The Journeyman Chronicles

chesterfan2 · April 10, 2014

Tuesday November 17th 2015

nPower League Two

Venue: Sixfields Stadium

Northampton Town (1st) vs. Luton Town(14th)

Unchanged side, now how hard was that. Looking to get off on the front foot in the first half, that’s a bit harder ? yes ?

This time I try the ‘If we play our own game we’ll win’ pre-match team talk. Worth a go.

It didn’t work. Or alternatively it worked very badly. A goal down in 73 seconds. B*gger.

Or maybe it did. On 7 minutes Coke chased an aimless through ball, and then eluded two defenders to slot the ball home from a narrow angle, a good chase of a hopeless cause by Coke there.

Then, on 18, Coke, not as yet unmasked as a prolific goalscorer, got his, and our, second, firing home a shot, low, from the edge of the box, that went at such a pace that the keeper had no chance.

Luton levelled on 37, a sublime chip over the advancing Nicholls, a good goal it has to be said, not much you can do about those. Nothing other than try and score at the other end, and a minute shy of half time we did just that. Widdowson corner, Eaves heading home unchallenged.

So half time 3-2 up. More of the same I reckoned. The fans wanted entertainment, you couldn’t say the first half wasn’t entertaining, now could you ?

I asked them to do the same in the second half but I’m beginning to think two good halves in the same match are beyond them. Shambolic defending on 75 gifted Luton an equaliser. I responded by taking off Thompson and replacing him with Junior.

It didn’t help, Luton shut up shop and the game drifted on to be the inevitable draw it was always going to be.

Final Score: Northampton Town 3-3 Luton Town

League Position: 1st

Scorers : Coke 2, Eaves

Man Of The Match: Giles Coke

Team: Nicholls, Kane, Widdowson, Hammar, Armstrong, Thompson (Junior 76) , D’Ath, Keegan, Coke, Edwards, Eaves

chesterfan2 · April 11, 2014

Saturday November 21st 2015

nPower League Two

Venue: Sixfields Stadium

Northampton Town (1st) vs. Bristol Rovers (11th)

The games come thick and fast in this league and you need players you can slot in and slot out of a system. I felt we had that now but was still wary of making too many changes to a side as I felt that you need some form of continuity. Here I made 4 changes, and I wondered if that was going to be too many.

A bad start, a goal down on 6 minutes. Hammar gave the ball away deep in his own half and it was a fairly simple task for the forward players of Rovers to pass their way to an opening and a well-placed shot left Nicholls with no chance.

The rest of the half sped by, all action, not many chances, their 4-1-2-2-1 formation matching up well to ours and preventing us from making any decent chances. I asked them to be more aggressive after half time, to push on more. Perhaps if we could unsettle them we’d be able to get back into this game.

It seemed to work, at least initially. Eaves headed over when well placed on 51 minutes, he should have done better, but we did force an equaliser on 67, as Junior powered his way through the defence, to create a one-on-one chance with the keeper which he converted, a very well taken goal.

The game was up for grabs then, both sides had half chances but neither of us could take them and the game played out to a draw. Two points lost, a chance for the chasing teams to close right up. Still first for now, but teams have games in hand on us now, so it may well not last.

Final Score: Northampton Town 1-1 Bristol Rovers

League Position: 1st

Scorers : Junior

Man Of The Match: Todd Kane

Team: Nicholls, Kane, Meades, Hammar, Armstrong, Thompson , Williams, Keegan, Junior, McCourt, Eaves

chesterfan2 · April 11, 2014

Tuesday November 24th 2015

nPower League Two

Venue: The Crown Ground

Accrington Stanley (18th) vs. Northampton Town (1st)

More changes, most significant of which was the return of Jackson after injury to the defence. Hammar dropping out. Shane Williams, who made his debut in the box-to-box role in the last match keeps his place for this one.

Accrington play in a hard, uncompromising manner and it was tough going out there in the first half. Both Fallon and Junior ended up needing treatment on the sidelines after particularly robust challenges. The only surprising thing was that the ref kept his cards in his pockets. Accrington came closest to scoring in the first 45 when they hit the bar with a long range effort, we created very little.

I told the lads they could win this if they kept going, and a couple of them were enthused by that. Believe me, I’m grateful if they ever show any emotions from my team talks any more.

And if all else fails, go to a standby. 46 minutes, a Widdowson near post corner, Rory Fallon attacking the near post rising unchallenged to head it home, 1-0 !

On 55, we made it two. Accrington were caught in possession in their own half by Fallon, he passed to Edwards who crossed it, aiming for McCourt, he didn’t get it, but the ball was only cleared as far as D’Ath just outside the box. His thunderbolt cannoned back off the right hand post, back into the path of Fallon, open goal. 2-0.

On 63 Edwards took a flick on from Fallon in his stride, powered into the box and slotted the ball past the keeper from a narrow angle for a very well taken goal. 3-0.

In the first minute of injury time Junior did well and created a goalscoring opportunity for Fallon. The New Zealander, in acres of space in the box made no mistake, tucking the ball inside the left hand post to complete both his hatrick and this second half rout.

This was just what the doctor ordered, a dominant 4-0 win, a fabulous team effort. We also enjoyed the fact that our nearest challengers, Torquay drew, and Dagenham & Redbridgelost, thus giving us a bit of a cushion that their game in hand each can’t bridge on its own.

Final Score: Accrington Stanley 0-4 Northampton Town

League Position: 1st

Scorers : Fallon 3, Edwards

Man Of The Match: Rory Fallon

Team: Nicholls, Kane, Widdowson, Jackson, Armstrong, D’Ath, Williams, McCourt, Junior, Edwards, Fallon

On the first of December we welcomed another player into the fold. Nigerian Osahon Eboigbe, just out of contract at Finnish First Division side Ilves where he has been banging them in on a regular basis and was the division’s player of the month a couple of times. Arguably, with us playing just one striker we don’t need another player in, but I guess what worries me is that Twardzik, Noble and Bilyev don’t score on a regular basis when called on to do so. He won’t be available to play in the League until January when I can reorder the Player registrations, but he should be a valuable addition to the squad come that time.

chesterfan2 · April 11, 2014

Saturday December 5th 2015

FA Cup Second Round

Venue: Cressing Road Stadium

Braintree Town (BSS 2nd) vs. Northampton Town (L2 1st)

Of course the FA cup doesn’t use the Player Registration rules so Eboigbe can start here, no other changes, as we’ve had a blank week prior to this match.

It takes the Nigerian just two and a half minutes to open his account for the team. A Widdowson corner, headed in at the near post. Welcome to Northampton, son.

His second, came on 27 minutes, this one not from a set piece but still created by a cross from the left by Widdowson. This time he shot on the turn, and beat the keeper all ends up. Not the best opposition we’ll face but if he can keep doing that, he’ll do all right here.

Half time, and I tell them they are doing well, and to go for the throat in the second half. No reason, really, other than wanting to see what they can do.

A minute into the second half and we were three up, Jackson, popping up on the right after taking a throw-in in the Braintree half, hit a long, lazy, looping cross which the keeper failed to come out and claim. It looked as though he could have easily managed to do just that, and not doing so allowed McCourt to ghost in at the far post to nod it home from a couple of yards at most.

On 67, Ebiogbe completed his hatrick, set up for the third time by a left wing cross by Widdowson. This one was the best of the lot a volley from a tight angle that rocketed in. On 75 I replaced McCourt who had taken a knock and was struggling off, replacing him with Meades.

On 82, young Shane Williams capped another good performance by grabbing his first goal for the club, a shot through a ruck of players that left the keeper unsighted. I took the opportunity to take Ebiogbe off, to the standing ovation his play had deserved, and gave Eaves a seven minute run out.

To be fair Braintree weren’t just here to make up the numbers, they played their part and were unlucky on a couple of occasions not to make more of the few chances we did allow them. In truth this was an excellent performance by the team, very proud of them I was. Now I wonder who we would get in round three ?

Final Score: Braintree Town 0-5 Northampton Town

Scorers : Egoibge 3, McCourt, Williams

Man Of The Match: Osahon Egoibge

Team: Nicholls, Kane, Widdowson, Jackson, Armstrong, D’Ath, Williams, McCourt (Meades 76), Junior, Edwards, Egoibge (Eaves 83)

In the Third Round draw we get a trip to a Premier League side, perhaps not one of the ones we wanted, but Wolves are a big side and we’ll still have to do really well to get anything out of that one.

