against Carlisle United. Derby will welcome back former player and coach Paul Simpson, who has had a tough season in charge, with 15 points separating the team from safety.
Current position: 24th
Current form: Zero wins, one draw, four defeats.
Reverse fixture: Carlisle United 0-2 Derby County – 23 September, 2023.
Average league position of opposition: 13th.
Portsmouth fixtures
Wycombe (A) – March 29
Derby County (H) – April 2
Shrewsbury (H) – April 6
Bolton (A) – April 13
Barnsley (H) – April 16
Wigan (H) – April 20
Lincoln City (A) – April 27
Current form: Three wins, two draws, zero defeats.
Average league position of opposition: 9th.
Bolton fixtures
Stevenage (H) – March 29
Reading (H) – April 1
Bristol Rovers (A) – April 6
Portsmouth (H) – April 13
Shrewsbury (H) – April 16
Port Vale (H) – April 20
Peterborough (A) – April 27
Current form: Two wins, two draws, one defeat.
Average league position of opposition: 12th.
Barnsley fixtures
Cambridge United (H) – March 29
Burton Albion (A) – April 1
Charlton (A) – April 6
Stevenage (A) – April 9
Reading (H) – April 13
Portsmouth (A) – April 16
Blackpool (A) – April 20
Northampton (H) – April 27
Current form: Two wins, two draws, one defeat.
Average league position of opposition: 13th.
Peterborough fixtures
Carlisle (H) – March 29
Leyton Orient (A) – April 1
Port Vale (H) – April 10
Oxford United (A) – April 13
Fleetwood Town (H) – April 16
Bristol Rovers (A) – April 20
Cheltenham Town (A) – April 23
Bolton (H) – April 27
Current form: Four wins, zero draws, one defeat.
Average league position of opposition: 15th.
Our verdict
Derby have it all to do in terms of gaining promotion, following their defeat to Northampton. The Rams will have to battle through injuries and a few tough fixtures to put themselves into the best position possible for the top two.
While all of their rivals have a game in hand, the east Midlands outfit still have their fate in their hands. As for those around them, Portsmouth appear to be closing in quite comfortably on a top two finish at the very least.
It would leave one spot remaining for the rest, with Peterborough seemingly having the kindest run-in on paper, but with a hectic fixture schedule. Barnsley and Bolton will also fancy their chances, with the promotion race set to go down to the wire.