PRE-SEASON FRIENDLY
Wednesday July 23rd, 7.45pm
Sixfields

Attendance: 2,562 (1,021 away fans)

Cobblers: Mark BUNN, Jason CROWE, Danny JACKMAN, Mark HUGHES, Gabor GYEPES (sub Ian HENDERSON 82), Liam DOLMAN, Giles COKE, Leon CONSTANTINE, Colin LARKIN (sub Ryan GILLIGAN 63), Kevin WATSON (sub Abdul OSMAN 46), Andy HOLT (sub Liam DAVIS 63)
Substitutes not used: Chris DUNN, Alex DYER, Greg TAYLOR, Ritchie JONES

QPR: Lee CAMP, Matthew CONNOLLY, Damien DELANEY (sub Zesh REHMAN 76), Damion STEWART, Fitz HALL (sub Simon WALTON 71), Martin ROWLANDS (sub Adam BOLDER 71), Matteo ALBERTI (sub Gareth AINSWORTH 65), Gavin MAHON, Dexter BLACKSTOCK (sub Samuel DI CARMINE 75), Patrick AGEYMANG (sub Angelo BALANTA 75), Emmanuel LEDESMA (sub Hogan EPHRAIM 76)
Substitutes not used: Reece CROWTHER, Ramone ROSE

Referee: Mr R Beeby

Booked:
Cobblers: none
QPR: none

Sent off:
Cobblers: none
QPR: none

Northampton Town welcomed Queens Park Rangers to Sixfields for their first home pre-season friendly.

On a warm July evening, neat build up play from Leon Constantine nearly created a 7th minute opening, but after Giles Coke had let the ball run, Jason Crowe's effort as he ran in from the right was blocked by the recovering Damien Delaney.

The visitors had the lead in the 26th minute, the first goal the Cobblers had conceded in open play during pre-season. Emmanuel Ledesma's corner was half cleared, and the corner taker returned the ball into the area for Dexter Blackstock to head home through a crowd of players at the near post.

Danny Jackman sent a right footed shot inches wide of the post at the other end on 32 minutes after Jason Crowe's cross had been headed away to the edge of the box, while for Rangers Patrick Ageymang latched on to a Ledesma through ball and sent in a low drive that Mark Bunn did well to turn around the post.

At half time Abdul Osman came on for trialist Kevin Watson.

Six minutes after the re-start the Cobblers produced their best move of the game so far. Osman broke up a Rangers attack and found Andy Holt. His ball forward was taken down well by Danny Jackman who released Colin Larkin down the left. Larkin returned the ball into the path of Jackman and his first time cross was met by the onrushing Giles Coke who could not quite connect with the volley as he would have liked from 12 yards and the ball went wide.

Stuart Gray made a double change on 63 minutes with Liam Davis replacing Andy Holt and Ryan Gilligan coming on for Colin Larkin. Rangers then made a swap with Gareth Ainsworth introduced at the expense of Matteo Alberti.

As the changes continued, Simon Walton and Adam Bolder came on for Fitz Hall and Martin Rowlands for Rangers.

Leon Constantine had a shot blocked at the end of a Cobblers spell of pressure on 74 minutes, before Iain Dowie brought on Samuel Di Carmine for goalscorer Blackstock and Angelo Balanta for Blackstock's strike partner Ageymang. Zesh Rehman then came on for Damien Delaney and Hogan Ephrain replaced Emmanuel Ledesman.

Constantine was within an inch of scoring on 77 minutes. Liam Davis fed a delightful ball in from the left that the former Leeds striker volleyed towards goal. His effort beat Lee Camp but was agonisingly a fraction too high.

Ian Henderson came on for Gabor Gyepes for the Cobblers, before Bunn made a good save, going down low to deny Balanta's drive.

That was the final action of note in what was an enjoyable and entertaining pre-season work out.

COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (1) 2
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (1) 4
CORNERS: (2) 3
FOULS: (4) 9
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (0) 0

QPR MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (3) 4
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (4) 5
CORNERS: (2) 4
FOULS: (5) 9
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (3) 4