And the table at this, the league's halfway, point, looked like this:

 | Pos   | Inf   | Team           |       | Pld   | Won   | Drn   | Lst   | For   | Ag    | G.D.  | Pts   | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| [b]1st   |       | Northampton    |       | 23    | 14    | 4     | 5     | 46    | 24    | +22   | 46   [/b] | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 2nd   |       | Dag & Red      |       | 23    | 12    | 7     | 4     | 40    | 20    | +20   | 43    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 3rd   |       | Torquay        |       | 23    | 12    | 5     | 6     | 34    | 20    | +14   | 41    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 4th   |       | Shrewsbury     |       | 23    | 12    | 4     | 7     | 36    | 26    | +10   | 40    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 5th   |       | Gateshead      |       | 23    | 12    | 3     | 8     | 33    | 31    | +2    | 39    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 6th   |       | AFC Wimbledon  |       | 23    | 11    | 5     | 7     | 41    | 32    | +9    | 38    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 7th   |       | Morecambe      |       | 23    | 11    | 5     | 7     | 34    | 33    | +1    | 38    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 8th   |       | Leyton Orient  |       | 23    | 9     | 10    | 4     | 26    | 20    | +6    | 37    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 9th   |       | Burton         |       | 23    | 10    | 5     | 8     | 37    | 38    | -1    | 35    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 10th  |       | Fleetwood      |       | 23    | 9     | 7     | 7     | 32    | 30    | +2    | 34    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 11th  |       | Bristol Rovers |       | 23    | 7     | 12    | 4     | 22    | 18    | +4    | 33    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 12th  |       | Luton          |       | 23    | 9     | 4     | 10    | 35    | 32    | +3    | 31    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 13th  |       | Plymouth       |       | 23    | 8     | 5     | 10    | 30    | 24    | +6    | 29    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 14th  |       | Cheltenham     |       | 23    | 8     | 4     | 11    | 21    | 27    | -6    | 28    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 15th  |       | Gillingham     |       | 23    | 7     | 6     | 10    | 27    | 32    | -5    | 27    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 16th  |       | Hartlepool     |       | 23    | 7     | 6     | 10    | 24    | 33    | -9    | 27    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 17th  |       | Stockport      |       | 23    | 6     | 8     | 9     | 28    | 32    | -4    | 26    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 18th  |       | Barnet         |       | 23    | 5     | 9     | 9     | 28    | 32    | -4    | 24    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 19th  |       | Aldershot      |       | 23    | 6     | 6     | 11    | 28    | 36    | -8    | 24    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 20th  |       | Scunthorpe     |       | 23    | 6     | 6     | 11    | 29    | 38    | -9    | 24    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 21st  |       | Cambridge      |       | 23    | 6     | 6     | 11    | 28    | 39    | -11   | 24    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 22nd  |       | Accrington     |       | 23    | 6     | 6     | 11    | 25    | 43    | -18   | 24    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 23rd  |       | Walsall        |       | 23    | 5     | 7     | 11    | 19    | 37    | -18   | 22    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 24th  |       | Grimsby        |       | 23    | 5     | 6     | 12    | 30    | 36    | -6    | 21    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
|       |       |                |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

chesterfan2 · April 14, 2014

Saturday December 12th 2015

nPower League Two

Venue: The International Stadium

Gateshead (5th) vs. Northampton Town (1st)

A difficult away game this, at least on paper so I select the 4-1-2-2-1 formation.

No goals in the first half but for a change this game was ok for entertainment. We had a goal disallowed, Kane caught offside as he burst into the box, and Gateshead had a couple of chances that Nicholls dealt with ease. For the half time team talk I told them they could win if they wanted it enough. That seemed to work.

Unfortunately the performance didn’t improve and this game fizzled out, from not much to begin with, into an insipid draw. It wasn’t all bad as both Dagenham and Torquay lost away from home in this round of games, thus stretching our lead by a single point.

Final Score: Gateshead 0-0 Northampton Town

League Position: 1st

Scorers :

Man Of The Match: Todd Kane

Team: Nicholls, Kane, Widdowson, Jackson, Hammar (Armstrong 57),Junior, D’Ath, Thompson, McCourt, Edwards, Fallon

chesterfan2 · April 14, 2014

Tuesday December 15th 2015

nPower League Two

Venue: The Hive, Harrow

Barnet (16th) vs. Northampton Town (1st)

Back to the 4-2-3-1 formation for this one. Armstrong returns in place of an unfit Johan Hammar, This leaves us with only two fit central defenders again. We’ll need more depth in January.

Barnet started by pressing us all over the pitch, this hurried us in our play, but also made it easier to attack as long as we moved the ball quickly. On 4 minutes we moved the ball quickly, Junior striding on to the edge of the box, and unleashing a shot which came back off the post straight to Coke, following in, who calmly put the ball away.

On 10 our failure to land a tackle led to Barnet equalising, a cross from the left and a header at the near post. Textbox stuff. On 23 we retook the lead, a flowing move culminating in an Edwards ball into the box, which Eaves ran onto and rammed home from short range.

2-1 up at half time and despite the advice from the Assistant Manager to just say ‘well done and carry on’ I decided to mention it to them that they shouldn’t think the job finished and to guard against complacency. The dissenting voices to that were far outnumbered by the positives.

The second half was, as I predicted, a close contest between a side trying to get back on terms and one trying to stop them, nip and tuck for almost the whole period, but we held firm and didn’t give up any chances that could conceivably brought an equaliser. Near the end Eaves added a third to give the score a veneer our lot didn’t quite deserve. I told the lads that in the post-match talk, it seemed to upset them all, I right screwed that chat up.

Final Score: Barnet 1-3 Northampton Town

League Position: 1st

Scorers : Coke, Eaves 2

Man Of The Match: Tom Eaves

Team: Nicholls, Kane, Widdowson, Jackson, Armstrong ,Junior, D’Ath, Keegan, Coke, Edwards, Eaves

chesterfan2 · April 14, 2014

Saturday December 19th 2015

nPower League Two

Venue: Sixfields Stadium

Northampton Town (1st) vs. AFC Wimbledon (4th)

Another difficult game as Wimbledon are bang in form, or rather their centre forward Jack Midson is bang in form at the moment. Just over half the games gone and the lad has 27 league goals to his credit already. The next highest scorer for them has six. Stop Midson and you stop Wimbledon. Of course the other way would be to score more often than he does, I thought that was a more plausible scenario !

Cagey would be the best way to describe the first period, few chances to either side, which is encouraging as far as Jack Midson goes, less so for our own strikers. At half time I decided we should try and push on, at least initially, and try and get an early goal. I’d soon see if it was an effective plan.

It didn’t work. As we pushed up we left gaps at the back. On 66 Midson missed an open goal, but the travelling Wimbledon public didn’t have long to wait. They got a goal on 72, from a player who wasn’t Midson, but we left him free whilst we concentrated on Midson so perhaps he can claim an assist !. On 74 he got a goal of his own, that his play, quite frankly, had deserved. 2 goals in two minutes , a bit of a setback.

We shut up shop at the back but that was very much shutting the stable door after the horse had bolted, we created nothing going forward in the entire match. I know it was against a side in form, but was it time to rethink the tactics again ?

Final Score: Northampton Town 0-2 AFC Wimbledon

League Position: 1st

Scorers :

Man Of The Match: Adam Jackson

Team: Nicholls, Kane, Meades, Jackson, Armstrong ,Junior, Thompson, McCourt, Coke, Edwards, Fallon

chesterfan2 · April 15, 2014

Saturday December 26th 2015

nPower League Two

Venue: Sixfields Stadium

Northampton Town (1st) vs. Cheltenham Town(14th)

The traditional Boxing Day fixture was always a well attended game, so what I wanted to do was put on a performance that would encourage more people to come and watch us on a more regular basis. To that end I persisted with the existing formations, I didn’t want introduce anything new now, or for that matter before the cup tie at Wolves. After that game would be the best time to do it.

During the previous week Jackson had suffered an injury in the weights room and would be out for a couple of weeks. So Hammar came back in. But the good news was that Fulton had returned to training after seven weeks out, and whilst lacking in match fitness was ok to sit on the bench.

For the team talk I went to the old post-drubbing standby: “If play our own game, we’ll win” , get them all playing more relaxed, it would hopefully have the desired effect.

It did and it didn’t. We played well but without troubling the visiting keeper. We defended too deep and invited some pressure on that Nicholls did well to turn round the post. We were under pressure for most of the half. When we did score, right at the end of the half, in the 45th minute, it was very much against the run of play, for the goal a swift passing move ended with Fallon putting McCourt in on goal, he steadied himself and placed a shot past the keeper and in off the far post, a very well taken goal.

A half we had, at times struggled in, but we still led 1-0 at the break. Once again I warned of complacency, this warning was, I think, well timed, as it seemed to refocus a couple of the players’ minds.

The first five minutes of the second half saw us press for a second but despite some frantic goalmouth action following a series of Widdowson corners we couldn’t force the ball home. Finally Cheltenham managed to break out and forced Nicholls into one of the saves of the season, a headlong dive to turn a laser beam of a shot round the post.

Just past the hour Giles Coke had to come off, injured. David Robertson replaced him. On 72 it was Robertson who pounced to force the ball home after Edwards’ first effort was blocked following a Fallon cross. That was it for Cheltenham, their goose was cooked, and we coasted to a victory that at one stage didn’t look as comfortable as it did by the end.

Final Score: Northampton Town 2-0 Cheltenham Town

League Position: 1st

Scorers : McCourt, Robertson

Man Of The Match: John Armstrong

Team: Nicholls, Kane, Widdowson, Hammar, Armstrong ,Junior, Thompson, McCourt, Coke(Robertson 63), Edwards, Fallon

chesterfan2 · April 15, 2014

Monday December 28th 2015

nPower League Two

Venue: Glandford Park

Scunthorpe United (19th) vs. Northampton Town(1st)

Of course the other feature of the festive programme is two league games played in the space of three days. Here I felt I had to make wholesale changes as I felt it was better to use the fitness of the lads on the fringes of the first team squad rather than exhaust the ‘usual suspects’, the thing was the other team would be in exactly the same situation, it was how you dealt with it that counts.

We looked like two tired teams in the first 45, though we hit the bar midway through the period that was the only high spot of the entire 45, and it ended goalless. Meanwhile The Daggers were a goal up in their game, meaning at that point we were down in second spot. I told them we could win and sent them back out. It didn’t get much of reaction, but it got some.

Into the second half, and more of the same initially. Slowly chances began to flow at both ends and on 67 we were the first to convert one of them. Hackett cross from the right, Keegan met it on the half volley and hit it very sweetly into the top left hand corner of the net. More chances followed, characterised by wayward finishing on both sides, but, right at the death, Scunthorpe managed to convert one of them, grabbing the equaliser right at the death and thus condemning us to second place.

Final Score: Scunthorpe Untied 1-1 Northampton Town

League Position: 2nd

Scorers : Keegan

Man Of The Match: Lawson D’Ath

Team: Nicholls, Kane, Meades, Hammar, Fulton , Williams, D’Ath, Keegan, Robertson , Hackett, Eaves

chesterfan2 · April 16, 2014

Saturday January 2nd 2016

FA Cup Third Round

Venue: Molineux

Wolverhampton Wanderers (PRM 20th) vs. Northampton Town(L2 2nd)

Prior to the match we added another player, this one on a month’s loan from Birmingham City, He’s Fraser Kerr, he’s 22 and a central defender. He goes straight into today’s lineup as Birmingham are not bothered if he gets cup tied. Not sure if that says more about the lads prospects or about Birmingham’s realistic expectations for the cup.

We go in with the 4-1-2-2-1 formation as it offers the defence some cover, in the form of Junior playing as a defensive midfielder. Fallon chosen up front ahead of Eboigbe, that was a close decision.

Things didn’t start well, on 6 minutes just as we looked like clearing a dangerous Wolves attack, Fallon carelessly gave away the ball, and the Wolves forwards had an easy job of picking passes through the defenders who thought the ball was on its way clear and scored a very straightforward goal. On 19 it was two, and quite clear it was going to be a long day.

On the half hour mark we got our first corner. Widdowson played it into the near post, Fallon headed it in. A lifeline out of nowhere, lovely.

Half time soon came round and we were, at the time, holding our own. 2-1 and I gave the lads the idea that we could still get something out of the match. Well, it was possible, wasn’t it ?

Maybe it was. 52 minutes on the clock and we equalised. Yes, we equalised. Edwards managed to get to the byline. It looked like he had pulled his cutback too far, as it was behind Fallon, but Lawson D’Ath swept in and fired the ball home. The travelling fans went wild.

The rest of the game went by in a blur of hard challenges, desperate blocks and fine goalkeeping. We held firm, and earned ourselves a replay and a place in the following day’s Fourth Round draw.

Final Score: Wolverhampton Wanderers 2-2 Northampton Town

Scorers : Fallon, D’Ath

Man Of The Match: Joe Widdowson

Team: Nicholls, Kane, Widdowson, Kerr, Armstrong, Junior, D’Ath, Thompson, McCourt, Edwards, Fallon

Our potential reward for even more cup heroics ? A Fourth Round trip to Bolton. No comment.

In the run up to the rearranged league game from the preceding weekend (it was due to be played the following Wednesday), I signed more defensive cover, 20 year old Dion Conroy on a three month loan from Derby.

chesterfan2 · April 17, 2014

Wednesday January 6th 2016

nPower League Two

Venue: Sixfields Stadium

Northampton Town (2nd) vs. Stockport County(16th)

Neither of the new guys start here, Hammar and Armstrong, who has been playing really well recently, are fully fit and will start at the centre of defence.

They play a 3-4-1-2 formation which gives them more options up front, but gives us three at the back to attack out wide, strangely though the first half didn’t pan out like that, the only real chance coming on the half hour where Stockport had a goal disallowed for offside.

At half time I reverted to the 4-1-2-2-1 formation, to counter the attacking threat of Stockport but to still retain the attacking force on the wings.

On 55 I made a change taking off Eboigbe and replacing him with Eaves, the big lad was struggling a bit and went a bit anonymous, we can’t afford that with only one striker. It didn’t matter much as on 67 Junior picked up his second yellow and was off. We had to go defensive after that, and rearranged as best we could. We battened down the hatches and went for playing on the break.

They had another one chalked off for offside, this one by about a nautical mile, and on 87 we broke down the field, or rather Jordan Keegan went on a solitary run down the left and into the box, hoping that either Eaves or Edwards would find the legs to come up and give him someone to cross to. With no one to cross to he checked back and then had his legs swept from under him by the Stockport defender. The linesman stuck his flag across his chest and the referee duly pointed to the spot. Keegan himself was the man to step up and he put it right in the corner for a late lead we barely deserved. Frankly, though, who cares ?

We saw out the last five minutes, including injury time, and the smash and grab raid was complete. Dagenham had lost at the weekend previous so we went back to the top of the table. Which was nice.

Final Score: Northampton Town 1-0 Stockport County

League Position: 1st

Scorers : Keegan (pen)

Man Of The Match: Johan Hammar

Team: Nicholls, Kane, Widdowson, Hammar, Armstrong , Junior (off 65), D’Ath, Robertson, Keegan, Edwards, Ebiogbe (Eaves 55)

Of course, Junior’s one game suspension would come at a bad time. His one game would be the away game at second placed Dagenham & Redbridge, Sods Law wasn’t it ? So we went once more to the transfer market to resolve the issue. I had a couple of irons in the fire but only one came off in tome for the match. Mikele Leigertwood was the player, 33 and highly experienced. On loan from Huddersfield for the season with a view to a permanent move for £35000 if we can free up enough wage budget to accommodate him, which was the big question.

chesterfan2 · April 17, 2014

Saturday January 9th 2016

nPower League Two

Venue: Victoria Road

Dagenham & Redbridge (2nd) vs Northampton Town (1st)

Leigertwood came straight in for the suspended Junior, in a 4-1-2-2-1 that matched up to Dagenham’s formation.

The first half was dour, cagey, ultimately uninspiring. Rubbish in other words, a typical top of the table clash with neither side wanting to commit players forward. My reckoning was that a win here would go a long way to securing automatic promotion at the end of the season, and so I asked them to push on.

It took 20 minutes to get anywhere with it, but get there they did, eventually. Well, they got there by a fluke goal. 65 minutes on the clock a deep cross from the right wing by Kane. I think the wind took it a bit and it sailed over the committed keeper’s head and dropped into the net. The lad, Kane didn’t mean it by any means, but I think he’ll find that they all count.

On 80, however, Hammar fluffed a clearance and Dagenham were level. That was it as far as scoring was concerned, a draw in the end, it resolves nothing, but then, at least neither of us missed out.

Final Score: Dagenham & Redbridge 1-1 Northampton Town

League Position: 1st

Scorers : Kane

Man Of The Match: Todd Kane

Team: Nicholls, Kane, Widdowson, Hammar, Kerr , Leigertwood, D’Ath, Thompson, Keegan, McCourt, Fallon

Following the match I was approached by League One team Carlisle to be their manager. I declined. A team at the top of League Two for one currently 21st in League One, I don’t think that’s a step up, do you ?

Gary_Parker · April 18, 2014

Some good results there. I'm enjoying this. Glad you rejected Carlisle too.

chesterfan2 · April 20, 2014

Thanks Gary, I think sticking with Northampton was the right choice for now too.

Wednesday January 13th 2016

FA Cup Third Round Replay

Venue: Sixfields Stadium

Northampton Town(L2 1st ) vs. Wolverhampton Wanderers (PRM 20th)

We welcomed Wolves and the live TV cameras to a cold and gusty Sixfields Stadium, packed to the gills with screaming locals. Small chance though I felt we had, I did have to realise that this was the very best chance we could have hoped for.

Leigertwood was , unfortunately, injured for this match, just a knock but bad enough to keep him out, so Junior reverted to the defensive midfielder role. Eboigbe got another run out up front, I hoped he was a quick learner and as such selecting him would be less of a gamble and more of a tactical surprise.

For a full 35 minutes at the start of the match we tore into tackles, denied them time on the ball, generally made it impossible for them to create an attack. Then on 37 minutes we inexplicably switched off, allowed them to march the ball up the pitch, then send over a cross that caused such panic that Junior headed the ball into his own net. Disaster for the lad, disaster for us.

Then on 45, right on the brink of half time we got a lucky break of our own. Kane lofted a high ball down the park, the Wolves defender managed to get underneath the headed clearance and only managed to head it into the path of Eboigbe, through on goal, who made no mistake in the one-on-one with the advancing keeper. 1-1 on the stroke of half time.

I told them that the tie was theirs if they wanted it, and set them up to play more on the counterattack in the second half. It was a gamble for sure, but you have to gamble sometimes if you want to win.

On 48 it looked like it might just happen, Keegan intercepted a stray pass across the Wolves back four on the half way line and hared off down the pitch. He tried to go round the keeper, but was forced wide and his shot was then cleared off the line for a corner. A real shame.

On 51 it got a whole lot harder. Eboigbe was muscled off the ball in the box, he thought it was a penalty and made his case a little too forcefully to the referee. He’d already been booked for a foul in the first half so this yellow for dissent saw him take an early bath and leave us with no striker in the lone striker role. We’d have to manage.

The sending off rocked us a bit and it was no surprise when Wolves got their second only five minutes later. It was looking grim.

However, we found it somewhere in the locker to hit back almost immediately, Robertson and the Thompson combining to take the ball to the edge of the Wolves box, the Wolves defender then underhit his backpass, allowing Thompson to nip in and score from close range. Two all now, and it all, seemingly, to play for.

The next thirty minutes played out like a proper cup tie, blood and thunder and the lads worked themselves to a standstill, but we stopped them scoring.

Into extra time and I sacrificed Edwards to bring on Fallon to give us a presence up front. D’Ath and Hammar replaced the exhausted Thompson and Anderson to give us some fresh legs for the extra time period. All my eggs in one basket, but now was the time to do it, don’t you think ?

There was only the one real chance for either side in the first period of extra time. It fell to us, Keegan, recipient of a long free kick from the half way line, took the ball to the byline, inside the box, he stood the ball up for Fallon to head home. Wolves were double-teaming Fallon and managed to get a block in the way, the ball shot back across the face of goal where Keegan was there to slam the ball home. 3-2, we lead for the first time !

In the second period of extra time Wolves threw the kitchen sink at us, but we did not give up an equaliser. They had a string of corners in the final couple of minutes but when their forward was spotted giving Kerr a hefty push in order to get near the incoming ball, it was all over. When Nicholls boomed the free kick down the pitch the referee blew for full time, and we were through to the next round.

