It was a bit of an uncomfortable one last week; Lincoln doing a job on us in much the same way we did to sides when we won promotion in 2011. It was all very well when it was us, but not so much now when someone else is doing it. Not that we can complain, however. And it’s now last week, so let’s just move on. Christmas is on its way innit. And we bet you can’t name a more festive place to be at this time of year than Northampton.
Northampton Town v Stevenage: The Lowdown
The Cobblers are back on our patch after a failed attempt at surviving in League One last season. Ah sure, isn’t it a place we’ve been before ourselves? Though not making a stunning job of bouncing back at the first go, the outlook is a lot healthier for them on the pitch right now. For us, we’re on a run of two straight defeats going into this. Or three in four if you want to double your money. We’re starting this off on a bright note ain’t we?
The Referee
P15 W4 D5 L6 F12 A22; last result: Yeovil Town 3-0 Stevenage, 28/10/2017
Christopher Sarginson (or Sarge, as we reckon he’s known to his mates… and us) is our ref for this one, and we may as well not turn up. The last four times he’s rocked up to one of our fixtures, we’ve lost. And heavily; a run of 0-3, 0-4, 0-1 (FA Cup) and 0-3 doing nothing to stir our confidence. He’s handed out 68 yellows in 23 outings so far this term, as well as three reds – but they all came in successive games last month, so there we go.
Well, it’s not as if this particular fixture is renowned for red cards. Is it?
The Opposition
P8 W1 D1 L6 F7 A14; last result: Stevenage 2-3 Northampton Town, 19/03/2016
If our record with Sarge is a bit pants, there’s three quarters of naff all to perk you up in our head-to-head with the Cobblers. Mad Fraser Franks saw red in our 3-2 reverse indoors last time we met, which is now around two-and-a-half years ago. In numbers, we’ve had four times as many men sent off (4) and the same number of oppo coaches poked in the eye (1) as we have wins against Northampton (1). What can you say about that, eh?
The Form
Let’s talk recent form then. The Cobblers had a stinker of a start to the current campaign; winning just one of their first 12 matches. Since then, though, it’s five wins in nine; lifting them clear of the emerging relegation battle. It means they’re one of the in-form teams in League Two, taking more points from the last eight games as last week’s guests at the Lamex. Whereas we’re a bit ‘meh’ at the moment.
With their upturn in form comes a warning; the Cobblers scoring in each of their last seven outings and scoring two or more in each of their last four home matches. Our away record leaves enough to be desired without the challenge of stopping a resurgent Northampton side in their tracks. It can, of course, be done though. Whether it will be is a different chestnut, and one we’ll only get to crack wide open at 3pm on Saturday afternoon.
Take a look at the form guide from kickoff.co.uk:
• MORE ABOUT ‘EM: Northampton Town club profile
