Northampton Town (H) League One, Feb 4th 3pm

[Welsh_Saddler]

We face the Cobblers, and the curse of "playing against a team with a new manager who've just had a good win" this coming Saturday ... Justin Edinburgh took over in mid-January, watched his side lose at home to Scunthorpe (no disgrace there) and then thump Coventry City 3-0, although it should be remembered that Coventry had only 10 men for 70 minutes. Northampton have had a very up and down season - starting with drawing their first 5 games followed by a couple of wins (one against us) and even going in to November they were comfortably in the play-off zone, then it all went very pear-shaped and their manager Rob Page was fired after a 5-0 defeat at the hands of Bristol Rovers. Page was 8 months into a 3-year contract. The Cobblers' recent League form:

31 Dec Sheffield United (A) Lost 1-0
2 Jan Bradford City (H) Lost 1-2
7 Jan Bristol Rovers (A) Lost 5-0
14 Jan Scunthorpe United (H) Lost 1-2
21 Jan M K Dons (A) Lost 5-3
28 Jan Coventry City (H) Won 3-0

Justin Edinburgh has been quick to appreciate the need for a better strike force, and he has used the transfer window to recruit Keshi Anderson from Crystal Palace (who scored all 3 goals against Coventry City), Michael Smith from Portsmouth and Luke Williams from Scunthorpe United, all on loan for the rest of the season. The Cobblers are currently 16th in the League One table, 6 points behind ourselves, and yet they've scored 6 more league One goals than we have (but they've also leaked 10 more at the other end than have we!).

With only one defeat in our last 8 League One games Jon Whitney and his team must be growing in confidence that the mysterious "gelling" is actually bearing fruit, and our current position of being only 6 points away from the play-offs and 12 points above the drop zone is a major improvement on the doom and gloom that pervaded back in September. Our goalscoring has been impressive recently, but there's still that worrying factor that our "strikers" are not figuring as the main contributors. It's all very well having wing-full-backs like Jason McCarthy launching themselves into the opposition penalty area and having the ability to find the net, but on the occasions when such attacks are broken up we are then highly susceptible to a counter-attack - and with a couple of our defenders stranded upfield the old phrase comes to mind .... "Who's minding the shop?"

We've lost 4 League One games at home this season and I can't see Northampton Town making it 5, so I'll stick my neck out and predict a home 3-0 win, with Richards, Hodgkisson and Taylor (C) netting for us. :mrgreen:

[Wragbyred]

I work with a Cobblers season ticket holder, he thinks there will be around a thousand travelling up from Cobblehampton.
We've both started to score goals recently, may be a good game

[coop63]

Can't explain why but even with our much improved form of late I'm a wee bit unsure of this one

As has been said, their new gaffer has very quickly got his forward reinforcements into place and they will be up for it I'm sure!

With a very good 8 points from our last four games our boys should be right up for this and I hope they are... just hope JW doesn't mess too much with his selections although Chambers could be a doubt after picking up a knock against Millwall..

I can see plenty of goals in this game so I'm going 3-2 for us

5122 in attendance with 966 from cobbler country - UTS

[Barren Flak]

Edinburgh won't have needed to send any scouts our way, having already hauled 4 points from us this season managing Gillingham.

I'm focusing on the fact that Northampton have conceded 5 in each of their last two away games, and against teams we're probably in the same group as, teams not flirting with either end of the table come the season's conclusion (MK Dons & Brizzie Rovers).

Hinges on our midfield trio for me. Can Big Ozzy play Sat, Wed, Sat? Will Flo recapture form of last two home performances, rather than repeat his off key performance at Bury? Will Chambo shake off the knock he got in the final few minutes at Millwall? Will there still be chips available at half-time? All these answers and more will be answered, with answers, after the break......

The Cobblers were pretty solid defensively at their place under Page. We weren't great (understatement) but their tactic seemed to be nullify and then make best of the their set plays and breaks, through Matty Taylor and Alex Revell et al. The later is injured now though I think, and actually in a back three with O'Connell (type it quietly) I think we've improved our aerial bombardment defences.

Is their lummox John-Joe O'Wotsit playing at the minute? Would love to see our Big O deposit him all over the pitch.

Home win.