Final Score: Northampton Town 3- 2 Wolverhampton Wanderers (aet 2-2 at 90 minutes)

Scorers : Eboigbe, Thompson, Keegan

Man Of The Match: Fraser Kerr

Team: Nicholls, Kane, Widdowson, Kerr, Armstrong (Hammer 90) , Junior, Robertson, Thompson (D’Ath 90), Keegan, Edwards (Fallon 90), Ebiogbe (off 51)

mark wilson27 · April 20, 2014

Another cracking Cup result...keep it up sir

Gary_Parker · April 22, 2014

Great cup result. Giant killers on the march?

chesterfan2 · April 22, 2014

Keep watching Gary, Mark, the ride is about to continue!

Saturday January 23rd 2016

FA Cup Fourth Round

Venue: The Reebok Stadium

Bolton Wanderers (PRM 10th) vs. Northampton Town(L2 1st)

A waterlogged pitch had put paid to the league fixture that was supposed to come in between the cup matches, but we were still top, despite now having a game in hand on all our rivals. It also meant we had a fully fit squad as near as dammit, and we needed as much help as we could get in that department.

We were the only League Two left in the draw, and as a result the lowest ranked team left in the Cup. Leigertwood and Fallon were in this team, we meant business.

And we got off to a good start, more than holding our own, playing like an underdog in a cup tie should play, wholeheartedly. On 7 minutes we shocked everyone, ourselves included by taking the lead, Fallon eluding two challenges before firing the ball home from the edge of the area.

The rest of the half flew by with our lads holding them at arm’s length quite successfully. The best chance fell in injury time and it were our lads on the break, and Edwards in particular who should have done better with that chance.

Some words of encouragement at half time and I sent them back out happy bunnies. We were unlucky not to get a second on 55 as Widdowson cracked a free-kick against the bar. But just past the hour the second goal did come. McCourt applied the pressure that saw O’Shea and Bogdan, the Bolton keeper, get into a terrible mix-up. They ended up in a heap, the ball ran free, Fallon ran onto the ball and had an empty net to make it 2-0, which he did.

Bolton tried to get back into the game but all of their attacks fell flat, and in the end we ran out comfortable winners, away at a team half way up the Premier League. Amazing. The Fifth round draw would be made the following day.

Final Score: Bolton Wanderers 0-2 Northampton Town

Scorers : Fallon 2

Man Of The Match: Rory Fallon

Team: Nicholls, Kane, Widdowson, Kerr, Armstrong , Leigertwood, D’Ath, Thompson, McCourt, Edwards, Fallon

In the league Dagenham lost again, so we remain first with two games in hand but now with four teams within three points of the lead.

The fifth round draw was not overly kind to us again. Another away tie, this time at the winners of the replay between League One Rotherham and Premier League strugglers Watford due to take place later that same day. Watford won. At least we’d see a crowd at Watford.

chesterfan2 · April 22, 2014

Tuesday January 26th 2016

nPower League Two

Venue: Sixfields Stadium

Northampton Town (1st) vs. Burton Albion(13th)

So we’d catch up one of our games in hand here on a wet Tuesday in January. Burton came with a 3-5-2 formation an interesting approach to countering the 4-1-2-2-1 formation . I suppose it does mean Eboigbe playing as the lone forward will be outnumbered three to one, we’ll have to see how that goes.

I didn’t see it as being a fault of our formation but we started poorly and shipped a goal on 18 minutes, sloppy defending the cause of that one. That was the sole goal, and sole highlight of the first half.

At half time I changed the formation and implored them to play better.

That seemed to rouse them from their cup hangover and they looked a different side in the second half, at least until the goal we did. On 61 minutes we equalised, a Keegan corner allowed to bounce through the box to Jackson on the far post and he tucked it away for his first goal for the club.

But you could see that some of the players thought that with the equaliser secured that was job done, and the game petered out to an uninspiring draw.

Final Score: Northampton Town 1-1 Burton Albion

League Position: 1st

Scorers : Jackson

Man Of The Match: Johan Hammar

Team: Nicholls, Kane, Meades, Hammar, Jackson , Leigertwood, D’Ath, Junior, Keegan, Edwards, Eboigbe

mark wilson27 · April 22, 2014

Bloody hell Chester your really showing the higher teams a thing or two. This is going to help your ongoing reputation go up....Congrats on the win again

chesterfan2 · April 22, 2014

Saturday January 30th 2016

nPower League Two

Venue: Greenhous Meadow

Shrewsbury Town (7th) vs. Northampton Town(1st)

No formation change for this one, it being away at one of the better sides in the division. An encouraging team talk, what could go wrong ?

Failing to follow through with the ‘mark tightly’ instruction was what. On 37 minutes the Shrewsbury forward was given all the time in the world to turn and shoot, and even in League Two, forwards don’t need to be asked twice and we were a goal down.

A goal, a totally avoidable goal at that, down at half time. I laid into them somewhat, and got them to play a little more aggressively in the second period. They went out quite a bit more motivated.

It did, however, look ever increasingly unlikely that we would get anything out of this game, we were getting nowhere. Shrewsbury, near the end, looked to get a second and pushed on. Just as we went into injury time a move broke down, we sprang the ball to Fallon on the half way line. He ran the ball to the edge of the box, found Thompson and the young Scotsman put it away for an unlikely equaliser. There was no time after that for either team to get a winner, and we escaped with a draw. Results elsewhere meant that whilst we remained top, we now only did so on goal difference.

Final Score: Shrewsbury Town 1-1 Northampton Town

League Position: 1st

Scorers : Thompson

Man Of The Match: Ryan Thompson

Team: Nicholls, Kane, Widdowson, Armstrong, Jackson , Leigertwood, D’Ath (Robertson 67), Thompson, McCourt, Edwards, Fallon

Unfortunately Lawson D’Ath broke a toe in the match, and will be out for about three months. I made the decision to send him back to his club for treatment by his own team’s physios, we still had a day before the January transfer window shut. We were shopping again !

On the day of the window closing, Monday Feb 1st 2016, we signed two players on three month loans. We got Ben Gibson back from Middlesbrough, he’s a good player and I was very happy to add him to the group. The other was Scott Allen, 24, from West Brom. He’s a midfielder and a direct replacement in the group for D’Ath, I expect him to see a lot of playing time.

In the last couple of hours of the window we saw one out and one more in to replace him. The player out was Chris Hackett on loan to Altrincham and the one in was Rob Abraham, 18 , a right winger from Bolton

We lost the midweek match to a waterlogged pitch, this gave the lads more time in the gym, which seemed like a good idea, until Paddy McCourt pulled a muscle in his back. He’ll be out for a month. It seemed like less of a good idea then.

chesterfan2 · April 23, 2014

Saturday February 6th 2016

nPower League Two

Venue: Sixfields Stadium

Northampton Town (1st) vs. Plymouth Argyle(11th)

17 seconds. That’s how long it took us to concede a goal. No tackles, no closing down, what were they doing ?

It took us until 22 minutes to get an equaliser, quite a scrappy one, as debutant Scott Allen turned a loose ball into the net after a corner had pinged around the box a bit.

At half time I told them they could win this game, and that lifted some of them. On the hour we scored again. Kane won the ball midway in the Plymouth half, exchanged a one-two with Edwards and then unleashed an unstoppable drive from inside the box, a stupendous goal.

On 82, with Plymouth pushing for an equaliser we got a third goal. A rare excursion forward saw Edwards unceremoniously dumped to the ground in lieu of a clean tackle, the ref pointed to the spot. Rory Fallon saw his penalty saved, but the rebound came back to him and it was a simple task to put the ball in the net.

That put the icing on the cake, it was a very good win.

Final Score: Northampton Town 3-1 Plymouth Argyle

League Position: 1st

Scorers : Allen, Kane, Fallon

Man Of The Match: Todd Kane

Team: Nicholls, Kane, Widdowson, Hammar, Jackson , Leigertwood, Thompson, Keegan, Allen, Edwards, Fallon

The cup match was up next and once again our match at Watford was selected for live TV coverage and moved to Sunday afternoon as a result. So by then we knew who our Sixth Round opponents would be, the draw being held on Sunday lunchtime.

The tie that was picked gave both us and Watford an incentive to win, at home to Chelsea.

unitedmanager · April 24, 2014

Wow 2 very big results in the cup chesterfan2... well done. Very exciting story. KUTGW!!

chesterfan2 · April 24, 2014

Why thanks UM, very kind. It is of course far from any thoughts of self-promotion that I note that voting remains open for the FMS Awards for this season, you may of course have another favourite, but please vote

Sunday February 14th 2016

FA Cup Fifth Round

Venue: Vicarage Road

Watford (PRM 19th) vs. Northampton Town(L2 1st)

No selection worries and no real debate about what formation to use, the 4-1-2-2-1 has caused the two Premier League teams we have so far knocked out of the cup real problems and so I hope it will work again. For a Team Talk I sought to relax the players, telling them to go out and enjoy being underdogs, I think the idea here was to calm them down a little before kick-off.

The first half was full of full blooded challenges, our lads denying them time on the ball, we did really well, in frustrating them, but not so well in creating our own chances. However what was needed was constant vigilance, and on 41 minutes we switched off a little and Watford stole down to the byline, a whipped cross and it was turned in at the near post. Not deserved, but we were a goal behind.

Worse was to follow, on the brink of half time they got a second, via a corner. Into the break two goals down. I told them they had been unlucky so far, that seemed to enthuse them, which is exactly what I thought they needed.

We did a lot better in the second half, but had no luck in front of goal. Our FA Cup odyssey ended here, at the Fifth Round stage, Not bad for a League Two side.

