It doesn’t get much bigger than this at Edgeley Park this weekend…
County take on promotion challengers Northampton Town in a huge game in League Two this Saturday, as we look for three points that would see us close in on the top three going into the second half of the season.
Defeat at Grimsby Town in the last league game was a setback for Dave Challinor’s side, who had built up a lot of momentum over the last few months to move within touching distance of the play-off places.
Having also been in Cup action last weekend, results elsewhere in League Two have since seen us drop to 14th in the table – still only four points off the top seven, with games in hand on the majority of sides above us.
Opponents Northampton were beaten 2-1 away at Salford City last time out, a second defeat in their last three league outings. They currently occupy the final automatic promotion place, sitting seven points clear in third spot – 12 points above County, but having played two games more.
Don’t forget, County fans can now park at the NCP Car Park at Stockport Train Station for a discounted price of just £3 on a match day, via the ParkPass App! Click here for more information.
Coming to the game on Saturday? Click here to view our Fan Information pack, containing all you need to know ahead of your visit to Edgeley Park.
Don’t forget to turn up early to Edgeley Park to visit the County Courtyard, which will be opening its doors from 1.30pm! For more information on all the food, drink and entertainment on offer this week, click here.
Since we last met:
Northampton Town were cruelly denied promotion on the final day of last season, missing out on 3rd spot on goals scored due to Bristol Rovers’ 7-0 win over already relegated Scunthorpe United. They are looking to put that right this time round.
Despite County taking a deserved first-half lead when we met at Sixfields earlier in the season, two second-half goals saw The Cobblers take all three points – leaving them in 2nd place, ten games in to the season, with County 15 points behind in 17th.
Results since that day have been mixed for Jon Brady’s side – they won just two of their next seven games in League Two, as well as exiting the FA Cup to National League side Chesterfield. They have, however, clung on to their place in automatic promotion places, not once dropping out of the top three in that time.
They have picked up four points against league leaders Leyton Orient, won away at Stevenage and Bradford City, but also lost home and away to Salford City and played out disappointing draws at home to Sutton United and Newport County.
It’s their form away from home that has been key to their success so far this season – even taking into account defeat at Salford City last time round, only Leyton Orient (24) have picked up more points on the road than Northampton’s 22. They have been beaten just twice away from home in League Two, at Salford and also at Walsall back in early October.
One to watch:
Having finished last season with the best defensive record in League Two, conceding just 38 goals in 46 games during 2021/22, the Cobblers have effectively reinvented themselves this campaign under Jon Brady. They are currently the top scorers in League Two, hitting 40 goals in 25 games – at least four more than any other side.
Key to that has been the form of League Two’s top scorer, Sam Hoskins. The 29-year-old winger is red hot at the moment, scoring 16 goals in the league – already comfortably the best goalscoring season of his career to date.
The former Yeovil man, now into his eighth season at Northampton, scored the equaliser when these two sides met in September, and has three goals in his last four games.
Match Stats:
- County are currently without a win in our last six games against Northampton. Our last win against the Cobblers came in October 2005 – a 4-2 home win, thanks to goals from Tes Bramble (2), Harpal Singh and Keith Briggs.
- County haven’t lost three consecutive games in all competitions since September 2019.
- Over the last 15 games in League Two, only the top two, Leyton Orient and Stevenage, have picked up more points than County’s 27. Northampton have picked up 23 points in that time.
Watch the manager’s pre-match interview with Liam Richardson here:
