JACKSON GRUNDY CUP
Tuesday July 21st, 7.45pm
Sixfields

Attendance: 1,975 (686 away fans)

Cobblers: Chris DUNN, John CURTIS (trialist) (sub Paul RODGERS (trialist) 71), Danny JACKMAN, Craig HINTON, Chris McCREADY (trialist), Luke GUTTRIDGE, Abdul OSMAN (sub Dean BECKWITH 78), Alex DYER (sub Michael JACOBS (youth) 82), Andy HOLT, Steve GUINAN (sub Billy McKAY (trialist) 61), Adebayo AKINFENWA  (sub Sebastian HARRIS (trialist) 61)
Substitutes not used: Paul WALKER, Joe BENJAMIN

Coventry: Dimi KONSTANTOPOULOS, Stephen WRIGHT, Danny FOX, Ashley CAIN, Michael DOYLE, Leon BEST (sub Freddy EASTWOOD 72), Jordan CLARKE, Isaac OSBOURNE (sub Marcus HALL 83), Aron GUNNARSSON (sub Adam WALKER 68), Clinton MORRISON (sub Sean JEFFERS 78), Ben TURNER (sub James McPAKE 66)
Substitutes not used: Michael QUIRK

Referee: Mr D Whitestone

Booked:
Cobblers: none
Coventry: none

Sent off:
Cobblers: none
Coventry: none 

Former Crewe and Tranmere defender Chris McCready was the latest trialist to be named in the Northampton Town side for this pre-season friendly with Coventry City.

The Sky Blues had a couple of early efforts at goal that were dealt with comfortably enough by Chris Dunn, before a lovely reverse pass from Steve Guinan released Alex Dyer into the City area but he was denied by a recovering defender.

Dyer forced a low 19th minute save from Konstantopoulos after driving a lay back from Adebayo Akinfenwa towards goal, before Chris Dunn came to the Cobblers rescue in the 27th minute. Leon Best played a ball in behind the Cobblers defence for Ashley Cain, and under pressure from John Curtis the Coventry man was denied by the feet of Dunn.

Leon Best struck the outside of the post with a dipping volley from an acute angle on 31 minutes, while eleven minutes later Andy Holt deflected a shot from Aron Gunnarsson over the bar in the final action of a goalless first forty five minutes.

The visitors had the lead on 52 minutes, Leon Best driving powerfully low beyond Chris Dunn from 25 yards.

With City boosted by the goal, Dunn was in the right place to save from Ashley Cain after the pace of the Coventry midfielder had created an opportunity on 55 minutes. As the visitors continued their purple patch, Ben Turner hit the outside of the post with a header from a deep corner.

A dangerous free kick from Danny Jackman was headed over his own bar on 74 minutes by Stephen Wright with Andy Holt lurking, before the Cobblers levelled 10 minutes later. Holt's long throw was not dealt with by the Sky Blues defence and Billy McKay scored with an overhead kick from 15 yards.

The Sky Blues regained their lead three minutes later when Sean Jeffers was in the right place to head home at the far post.

That was enough to see the Sky Blues lift the Jackson Grundy Cup at the end of an enjoyable pre-season work out.

COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (3) 4
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (0) 1
CORNERS: (0) 2
FOULS: (4) 7
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (0) 2

COVENTRY MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (3) 7
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (3) 5
CORNERS: (2) 5
FOULS: (5) 10
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (0) 1