[scott_powell]

Win and I'll turn my oven on for that sweet humble pie

[saddlerphil]

Goals galore, a red card and a penalty save. The game will have the lot.

5967 (956 Northhamptionians)

[u]6-4[/u]

Walsall:-
Manager: Kevin Broadhurst.

Goals:
Kevin Wilson
Chris 'Step Over' Marsh (get well soon!!!!)
Jamie Forrester
Alex Nicholls
Clive Platt
John Hodge

Northampton:-
Manager:- John Barnwell

Goals:
Dean Peer
Richard Green
Sam Parkin
Ryan Jarvis


Ishmel Demontagnac (Northampton Town) will enter the field of play at 78 minutes, get a penalty in the 80th and then will be sent off for kicking our goalie (Lee Harper) because he saved it!!!

Get down to the Bazzla on Saturday, it's a game you can't miss!!!!

UTS

[dobbster71]

0-0

Makris to make a cameo appearance on 89 minutes!

[chunkster]

Got a good feeling about this one. you know when you put in an exceptional performance just once a season? well this could be the one. and with that in mind i predict a 4-1 home win :D

[NEWPORT SADDLERS DAD]

Got a good feeling about this one. you know when you put in an exceptional performance just once a season? well this could be the one. and with that in mind i predict a 4-1 home win :D

We did that with sheffield Utd.Its over for this year.

[chunkster]

Got a good feeling about this one. you know when you put in an exceptional performance just once a season? well this could be the one. and with that in mind i predict a 4-1 home win :D

We did that with sheffield Utd.Its over for this year.

:lol: oh ye. you know when you put in 2 exceptional performances :mrgreen:

[LEE75]

Walsall win on the the cards here... 2-0 with goals from oztumer,preston

[Welsh_Saddler]

Starting line-up against Northampton Town:

Etheridge

McCarthy
O'Connor
Preston
O'Connell

Edwards
Chambers
Cuvelier
Osbourne

Oztumer

Bakayoko

Substitutes: MacGillivray, Laird, Dobson, Jackson, Morris, Randall-Hurren, Makris

[Micky Saddler]

Working at our iconic neighbouring building (see if you can guess :wink: ) kills me, knowing my beloved babbies are playing over the road!! :( :cry:

I'm predicting a 3-1 win here, with the new celtic bloke, baka and flo on the scoresheet.
For those of you there, try and keep me updated with the score via noise level :lol: :wink:

UTS

[chunkster]

Working at our iconic neighbouring building (see if you can guess :wink: ) kills me, knowing my beloved babbies are playing over the road!! :( :cry:

I'm predicting a 3-1 win here, with the new celtic bloke, baka and flo on the scoresheet.
For those of you there, try and keep me updated with the score via noise level :lol: :wink:

UTS

RAC? :lol:

[Micky Saddler]

Working at our iconic neighbouring building (see if you can guess :wink: ) kills me, knowing my beloved babbies are playing over the road!! :( :cry:

I'm predicting a 3-1 win here, with the new celtic bloke, baka and flo on the scoresheet.
For those of you there, try and keep me updated with the score via noise level :lol: :wink:

UTS

RAC? :lol:

Always known you had brains Chunk :D

[Welsh_Saddler]

Early goal at Bramall Lane - Sheffield Utd 1 AFC Wimbledon 0

and at Roots Hall - Southend Utd 0 Scunthorpe Utd 1

Bradford City 0 Gillingham 1 (15 min) ..... EDIT - ..... 1-1 almost straightaway!!

Port Vale 0 Peterborough Utd 1 (19 min)

Walsall corner after 13 minutes, and we hit the woodwork from it............ (Matt Preston)

[Welsh_Saddler]

Recovery needed ... Walsall 0 Northampton Town 1 :( (25 min)

[chunkster]

Etheridge fault :(

[Welsh_Saddler]

Coventry City 0 Millwall 1 (32 min)

Charlton Athletic 1 Fleetwood Town 0

Blunts 2-0 against Wombles now

Bradford City 2 Gillingham 1

Southend Utd 1 Scunthorpe Utd 1

Northampton Town yellow card, 36 minutes (Marc Richards, striker)

[Welsh_Saddler]

0-1 at half time. Another pep talk from JW in the same manner employed against Bury please .....