Final Score: Watford 2-0 Northampton Town

Scorers :

Man Of The Match: Scott Allen

Team: Nicholls, Kane, Widdowson, Hammar, Jackson , Leigertwood, Thompson, Allen, Keegan, Edwards, Fallon

chesterfan2 · April 24, 2014

Wednesday February 17th 2016

nPower League Two

Venue: Sixfields Stadium

Northampton Town (1st) vs. Morecambe(10th)

This is our game in hand, so a good one to win. We start slowly, but the passing and movement on the way to the game’s opening goal on 22 minutes was a thing of great beauty, the ball ending up with Robertson running into the box and sliding the ball past the oncoming keeper, fabulous goal.

One up at half time, and some encouragement advisable. I did that, and got them to play just a little bit more conservatively. No emotion from any of them. Slightly concerning.

Perhaps I should have been more concerned as we shipped the equaliser within two minutes of the restart, shabby defending. On 58 the ref gave them a penalty, I don’t know why, they scored and we were behind.

We tried to come back, hit the post twice, but it wasn’t to be. Game in hand, we lost it.

Final Score: Northampton Town 1-2 Morecambe

League Position: 1st

Scorers : Robertson

Man Of The Match: David Robertson

Team: Nicholls, Kane, Gibson, Hammar, Jackson , Leigertwood, Junior, Allen, Robertson, Edwards, Fallon

A couple of days later Fraser Kerr’s loan period came to an end.

chesterfan2 · April 24, 2014

Tuesday February 23rd 2016

nPower League Two

Venue: The Abbey Stadium

Cambridge United (22nd) vs. Northampton Town(1st)

A scrappy opening fifteen minutes, which was as much our fault as theirs as I told the lads to go out and get in their faces, kind of shake their confidence a bit, you know. Cambridge’s form has been rotten, and if we could intimidate them then I figured they might just roll over. It took us twenty minutes to put together an attack, but then we established some dominance and had a good period of play. We grabbed the goal our pressure deserved on 29 minutes, as Kane who has discovered recently the art of ‘bombing on’, did just that, took an inch perfect ball from Scott Allen in the box and slammed it home from a shallow angle. Great.

On the stroke of half time we grabbed another goal, once again the reward of constant pressure. This one was our equivalent of a route one goal, a Widdowson corner headed in at the near post, this time by Eboigbe, his fifth goal in our colours, a fine start for the lad.

In the second half Cambridge put up a much better fight, but we defended our lead well, and by the end were the team who looked most like scoring. No further goals were added, but at the mo the clean sheet is just as valuable to us.

At the start of the game we led Dagenham & Redbridge in the division by having a better goal difference, in this case a better goal difference of one. Now with us winning here by two goals to nil and Dagenham losing at the rapidly improving Torquay by 2-0, we now not only led the league by three points, but we had a five goal cushion in terms of goals scored. We had both let in 34 goals in the league by that point and we had scored 62 and they had scored 57.

Eleven games to go.

Game on.

Final Score: Cambridge United 0-2 Northampton Town

League Position: 1st

Scorers : Kane, Eboigbe

Man Of The Match: Joe Widdowson

Team: Nicholls, Kane, Widdowson, Armstrong, Jackson , Leigertwood, Thompson, Keegan, Allen, Edwards, Eboigbe

chesterfan2 · April 25, 2014

Saturday February 27th 2016

nPower League Two

Venue: The Recreation Ground

Aldershot (19th) vs. Northampton Town(1st)

One change from the last match Eaves up front just to rotate the forwards really. I’m not expecting either Dagenham or third placed Leyton Orient to slip up in their games, so it’s important to get something here, hence the consistency of selection.

Aldershot were the best team out there, for the first two minutes at least, but a good save followed by some stout defending from the subsequent corner put an end to that. Keegan then hit the bar with a tenth minute free kick, Armstrong fouled in trying to knock in the follow up. We didn’t have to wait long though, a slick pass into the box, on 20 minutes, to Edwards’ feet, and he made no mistake from twelve yards out. He still had a bit to do when he got it and finished it very neatly.

That was the only goal of the first half, so ahead at the break, but not decisively so. I told them they could play better, I think they knew that themselves as it enthused a couple of them. Yet we lost yet another goal just after half time. This one a shot from a tight angle by former Man Utd trainee Robbie Blake. Two minutes later they mad a speedy break and scored again, and this was turning sour rather rapidly.

I pushed them forward in search of an equaliser, and on 71 minutes we got one, Keegan passing into Allen, who had space to move into the box, and pick his spot, which he did. Very poor defending, but frankly I don’t care. On 87 we took the lead again, Edwards working well down the right, playing the ball across the face of the six yard box, Keegan arriving at the far post to slam it home. I have to admit it, it was a good comeback.

It turned out to be a good win for us. Dagenham had given up a last minute equaliser away at bottom side Grimsby. Leyton Orient had lost at home to mid-table Stockport. Newly in second place were AFC Wimbledon, winners away at playoff hopefuls Bristol Rovers. We had a four point lead on them. Just ten games to go.

Final Score: Aldershot 2-3 Northampton Town

League Position: 1st

Scorers : Edwards, Allen, Keegan

Man Of The Match: Jordan Keegan

Team: Nicholls, Kane, Widdowson, Armstrong, Jackson , Leigertwood, Thompson, Keegan, Allen, Edwards, Eaves

chesterfan2 · April 25, 2014

Saturday March 5th 2016

nPower League Two

Venue: Sixfields Stadium

Northampton Town (1st) vs. Hartlepool United (11th)

Again, just a change in the front man, Fallon gets the nod this time, again another game where a win would go a long way towards getting us promotion. Of our rivals only Dagenham look to have a tricky match, at home to fifth placed Fleetwood, Wimbledon, for example, are at home to 18th placed Gillingham, and I expect them to win that one.

We had a lot of pressure but no luck in front of goal, chance after chance in the first twenty minutes, but no goals. Then Hartlepool managed to create an attack, and of course, they scored. Completely against the run of play. It galvanised the lads to redouble their efforts and on 26 we were level, death by passing is what I called this one, as we strung together 15, perhaps even 20 passes, to get to the point where Fallon committed the last man and passed it to the space that Leigertwood was running into, he just had the keeper to beat and did so with ease.

On 34 we scored again, Leigertwood winning the ball in his own half and then popping up near the end of the move to have the shot from inside the box that the keeper could only parry into the path of Keegan who knocked the ball into the gaping net.

On 40 Hartlepool reminded us we were in a match, as their forward was able to waltz through our defence unchallenged and slot the ball home. Shocking defending, 40 mins gone 2-2. On 44 it was 3-2 to Hartlepool as they once again were allowed to waltz through the defence. Half time couldn't come quick enough.

Half time gave me the opportunity to lay into them, which I did. They looked fired up, but could they make it work ?

For a while it didn’t look like it would as we struggled to get a grip on the match. But then on 64 minutes Fallon bundled the ball home from a yard out at the end of an almighty goalmouth scramble.

That was as good as it got, they held us at bay and the game ended a 3-3 draw. In the games around us both Wimbledon and Dagenham lost, and Leyton Orient won away at Scunthorpe, they go second, four points behind us.

Final Score: Northampton Town 3-3 Hartlepool United

League Position: 1st

Scorers : Leigertwood, Keegan, Fallon

Man Of The Match: Rory Fallon

Team: Nicholls, Kane, Widdowson, Armstrong, Jackson , Leigertwood, Thompson, Keegan, Allen, Edwards, Fallon

chesterfan2 · April 27, 2014

Tuesday March 8th 2016

nPower League Two

Venue: Sixfields Stadium

Northampton Town (1st) vs. Torquay United (6th)

A tough one this, Torquay are making a determined run on the playoffs at the very least, and would provide a stiff challenge to any team in this division, ourselves included.

We opened up very brightly however, sprayed the ball around, looked every inch the promotion team I hoped we’d be. We had the ball in the net on 9, but Eboigbe was ruled offside, a very close decision that didn’t look right, but I wouldn’t want to say was wrong, if you know what I mean.

That setback didn’t hinder us for long. We kept on playing the expansive game, getting joy from spreading the ball wide, as Torquay had set themselves out very narrow. On 20 Gibson crossed the ball from deep on the left, and found Edwards in the box, the Welshman took the ball down and steered it past the keeper from 15 yards out in one fluid movement, a lovely goal.

We got our second on 34 through a little bit of good fortune. Keegan had a free kick on the left, he swung it in, too close to the keeper, apparently. The keeper, however, dropped the ball at the feet of Edwards and the lad wasn’t going to pass up an invitation like that to get his second of the match.

At half time I told them how well I thought they were doing and asked them to carry on in the same way in the second half. On 55 we got a third, and Edwards got his hatrick, another one gifted to him, this one by means of a clear penalty foolishly given away by the defender.Edwards putting the spot kick away emphatically.

Edwards got a fourth on 72 , another deep cross from Gibson, having a fine game himself at left back, another control on the edge of the box and another exquisite finish, sliding the ball into the far corner from 18 yards out.

We closed the game out with ease, and what a good day at the office it turned out to be, four goals and a clean sheet to improve the goal difference. In addition to that the teams in second to fourth all drew, and the teams in fifth and sixth lost, so we edged out our lead to six points, with eight games now remaining.

Final Score: Northampton Town 4-0 Torquay United

League Position: 1st

Scorers : Edwards 4

Man Of The Match: Gwion Edwards

Team: Nicholls, Kane, Gibson, Armstrong, Hammar , Leigertwood, Junior, Allen, Keegan, Edwards, Eboigbe

chesterfan2 · April 27, 2014

Saturday March 12th 2016

nPower League Two

Venue: Highbury Stadium

Fleetwood Town (5th) vs. Northampton Town(1st)

One of a few difficult games we have remaining, away at Leyton Orient is another one, that will go a long way to defining if we go up as Champions, or indeed, go up at all. More rotation, but sticking with the 4-1-2-2-1 that did us so well last time out.

They match us up in terms of formation, which is ok as I back us to have the better set of players, and we show that from the off, grabbing the lead on 4 minutes as Fallon turns in a Widdowson corner, for a goal on his 450th league appearance for all clubs.

