The longest-running saga in English football is now at an end. UK Power put a couple of quid in the meter and the new electricity substation is now alive and kicking. Probs. Don’t take our word for it, ‘cos we did this intro before the long-awaited switch-over. We’d call the club shop, but – y’know – we can’t. Give ’em a bell on Satdi morning to see. If no-one picks up, maybe take a torch and a few candles with you to rig up to the floodlights.
The show must go on!
Stevenage v Northampton Town: The Lowdown
If the power ain’t back on, it won’t be all bad. We can just ask Ilias Chair to light up the Lamex with yet another stellar performance. In turning the game on its head up at Lincoln, we’ve done a fine job of sticking the ‘mare of an outing at Tranmere to the back of our minds. We’ve had enough false dawns as this season has trundled along to not get carried away and think the playoffs are nailed on. But, the playoffs are nailed on. Deal with it.
The Opposition
P9 W1 D2 L6 F8 A15; last result: Northampton Town 1-1 Stevenage, 15/12/2018
Us and the Cobblers. This ain’t a story you’d tell your kid before bedtime. Our 2-1 win in April 2015 is the only time we’ve come out on top in our nine meetings so far. That was indoors, if you hadn’t guessed. On the road, our record was a proper tale of woe – ’til we went there just before Christmas in the reverse fixture and came away with a share of the spoils. Now we need to go a step further and double our win count against ’em.
The Referee
P5 W2 D0 L3 F17 A8; last result: Stevenage 0-8 Charlton Athletic, 09/10/2018
Our ref this week? It’s Lee Swabey, one more time. And the news left us squirming a bit. Last time he came to town, Boro’ ended the night with a record thumping. He’s reffed five of ours in total: two defeats for Teddy, two wins for Sarll and – so far – one defeat under the current gaffer. If the pattern goes on like this, it’s gonna be a long afternoon for us. But we’ll give him the benefit of the doubt just put it all down to coinkydink.
The Form
After our 1-1 draw earlier this term, the Cobblers were five points and three places below us in the table. That gap has since grown to nine points and six places. What does it tell you? That things have gone (slightly) better for us over the last couple of months. The Cobblers have been floating around where they are in 16th for some time. And with seven points to make up on 15th placed Newport, upwards is off limits at the mo.
There’s little of interest to say about them, all told. Their record in defence and attack ties in with their league position, as does their recent form, if anyone’s counting. We’d do well to watch out for the fact they’ve scored in each of their last nine matches on the road though. Their last two away days? A draw at Lincoln and a win at Tranmere. And we said we’d never talk about Tranmere away again, so they’re kinda rubbing our noses in it.
With seven 1-1 draws to their name this season, don’t go betting against an eighth here.
The team at kickoff.co.uk has put the form book into the paint machine, and this is what came out:
• MORE ABOUT ‘EM: Northampton Town club profile
