JAY McEveley is due a goal, and if it comes in today’s FA Cup clash at Macclesfield history says it will be one worth seeing.

The defender hasn’t found the net during his 18 months at the County Ground, his last strike coming for Barnsley at Norwich in September 2010, but in the 2009/10 season he did manage two goals from range as Derby made it to the fifth round.

The first was an 88th winner against Doncaster, while the second flew past current England goalkeeper Joe Hart as the Rams lost 2-1 to Birmingham, and the 28-year-old would love nothing more than to add to his tally in a similar fashion tomorrow.

“I scored against the England goalkeeper, Joe Hart, from 35 yards for Derby, so that’s not a bad memory, and I scored in the previous round that year against Doncaster. That was a screamer as well so hopefully that can continue this Saturday,” he said.

“When I was at Blackburn we won 4-1 away at Aston Villa which would have been considered a bit of an upset at the time as well so I suppose I have a decent record in the cup.

“I think it (the FA Cup) is still special, but there are a lot of fixtures and you can’t ask players to play 50 or 60 games a season and maybe cup competitions do give managers the chance to give some players a rest.”

McEveley isn’t expecting Macclesfield to simply rely on knocking the ball long when the two teams meet tomorrow, and after Town were dumped out of the FA Cup by the Silkmen last season, the defender knows his side have to be on their game.

“I spoke to Tyrell and his dad played Macclesfield the other week with Tamworth and the pitch is in great condition and they try to play football,” he said.

“We have to go up there with the same attitude we did on Saturday, which is what the manager is drumming into us, and you have to do that no matter who you are playing.

“We need to play our football and we owe them one from last year too so we are going there to do them.

“We went down to 10 men last year so it’s difficult, but they played pretty well and deserved it. I was impressed by them so I know we can’t take them lightly at all.

“Playing our own game is the main thing we need to do because if we have the same desire, passion and work rate I know we can get a result.”