Fleetwood to their credit got right back into the game with David Bell, their 28 goal striker, adding another one to his list just a minute later. I had instructions to man for man marking, seems like he has other ideas. On 12 I thought we were back in front, but a shocking linesman’s flag disallowed Fallon’s effort.

The game settled down to a nip-and-tuck affair with neither side creating much more in the half. Level at the half and I impressed on the lads that fact that they could still win this game if they wanted to do so.

But the second half was a let down, to both managers I suspect. Neither side showed any ambition to go and get the win, and it didn’t matter how much either one of us managers shouted, neither side got out of second gear.

In other games, Leyton Orient came from behind to win at home to 18th placed Burton, Dagenham won handsomely away at bottom club Walsall, whilst Wimbledon drew away at improving Gateshead. Our lead back down to four points, seven games to go.

Final Score: Fleetwood Town 1-1 Northampton Town

League Position: 1st

Scorers : Fallon

Man Of The Match: Joe Widdowson

Team: Nicholls, Kane, Widdowson, Armstrong, Gibson , Leigertwood, Thompson, Allen, Keegan, Edwards, Fallon

chesterfan2 · April 27, 2014

Saturday March 19th 2016

nPower League Two

Venue: Sixfields Stadium

Northampton Town (1st) vs. Grimsby Town (23rd)

Keegan was injured for this one, fortunately McCourt was fit to return for this, a game we should win. Need to win if we are going to secure promotion.

I asked the lads to push on, and take the game to Grimsby. This they did, but it was still 25 minutes before we scored, this one from a penalty that their manager is sure to complain about because I couldn’t see what it was for. Fallon stepped up and scuffed his penalty, but it still somehow went in. When you are in the relegation spots, as Grimsby are, the luck just doesn’t seem to go for you.

We didn’t manage to create much else in the half and we went in a goal to the good.

The second half saw some excellent goalkeeping from the Grimsby netminder as we pressed for a second gaol. The goal did eventually come, Scott Allen sweeping the ball home on 77 following yet another defence spitting pass from Thompson to set Edwards free into a crossing position, the ball in pinged about a bit then Allen popped up to stroke it home.

Grimsby got one back deep into injury time, but this was, at the end, a very straightforward win. It made, for a very good day with second place Orient losing and Dagenham and Wimbledon both scraping 3-3 draws. Seven points clear, six games to go.

Final Score: Northampton Town 2-1 Grimsby Town

League Position: 1st

Scorers : Fallon (pen), Allen

Man Of The Match: Ryan Thompson

Team: Nicholls, Kane, Widdowson, Jackson, Gibson , Leigertwood, Thompson, McCourt, Allen, Edwards, Fallon

greekgeorge · April 28, 2014

What a season. You did the right thing not leaving Northampton. Keep going!

How are Luton Town doing by the way?

Gary_Parker · April 28, 2014

Unlucky at Watford sir. keep it up, enjoying this so far.

chesterfan2 · April 29, 2014

Thank you gentlemen. George, I can tell you that Luton are in League Two by now (season 2015-16), but they are not doing too well, as you will shortly see.

Saturday March 26th 2016

nPower League Two

Venue: Sixfields Stadium

Northampton Town (1st) vs. Walsall (24th)

Bottom club Walsall are the visitors for this the Easter Saturday game. We have Orient away on Monday so some player resting is going to need to happen here.

In fact I made a number of changes, whilst still putting out a side that should do ok here.

A dour first half followed with very little in the way of goal mouth action. We probed and pushed but found a resolute defence with limited forward ambition. Half time, goalless, couldn’t come round quick enough.

Encouragement followed, A second half performance didn’t. No highlights, other than David Robertson’s flying elbow that saw him get a straight red, an absolutely abysmal performance.

The lead now back to five points, with five games left.

Final Score: Northampton Town 0-0 Walsall

League Position: 1st

Scorers :

Man Of The Match: Do I have to give one of these ? Johan Hammar did ok.

Team: Mentel, Kane, Meades, Hammar ,Fulton , Coke, Junior, Scapuzzi, Robertson (off 77), McCourt, Eboigbe

chesterfan2 · April 29, 2014

Monday March 28th 2016

nPower League Two

Venue: Brisbane Road

Leyton Orient (2nd) vs. Northampton Town (1st)

Win this game and we’ll be pretty much home and hosed. Lose it ,and it’ll all be up for grabs.

On 9 minutes we took the lead, a Widdowson corner a Fallon header, you know the rest. 1-1 on 32 minutes, ball pinged about, we should have cleared, didn’t. You know the rest about this one too !

We gave up a second on 43, for the second time we got carved open by attacks down, Widdowson’s wing, and once again we failed to clear when we had the opportunity. Some things to think about managerially.

2-1 down at half time, telling them the first half wasn’t acceptable. Predictable but necessary.

We pushed on in the second half, but without much luck. We started to dominate possession, but the chances remained few and far between. Suddenly on 73 our luck changes as we were awarded a penalty which Fallon put away. Not sure if it was a pen, but I’m not complaining.

Both teams settled for a draw after that point. We did well to claw our way back into that match, I have to be happy really. Still five points clear, but now four games left.

Final Score: Leyton Orient 2-2 Northampton Town

League Position: 1st

Scorers : Fallon 2 (1 pen)

Man Of The Match: Rory Fallon

Team: Nicholls, Kane, Widdowson, Jackson, Gibson , Leigertwood, Thompson, Allen, McCourt, Edwards, Fallon

chesterfan2 · April 29, 2014

Saturday April 2nd 2016

nPower League Two

Venue: Kenilworth Road

Luton Town (17th) vs. Northampton Town (1st)

Two draws in a row isn’t title winning form so it was important to get back on track here. Edwards was out for this one with a minor injury so young Rob Abraham gets another chance on the wing.

Rob Abraham had the chance of the opening 20 minutes but could only shoot straight at the keeper when well placed. On 36 he limped off with an injury, I replaced him with George Cole. By then we were applying constant pressure and within a couple of minutes of the enforced change we went a goal up. Slick passing, put Fallon in, he took it round the keeper, fired it in and the defenders on the line contrived to clear it against each other and the ball trickled over the line. Own goal, they all count.

Half time, and a goal up. ‘you’re doing ok, but now do better’ the message. And we controlled the second half, didn’t create much, but didn’t give them a sniff, closed the game out very satisfactorily.

Wins for all our rivals, as well as ourselves. So our advantage remains five points, but now with three games to go.

Final Score: Luton Town 0-1 Northampton Town

League Position: 1st

Scorers : own goal

Man Of The Match: Adam Jackson

Team: Nicholls, Kane, Widdowson, Jackson, Gibson , Leigertwood, Thompson, Allen, McCourt, Abraham (Cole 36), Fallon

Unfortunately, Rob Abraham’s injury turned out to be a torn groin, he’ll be out for three months, and with a lot less than that left on his loan period he may as well go back to his club, and their superior medical facilities.

Spav · May 2, 2014

The champagne is on ice...

chesterfan2 · May 3, 2014

It most surely is, Spav, nice to have you along

Saturday April 9th 2016

nPower League Two

Venue: Sixfields Stadium

Northampton Town (1st) vs. Gillingham (16th)

Today’s scenario is pretty straightforward. If we win, or if we draw or lose and other results go our way then we will secure promotion. Going into the game we are eight points clear of fourth place, with three games and nine points to play for.

McCourt starts on the right, as Edwards is tired, having played practically every match there since we got him, otherwise it’s a first choice 11.

Gillingham showed early, but Nicholls was equal to the effort. We then started to play, and got the opening goal with just 5 minutes on the watch. A scrappy goal, knocked in by Scott Allen but as I say, they all count, and this one went a long way to calming the player’s nerves.

Or I thought it did, five or so minutes of good play then it went back to the initial nervousness and the rest of the half bled away in a series of unconvincing attacks and misplaced passes. The ref did everyone a favour ending that half.

Half time, I told them to play better, and asked them to push on more.

In the second period we showed more in the way of ambition, but not a lot more in the form of application. On the hour Leigertwood popped up in the box, but dragged his shot wide. This profligacy in front of goal came back to haunt us as on a rare excursion up field Gillingham grabbed an equaliser. It came out of nothing, but that’s what you get for only having a one goal lead.

We then floundered our way to another draw, no more clear cut chances, too much nervousness, bad decision making, wilting under the pressure. Awful. There was more bad news , AFC Wimbledon got a last minute equaliser so they stay five points behind. In the next two slots Dagenham & Redbridge and Leyton Orient are on 77 points, only six behind. Two games left, six points to play for. Sure, we’ll now finish no lower than fourth, but only the top three get automatic promotion.

Final Score: Northampton Town 1-1 Gillingham

League Position: 1st

Scorers : Allen

Man Of The Match: Adam Jackson

Team: Nicholls, Kane, Widdowson, Jackson, Gibson, Leigertwood, Thompson, Keegan, Allen, McCourt, Fallon

As it happens Dagenham & Redbridge still have to go to AFC Wimbledon, and given that in that match that one or both of them will drop points that makes our promotion mathematically certain. The fans and the board exclaim their surprised gratitude, stating that they didn’t think promotion was on the cards. As far as I’m concerned we can still shoot for the Championship, think how good that will look on my cv !

chesterfan2 · May 5, 2014

Saturday April 16th 2016

nPower League Two

Venue: The Memorial Stadium

Bristol Rovers (7th) vs. Northampton Town (1st)

We got off to a flyer, Keegan coming into the box to steer home a sharp effort from an angle, very well taken goal. Chances flew for the rest of the half and it began to look like the previous game, all the pressure but only a single goal to hang onto.

Half time and I exhorted them to greater things, and some of them even liked it. More of the same in the second half, pressure, chances, no luck.