Substitutions? Time to throw the kitchen sink at them yet????

Look on the bright side - you could be a Coventry City fan :shock: :shock:

[chriss5471]

What the hell was Baka in thinking giving away the free kick that led to their goal?!

[boringteacher]

Off the pace but should be winning. Etheridge showed why he'll never be a champ. Keeper.

Still should win this against a cack team

[Welsh_Saddler]

Stroke of half time - MK Dongs 0 Bolton Wanderers 1

Start of 2nd half - Sloppies 1 Bury 0

No substitutions to start our 2nd half .... but our first sub comes on at 60 minutes ... jackson on for Bakayoko


AND WE HAVE AN EQUALISER!!!!!!!! (63 minutes) :D (That well-known striker Matt Preston with a header - assist from Cuvelier)

AND WE ARE AHEAD 2-1!!!!!!!!!!! :D :D :D :D :D :D (Oztumer, 69 minutes)

[Welsh_Saddler]

If things stay like this, we are 4 points from the play-offs and 15 points above the drop zone :D :D :D

Attendance today 4,954

79 minutes sees our 2nd substitution - George Dobson replaces Isaiah Osbourne

Elsewhere - Southend Utd 3 Scunthorpe Utd 1

Sheffield Utd 3 Wimbledon 0

Coventry City 0 Millwall 2

Port Vale 0 Posh 2


Our 3rd substitution is on 83 minutes ...... Laird replaces Cuvelier - very sensible !!!

86 minutes sees a 2nd yellow card for Northampton Town

[Welsh_Saddler]

Northampton Town penalty on 93 minutes ..... :roll: (Yellow card for Dobson)


MISSED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D (Over the crossbar!!)


Big sigh of relief at full time, with 3 points :D :D :D :D :D

[Guest]

:D :D :D

[Pheasey_Saddler]

Solid home win!

I wasn't too confident today based on the fact that we played on Wed and thought we may have tired. However, we seem to come on strong in the 2nd half. A bit fortunate at the end by the sounds of it though....

[philthesaddler]

Solid home win?

They missed a sitter of a header, had one scrambled off the line, and missed a penalty.

That was a poor, leggy performance from Walsall, the defending in the last 25 minutes was shocking, any half decent side would have put us to the sword.

Might aswell call ourselves the Vampires, because we just can't deal with crosses.

[leics_saddler]

Just got back and we were fortunate today. It wasn't just the last minute penalty but more on that later.
The team looked tired from playing on Wednesday and I understand that, but the midfield was woeful at times today.
Some of the football played was good but it produced little threat too often.
I also appreciate that we have been on a tremendous run of form lately and that it would catch up on us in the end.

Anyway, that nonsense that ensued in injury time.

The whole melee of 3m of solid Northampton pressure and eventual penalty was caused by Jackson.
How he can be caught offside having had 30s or more to get in position is beyond me.
He'd barely been on the field 15m, but he was blowing out his arse. He's as fit as me.
I'd fine him every time he gets caught offside, because other than one nice bit of skill he offered nothing else.

JW is quite correct to single out McCarthy and Edwards for praise.
They were the ones closing down at the end in relatively attacking positions, while Jackson was standing about.
McCarthy was deservedly MoTM today.

I hope the next time he fetches Baka off, he considers some of his other options.
If ever there was a match crying out for Randall (if he is fast, as I hear) or Morris to come on near the end and keep their donkey defence occupied, it was today.

[wednesburysaddler]

fingernails almost gone after todays match.
wasn't a classic and was a v poor first half looked all over the place and cobblers deserved their lead.

second half went much better creating more chances and finally we were level with a matt preston header
well I think it was it came that fast from corner I didn't see it!!

second goal was some lovely composure from ozzy about 2 yards from goal turning the man making some space and firing in the corner.

then the Alamo from Northampton with cross after cross and deep dogged defending from the saddler.
the ref was poor today breaking up the play with his whistle seemingly giving Northampton free kick after free kick.

6 minutes went up to the disbelief of all in the ground and then the inevitable penalty came for the cobblers.
their guy hit it so high you may see ball if you get your telescope out.

we would have lost this 6 weeks ago is something special happening ???