$PRE-SEASON FRIENDLY
Tuesday July 14th, 7.45pm
Glassworld Stadium

HISTON 1
Josh SIMPSON 69

NORTHAMPTON TOWN 1
Gary MULLIGAN 41 pen

Attendance: 341

Histon: Danny NAISBITT, Craig POPE (sub Kieron LE BON 62), Gareth GWILLIM, Adam TANN, Matthew LANGSTON, Lanre OYEBANJO, Shane TUDOR (sub John KENNEDY 62), Josh SIMPSON, Danny WRIGHT (sub Lee ROACHE 72), Michael FREW, Nathaniel KNIGHT-PERCIVAL 
Substitutes not used: Adam BYGRAVE, Joe WELCH, David OBAZE, Callum STEWART

Cobblers: Chris DUNN, Paul RODGERS (sub Dean BECKWITH 23), Danny JACKMAN, Luke GUTTRIDGE, Craig HINTON (sub Liam RUDDICK (youth) 84), Chris WILLMOTT, Giles COKE (sub Michael JACOBS (youth) 72), Alex DYER (sub Adebayo AKINFENWA 60), Gary MULLIGAN, Billy McKAY (sub Oscar LUBWAMA 70), Liam DAVIS (sub Joe BENJAMIN 46)
Substitutes not used: Paul WALKER, Abdul OSMAN, Luke CRAY (youth), Alex KONSTANTINOU (youth)

Referee: Mr K Hill

Booked:
Histon: none
Cobblers: none

Sent off:
Histon: none
Cobblers: none

Northampton Town's second pre-season friendly took them to the Glassworld Stadium to take on Histon. Gary Mulligan and Chris Dunn made their first starts of the pre-season campaign.

Histon, who beat West Brom in their opening pre-season game, were almost caught cold by the Cobblers in the 8th minute. A half cleared corner from Luke Guttridge fell to Alex Dyer 25 yards out. He picked out Giles Coke in space in the area as the defence moved out, but after taking a touch the midfielder was denied by the recovering Adam Tann who managed to toe the ball away.

A 16th minute break for the Cobblers saw Paul Rodgers play the ball over the top of the home defence for trialist Billy McKay. Under pressure from Tann he sent in a shot that beat the advancing keeper Danny Naisbitt but went wide of the far post.

Chris Willmott was forced to clear a shot from Nathaniel Knight-Percival away as the home side outnumbered the Cobblers in a 20th minute counter attack, moments later the lively McKay striking the cross bar for Stuart Gray's side with a curling effort from 25 yards.

Giant striker Danny Wright arrowed a drive over the bar for Histon, before Lanre Oyebanjo shot wide from a free kick on the very edge of the area had been awarded against Craig Hinton. The Cobblers defence managed to scramble the ball away after a 39th minute set play caused problems, Chris Willmott bravely getting in to head the ball away from Adam Tann.

The Cobblers were awarded a 40th minute penalty. Danny Jackman's angled ball forward was headed back by Gary Mulligan into the path of Luke Guttridge who was tripped inside the area when one on one with the keeper by Gareth Gwillim. Mulligan scored from the spot.

After a quiet opening to the second period, Alex Dyer broke up play in the midfield to set the Cobblers away on a 56th minute break. Dyer's pass released Gary Mulligan in the right hand channel but his low ball across the face of goal - aimed at strike partner McKay - was cleared away by Matthew Langston.

Chris Dunn made a good save to divert the ball away in a 58th minute scramble, Danny Jackman on hand to complete the clearance.

Josh Simpson levelled for the home side in the 69th minute, driving home a right footed shot in the bottom left hand corner of the net from 18 yards after Kieron Le Bon had done well to keep the ball in play on the Histon right.

The Cobblers young side was being tested at a number of set plays by a tall, strong Histon side as the game wore on, but after Mulligan had been fouled on the edge of the home side's area it was the turn of the Cobblers to go close, Jackman's free kick being tipped away.

Naisbitt pushed a curling Guttridge effort past the post on 81 minutes in the final action of note as the Cobblers second pre-season friendly ended all square.

 HISTON MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (1) 5
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (3) 4
CORNERS: (6) 14
FOULS: (8) 15
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (1) 2

COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (2) 5
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (3) 3
CORNERS: (3) 7
FOULS: (12) 18
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (1) 1