No luck that is until 57 minutes, when we made some of our own. A home grown Northampton goal, you know how it goes.. Widdowson inswinging corner, headed in at the near post by Fallon. 2-0.

We then strolled to victory, a victory that confirmed that we were champions of League Two. In their game Wimbledon beat Dagenham & Redbridge 3-1, so they did enough to remain five points behind us in second, with only one game to go. Leyton Orient won also, so they go third, whilst The Daggers slip to fifth, one behind Fleetwood now in the first spot outside automatic promotion. It’s going to be an exciting last day, but not here, we’ve already got what we came for.

Final Score: Bristol Rovers 0-2 Northampton Town

League Position: 1st

Scorers : Keegan, Fallon

Man Of The Match: Joe Widdowson

Team: Nicholls, Kane, Widdowson, Jackson, Gibson , Leigertwood, Thompson, Allen, Keegan, Edwards, Fallon

League Champions, that pleased the board and the fans again, which was nice.

mark wilson27 · May 6, 2014

Congrats sir, another great seaspn...

chesterfan2 · May 6, 2014

Thanks again Mark, and thanks for keeping watching

Saturday April 23rd 2016

nPower League Two

Venue: Sixfields Stadium

Northampton Town (1st) vs. Accrington Stanley(20th)

Final game, champions, and a good crowd here to see us play, and receive the trophy at the end of the match. We went out to play.

We did indeed throw caution to the wind and threw people forward. We were lucky to escape a quick break on 7 which culminated in an almighty goalmouth scramble that we somehow hacked away. On 9, and at the other end of the pitch we forced a good save out of their keeper. On 16 we finally broke the deadlock with a Widdowson corner, a Fallon flick and Allen coming in at the far post to head the ball home from short range.

No more goals in a lively first period, and a half time team talk that told them they could do better. On 51 a second goal. It came from an unpromising start as Accrington hit the bar with a long range effort. Jackson tidied up and sprang the ball up field, there then followed a sweeping move, up the whole length of the pitch that saw Edwards cross and Fallon sweep the ball home.

On 77 Accrington got a goal back. Their play through the whole match deserved it really, but I still wasn’t happy that it had gone in. It was no more than a consolation goal, and whilst I would have liked a handsome win, it wasn’t to be, a mere 2-1 win would have to do, and, as it was a win, our fans were happy to cheer a lap of honour and a trophy presentation. By the end the bottles of Budweiser were going down great guns.

Final Score: Northampton Town 2-1 Accrington Stanley

League Position: 1st

Scorers : Allen, Fallon

Man Of The Match: Joe Widdowson

Team: Nicholls, Kane, Widdowson, Jackson, Gibson , Leigertwood, Thompson, Allen, Keegan, Edwards, Fallon

In the other games AFC Wimbledon got a 3-3 draw at Burton and thus secured automatic promotion in second. Shrewsbury were the surprise of the day, coming into finish third on a 3-0 win that killed Gateshead’s faint playoff hopes. Fleetwood missed out on third on goal difference due to giving up a late equaliser in a 1-1 draw with Grimsby Dagenham & Redbridge also drew 3-3 with Barnet and thus finished fifth. The days big losers were Leyton Orient dropping from third to sixth, due to a 2-0 reverse at Torquay who, in 7th, take the last playoff spot.

At the bottom, 23rd placed Cambridge won 2-1 at home over Gillingham a win which took them out of the relegation slots, and in doing so consigning Walsall to relegation, alongside Grimsby, rock bottom.

In the playoffs, Dagenham & Redbridge were victorious and take the last promotion spot. I was named League Two Manager of The Year, and Wimbledon’s Jack Midson was both top goalscorer, with 43, and League Two Player of the Year to boot.

We were rapidly approaching the end of June and the expiration of a number of contracts. I offered extensions to Hammar and Fallon, but no others. On the incoming front we managed to get former Spurs starlet Andros Townsend to sign up for a year, he’ll join mid-June.

Meanwhile I applied for the vacant manager’s job at Birmingham. They had finished dead last in the Championship and would be in the same division as Northampton next season, League One. In the paper I was noted as being the favourite for the job, the board said they hoped I’d stay. Needless to say, I didn’t get the job.

When I went on to declare an interest in the Reading job, the board got a bit sniffy and said they were disappointed. My job security rating slipped from Untouchable to Secure. I reigned in the speculation a bit.

chesterfan2 · May 6, 2014

End of Season Review

At the end of season 4 of my career, I had attained 5 trophies,

Trophies Won: Belgian Third Division Champions Season 2012/3 – Deinze

English FA Trophy Season 2013/4 – Northampton Town

English FA Trophy Season 2014/5 – Northampton Town

Blues Square Premier League Champions 2014/5 – Northampton Town

nPower League Two Champions 2015/16 – Northampton Town

chesterfan2 · May 9, 2014

I got back into the fans good books by signing up an exciting young player on a free from Reading. He’s Jake Taylor, 24, an attacking midfielder, I thought I’d butter them up before the big clear out.

On 30th June the contracts of 18 first team and reserve team players expired. I let them all go. In all cases I think we can, and indeed need, to do better. So out went McCourt, Warren, Coke, Mentel, Meades, Noble, Byrne, Twardzik, Williams and Bijev from the first team squad and Wylie, Roberts, Ball, Donegan, James, Shankland and Hirst from the Reserves. I sent George Cole on loan to Wycombe for the season. That cut the wage budget right back to around £39k per week, the new limit for the forthcoming season was set, as an initial mark at £54k per week, some room to play with and a £101k transfer budget to go with it.

There was some ground to be made in terms of staff as well. Assistant Manager Andy King decided to ask for a huge pay rise on his new contract, and I refused, so he left. I had also, let the contracts of a couple of the coaches and all the scouts run down, after all if we got promoted (as we did) I figured we’d probably need to upgrade the staff and if I didn’t have to pay anyone off that would be good ! They all left too.

So I had some rebuilding to do. I got a new young and enthusiastic assistant manager, an Irishman by the name of Johnny Topley, he’s 35, but a talented coach. We got some new, better scouts in too. The club refused a request to extend our scouting range, which was, whilst not being entirely unexpected, disappointing.

So to get round the limits of our scouting range I hired the expertise of a Belgian Scout. Here he’ll concentrate on producing reports on our next opposition, but he came with a list of players he already knew. We signed the first of those, a young left back, the following day. He’s Cyril van Hyfte, 21 and a product of the Anderlecht youth system, and will platoon with Widdowson the left back spot.

With the first games of pre-season fast approaching, efforts to improve the squad were on-going. We signed a central midfielder, Henry Jones, 22 years old, from Swansea for £16k. He should do well at this level and restart a career that has become a bit stagnant in Swansea Reserves.

And so the start of pre-season, with the draw for round 1 of the Capital One Cup. We get an away draw, at Championship team Bradford City, a fleeting visit to this competition on the cards for this one then !

On the day of our first pre-season match ( a five-nil romp at Gainsborough Trinity) we signed another midfielder, this one on-loan for the season from Celtic, the lad Dylan McGeouch is persona non grata at Celtic by has more than enough in the talent locker to do well here. It’s a shop window for him, so I hope he takes full advantage. We’d still like a central defender, a right winger and some options up front, but the squad was beginning to come together.

The next in was more one for the future, though more than capable of playing in the first team if called upon. He is 20 year, former Man Utd trainee James Weir, another central midfielder.

chesterfan2 · May 9, 2014

Then things got interesting. Liverpool manager Javier Aguirre, got a bit of wanderlust when the Porto job came up. Within days he was off. Vacancy at my team, Liverpool. So what do you think I did ?

Foolish perhaps. Probably not even perhaps, just plain foolish. It wasn’t a gig I was going to get, the 5 trophies in four seasons I could boast weren’t in the upper echelons of any countries football, and whilst the future was bright, it wasn’t bright red. Anyway the board got really upset this time and demanded that I grovelingly apologised or resigned.

I had a quick look at the job market. Other than posts at Liverpool and Juventus, neither of which I was going to get, there were only jobs in the Scandinavian Leagues on offer, so not much out there. I apologised.

chesterfan2 · May 9, 2014

Right, back on the horse. I went and improved the striking force by signing Wolves striker, Jake Cassidy, 23, on a year’s loan, just in time for the first game of the new season. Fallon’s stamina, if not his skill, is beginning to decline, so the more quality we can amass up front the better.

Saturday August 6th 2016

nPower League One

Venue: Sixfields Stadium

Northampton Town (n/a) vs. Peterborough United(n/a)

A home game to open the season, which is nice, if a little daunting. We go with the 4-2-3-1 formation as one position we have not yet managed to sort out is defensive midfielder, we have irons in the fire, but nothing sorted yet. On the positive side this formation lets us play McGeouch and Townsend in the same team. Let’s see how it goes.

Scrappy for the first 20 minutes and then we got a little bit of a foothold, we built on that and on 30 minutes we opened the scoring, when Eboigbe hit one into the top corner from 25 yards. He’s felt quite threatened by the arrival of Cassidy, and if this is the way he responds, then all is well with the world.

On 38 Peterborough were level, some amateurish full back play allowed a cross to be made, and some sloppy marking in the middle allowed the front man to steer it home. The past two years success have been built first and foremost on a strong defence, looks like this might need some work this time.

So one-all after a poor first half, I need to tell them to up their game, I say that if they do then they will likely win this match, it would be nice to be able to tell if they believed or not, but they remained impassive.

Well, the second half was no better than the first. On 72 Thompson had to come off, I replaced him with Robertson. I took the opportunity to change about the front line, Cassidy on for Eboigbe, Taylor on for McGeouch. Sadly though the second goal wouldn’t come and if any team looked like snatching it, it was them, not us.

