Derby County booked their place in the last 16 of the EFL Trophy with an emphatic 3-0 victory over Fleetwood Town.
A James Collins double and a second goal in two games for Tyreece John-Jules took Derby a step closer to Wembley.
Paul Warne’s side haven’t won a piece of silverware since winning the Championship play-off final against West Bromwich Albion in 2007.
However, winger Joe Ward is confident that winning the EFL Trophy this season is an achievable target.
What has Joe Ward said about Derby’s EFL Trophy chances?
Speaking to BBC Sport, he said:
“We’re a strong team and if we keep winning we’ll have confidence to get to the final.
“I’m very confident – we’re feeling good as a team. We have got bodies back and we have just got to keep winning, build momentum and take it on and push in the league.
“We’re just digging in, giving 100% and hopefully it starts to pay off. We’re gelling well and hopefully we will keep improving.”
Derby are currently flying in League One following four straight victories and although promotion is their sole target, transferring their league form across to the EFL Trophy has proven pivotal to their chances.
The Rams have scored 11 goals across four matches in this competition with Ward returning to the starting lineup against Fleetwood to assist one of their goals.
The 28-year-old has been plagued with injury issues since arriving from Peterborough United in the summer and his last start in the league was back in August as Derby lost 2-1 against Oxford.
However, after impressing at right-back against the Cod Army, Ward will be hoping to contribute positively to Derby’s quest for silverware and promotion.
Can Derby win the EFL Trophy?
This season represents the furthest the Rams have gone in the EFL Trophy and history dictates that Derby can be confident of going all the way.
Given the past two winners of the competition have achieved success in League One as Rotherham were promoted to the Championship in 2022 and Bolton Wanderers finished the play-offs last season, Derby are in a fine position to clinch silverware.
The beauty of going deep into a cup competition is that Warne is able to use the full breadth of talent he has at his disposal and this has proven pivotal to achieving a strong morale.
With the Midlands side currently inside the play-offs, six points behind the automatic promotion place, it is entirely possible that Derby could scoop the double this season by lifting silverware and earning promotion.