Rams sweat on fitness of key player as title hopes hang in the balance

Pompey’s League One title rivals Derby County are sweating over the fitness of a key player from last week’s thrilling 2-2 draw at Fratton Park.

Joe Ward bagged a brace for the Rams in the enthralling first v second encounter thanks to two sweetly struck first-half strikes.

But as Paul Warne’s side travel to Wycombe tonight in the hope of reducing the Blues’ eight-point advantage at the top, there’s a chance they might have to do it without their Fratton Park star man.

The midfielder suffered a knock against Pompey, forcing him off on 71 minutes, and the 28-year-old will be assessed in the buildup to the game at Adams Park, before a decision is made on his availability.

Ward is one of eight players currently receiving treatment from the Derby medical team as they look to secure their return to the Championship.

Callum Eider, Max Bird, Dwight Gale, Craig Forsythe, Tom Barkhuizen, Ryan Nyambe and Tyreece JohnJules are also on the injured list and played no part in the draw at PO4.

Like Ward, Derby will assess Eider, Bird and Barkhuizen again before determining whether they can feature against the Chairboys, who lost to Peterborough in the EFL Trophy final at Wembley on Sunday.

The Rams can still clinch the League One title ahead of John Mousinho’s side. However, they would probably need to win all four of their remaining games and hope Pompey slip up along the way.

Anything but a Derby win tonight would see the Blues secure promotion and the league title if they beat third-placed Bolton at the Toughsheet Community Stadium on Saturday.

Both Pompey and Bolton have four games remaining, with the Blues currently enjoying a nine-point lead over Ian Evatt’s side. Derby have a one-point advantage over the Trotters.