Final Score: Northampton Town 1-1 Peterborough United

League Position: 13th

Scorers : Eboigbe

Man Of The Match: Joe Widdowson

Team: Nicholls, Kane, Widdowson, Fulton, Hammar , Thompson (Robertson 72), Jones, Townsend, McGeouch (Taylor 72), Edwards, Eboigbe (Cassidy 72)

chesterfan2 · May 11, 2014

Tuesday August 9th 2016

Capital One Cup First Round

Venue: Valley Parade

Bradford City (CH 16th) vs. Northampton Town(L1 13th)

4-1-2-2-1 for this one, we are the underdogs, but not if we play like I know we can.

The first half was pretty near completely forgettable, no chances to speak of, no dominant force. Goalless at half time.

At half time I told them if we could get a goal then we might very well win. They played some of the best football of the match in the ten minutes after the break, and were rewarded with a goal on 51, Edwards sailing through at least three tackles, before firing it under the sprawling keeper’s body from a distance.

On 59 it was two as we put together an exquisite move, Cassidy sending Edwards free down the right with a killer pass, he crossed, McGeouch arrived at the far post and headed it back across the face of the goal, across the scrambling keeper and the ball dropped inside the opposite post, a picture goal.

Bradford pushed to get something, anything from this game, but their attacks were broken up. Haggblom the lad we had promoted from the Reserves as he was the only DM at the club, was growing rapidly into the role and on 78 minutes he broke up another attack, fed it to Weir, making his debut, and he placed a super ball over the top that Cassidy could speed onto. The lad took it round the keeper and scored, a goal his performance had deserved.

Cassidy got a second on 87 minutes, a free kick, played in by Haggblom, and once again taken round the keeper by Cassidy. That closed the game out, what a fabulous second half performance.

Final Score: Bradford City 0-4 Northampton Town

Scorers : Edwards, McGeouch, Cassidy 2

Man Of The Match: Dylan McGeouch

Team: Nicholls, Kane, Widdowson, Fulton, Hammar , Haggblom, Robertson, Weir, McGeouch, Edwards, Cassidy

The draw for the second round saw us get another away tie at a Championship club, this time it would be Burnley

chesterfan2 · May 12, 2014

Saturday August 13th 2016

nPower League One

Venue: The Circle

Hull City (19th) vs. Northampton Town (13th)

The team did so well in the cup during the week that I decide to play them all again, unchanged.

But it only takes three minutes for Hull to get on the scoreboard, a quick passing move, lots of space, and a shot from the edge of the box that was just too good for Nicholls. But it seems the goal is more about the individual brilliance of the finish, and less about them playing better football than us. We more than hold our own for the remainder of the half and just shy of the break on 43 we create our own chances, Cassidy driven wide turns the ball back to the middle where Townsend is on hand to sweep the ball home. No more than we have deserved.

We have the ball in the net again in injury time, but it’s ruled out for a foul on the goalie, so we get to half time at one apiece. I pour praise onto them for their first half efforts and send them back out buoyed up by my plaudits.

It certainly had some effect as by the 48th minute we are ahead. An early attack forced a corner, which remains our best weapon. This time Widdowson crossed to the near post for McGeouch to force home from close range. It wasn’t plain sailing from there though. On 55 Hull hit the bar twice in quick succession, then the ball was hoiked out of the danger zone and into Row K.

On the hour, Cassidy was put through, he took the ball to the edge of the box, shot, and the ball cannoned back off the post, straight to the defender who put it behind under some pressure.

On 75 they equalised, a clearance came straight back, and the Hull striker was able to hold off the defenders and pick his spot, two-all. The game fizzled out from there, both sides seemingly content to take what they had got.

Final Score: Hull City 2-2 Northampton Town

League Position: 15th

Scorers : Townsend, McGeouch

Man Of The Match: Joe Widdowson

Team: Nicholls, Kane, Widdowson, Fulton, Hammar , Haggblom, Jones, McGeouch , Townsend, Edwards, Cassidy

chesterfan2 · May 12, 2014

Tuesday August 16th 2016

nPower League One

Venue: Sixfields Stadium

Northampton Town (15th) vs. Swindon Town(9th)

The games come thick and fast at this stage of the season and so a couple of changes were in order for this one with Eboigbe, Taylor and Weir all coming into the starting 11.

In the first period the two sides seemed to cancel each other out. Chances very few and far between and I was disappointed that the ones we did get we managed to shoot straight at the keeper on both occasions.

I try and encourage them at half time, try to get them to play with a bit more freedom. It’s not an obvious success as team talks go, but on 46 minutes we take the lead, Townsend and Thompson prominent in the buildup, Robertson running on to apply the finish from just inside the box.

We seem to be in quite comfortable control of the game, passing the ball around sweetly if not making much impression in the Swindon defence. On 78 minutes Swindon were reduced to ten men as their played scythed down Andros Townsend with a vicious two-footed challenge, that brought he ref’s red card straight out. I took off Townsend as a precaution and brought on Keegan in his place.

On 88, Swindon were reduced to nine men as their left back picked up his second yellow. The game was over as a contest and we ran out extremely comfortable winners.

Final Score: Northampton Town 1-0 Swindon

League Position: 11th

Scorers : Robertson

Man Of The Match: Tyler Fulton

Team: Nicholls, Kane, Widdowson, Fulton, Hammar , Weir, Thompson, Robertson , Townsend (Keegan 78), Edwards, Eboigbe

We signed another player shortly after the match. Bryn Morris, 20, is a defender/midfielder and was released by Middlesbrough. He’s a good young player at this level and will fit into our primary formation very well.

chesterfan2 · May 18, 2014

Saturday August 20th 2016

nPower League One

Venue: Sixfields Stadium

Northampton Town (11th) vs. Preston North End(15th)

A first start for our Belgian left back van Hyfte today, as we give a couple of the lads in the back four a break. In the forward areas I bring back McGeouch and Cassidy.

I tell the lads we are favourites for this and we should go out and play like it. Preston have not yet set the world alight in this league yet, but that doesn’t mean they won’t start today.

The first half turned out to be one of the least interesting 45 minutes of football I have ever watched. Preston looked happy to get a 0-0 draw from the very start and we didn’t have the wit to break them down. It was truly depressing.

I tell them they can win this and that they should probably try and go and do so. I throw cups to make my point.

If anything we were worse in the second half. Completely devoid of invention. Yes, Preston defended well, but we didn’t put in the required shift to overcome that. Oh, and Preston broke down the field on 72 and scored. Smash and grab.

Final Score: Northampton Town 0-1 Preston

League Position: 15th

Scorers :

Man Of The Match: Tyler Fulton

Team: Nicholls, Kane, van Hyfte, Fulton, Armstrong , Haggblom, Thompson, Jones, McGeouch, Edwards, Cassidy

I reacted as I usually do after a disappointment like that, I went out and signed a player. This one, Jeff Hughes, 31, is a highly experienced midfielder, and an addition of quality to the group, at the moment it looks like we need quality adding to the group.

chesterfan2 · May 18, 2014

Tuesday August 23rd 2016

Capital One Cup Second Round

Venue: Turf Moor

Burnley (CH 4th) vs. Peterborough United(L1 15th)

Hughes comes straight in to the defensive midfielder slot, as I feel we can use some more experience in this lineup, some more steel.

We start well and force the early pace, getting a string of corners in the first three minutes that ultimately come to nothing. But the lads aren’t to be denied this early pressure and a goal comes in the 12th minute as Kane intercepts a pass forward, brings it, and when his shot is blocked, Eboigbe is there to slam the ball home.

Burnley start to apply the pressure, searching for the way back into the match but their efforts are hindered when, on 21 minutes, the ref spotted a push at a Widdowson corner and a penalty was awarded. Hammar stepped up, and put the spot kick away.

The thing about cup games is to make the most of the chances you get when you are on top and this period of dominance that we were having surely wouldn’t last. Perhaps not but we did manage to add a third goal on the half hour as Eboigbe, carrying a knock, still managed to race away from the attending defenders and place the ball into the corner of the net on the run, admirable skill.

In a rare Burnley attack, Nicholls keeps us three goals up with first a good save, and then authoritative keeping at the resultant corner. We get to the break three goals up, a fabulous performance. I tell the guys as much. Burnley are much more competitive in the second half, but they don’t create anything until the last minute when Nicholls, once again, distinguishes himself and makes a good save to preserve the clean sheet.

All-in-all a job well done, but why can’t we play like that in the league games ?

Final Score: Burnley 0-3 Northampton Town

Scorers : Eboigbe 2, Hammar (Pen)

Man Of The Match: Osahon Eboigbe

Team: Nicholls, Kane, Widdowson, Fulton, Hammar , Hughes, McGeouch, Robertson, Townsend, Edwards, Eboigbe

In the draw for the third round we get another Championship side, Bristol City, but this time the game will be at our place.

chesterfan2 · May 18, 2014

Saturday August 27th 2016

nPower League One

Venue: The Valley

Charlton Athletic (22nd) vs. Northampton Town (15th)

An unchanged side for this one, well you know what they say….

And we do ok early on but it’s not until the 23rd minute that we get a shot on target, and that one happens to go in. Good work by Edwards on the right, no doubt celebrating his first call up to the full Welsh team, taking the ball past the full back and crossing for Townsend to bundle the ball in at the far post. Edwards had the chance to make it two on 36, but shot straight at the keeper.

So, half time and with a slender one goal lead, I tell them not to let their performance levels drop and send them back out there.

And in the second half they don’t let their guards down and deal with the expected Charlton attempt at a fightback. We held them at arm’s length and Nicholls ended the day without having to make a real save.

Final Score: Charlton Athletic 0-1 Northampton Town

League Position: 11th

Scorers : Townsend

Man Of The Match: Tyler Fulton

Team: Nicholls, Kane, Widdowson, Fulton, Hammar , Hughes, McGeouch, Robertson , Townsend, Edwards, Eboigbe

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