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Upcoming Fixtures
Northampton Preview
By: Richard Hubbert
Date: 10/01/2005
2005 got off to a good start for the Mighty Mariners last Monday, when they beat Cambridge 3-0 at Blundell Park. But can Town make it two in a row against one of the strongest teams in the division?
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Home > 2004-2005 Season > Previews > Northampton (h) |
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The Opposition | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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After a mediocre first couple of month of the season, Northampton’s excellent form in November and December has seen them climb from mid-table into 5th position in League Two. Wins against Mansfield, Bury, Boston and an excellent away win at fellow promotion chasers Macclesfield Town leave the Cobblers eight points away from the automatic promotion places. Although this eight point gap is easily retrievable if last seasons form is anything to go by. This time last season, Northampton were in 17th place and 12 points from the play offs after a 3-1 defeat to Torquay. In the end, they finished in sixth place after losing just five matches in the second half of the season. But after losing in the play offs last time, Colin Calderwood’s (left) men will be hoping to go one better this time.
Northampton undoubtedly have one of the strongest squads in the division. Ashley Westwood (left) and Chris Wilmott have both played at a higher level with the likes of Sheffield Wednesday and Wimbledon. Josh Low is attracting interest from Premiership side Crystal Palace after having another impressive season in the Cobblers midfield. Low was a £165,000 signing from Oldham in the summer of 2003. Lee Williamson arrived from Mansfield in September and scored a belting goal at the weekend in the Cobblers FA Cup tie with Southampton. In attack, they have the likes of Scott Mcgleish, an experienced striker who has played in the lower leagues with Barnet, Colchester and Leyton Orient - scoring goals at each of them. He already has thirteen goals this term. Eric Sabin has eight goals this season after joining the Cobblers at the end of last season. The French forward has played for Swindon, QPR and Boston in the English league.
Trevor Benjamin (left) is a forward who started his career with Cambridge United where he scored 35 goals in 123 appearances, before securing a £1.5 million move to Leicester in 2000. He has been in and out the Foxes side ever since, with loan spells at Palace, Norwich, West Brom, Gillingham, Rushden and Brighton. Now with Northampton, Benjamin will be a real threat in this division. Indeed, he scored on his Cobblers debut against Mansfield.
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Head to Head | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The Cobblers have the edge over the Mariners, having beaten Town just one more time than we have beaten them. The Sixfields side have had 13 victories, with the Mariners 12. It would be fair to say, however, that Grimsby won the most important meeting between the two sides - in the Division Two Play Off Final in 1998.
P 28 W 12 D 3 L 13 F 37 A 47 Northampton Head-to-Head (50th on The Opposition Ladder)
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Last Meeting | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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An 86th minute Dean Gordon goal saw the Mariners snatch all three points at the Sixfields Stadium in October, the last meeting between the two clubs. This is still Northampton’s only defeat at home in League Two this season. The win marked a decent run of form for Town after previous wins against Cambridge and Leyton Orient. After the game, Town leapt to 8th place in the division - a position that Town have not reached since.
Grimsby Team: Williams, Whittle, Forbes, Gordon, Crowe, Pinault, Coldicott, Fleming, Cramb, Reddy (Sestanovich, 66), Parkinson
Northampton Team: Rachubka, Willmott, Murray, Bojic, Low, Rowson, Williamson, Jaszczun, Sabin, McGleish (Galbraith, 80), Smith Attendance: 5,805 Report
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Click on the link for directions to Blundell Park (left).
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Click on the link for ticket prices to Blundell Park.
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