NORTHAMPTON TOWN 0 STEVENAGE 1

Northampton Town 0 Stevenage 1 - the match report

5 August 2023

SKY BET LEAGUE 1
Saturday August 5th, 3.00pm
Sixfields

NORTHAMPTON TOWN 0

STEVENAGE 1
Carl Piergianni 80

Attendance: 7,049 (961 away supporters)

Cobblers: Lee Burge, Akin Odimayo (sub Louis Appere 46), Sam Sherring, Jon Guthrie (sub Max Dyche 82), Manny Monthe, Patrick Brough, Marc Leonard, Jack Sowerby (sub Kieron Bowie 85), Mitch Pinnock (sub Will Hondermarck 82), Sam Hoskins (sub Aaron McGowan 73), Tyreece Simpson
Subs not used: James Dadge, Ali Koiki

Stevenage: Taye Ashby-Hammond, Luther James-Wildin, Dan Butler, Nathan Thompson, Carl Piergianni, Jordan Roberts, Finley Burns, Jamie Reid (sub Jake Forster-Caskey 70), Aaron Pressley (sub Josh March 89), Louis Thompson, Ben Thompson (sub Nick Freeman 62)
Subs not used: Alex MacDonald, Kane Smith, Krisztian Hegyi

Referee: Lewis Smith

Booked:
Cobblers: Akin Odimayo (17), Sam Hoskins (69)
Stevenage: Carl Piergianni (4), Steve Evans (15), Paul Raynor (88), Dan Butler (88), Finley Burns (90)

Sent off:
Cobblers: none
Stevenage: none

Back in Sky Bet League One, Northampton Town kicked off the 2023/24 EFL season with a home game against Stevenage, who were promoted alongside the Cobblers in May.

Summer signings Manny Monthe, Patrick Brough and Tyreece Simpson all started along with returning loanee Marc Leonard. Kieron Bowie, another player back on loan at Sixfields for the season, was named on the bench. Shaun McWilliams wasn’t quite ready to feature after picking up a knock in pre-season with Ben Fox, Harvey Lintott, Ryan Haynes, Danny Hylton and Tyler Magloire also still sidelined through injury.

The Sixfields surface looked pristine but conditions were unseasonable as the game got underway. Jamie Reid flashed a shot wide early on before Patrick Brough was denied a debut goal by a combination of cross bar and a terrific finger-tip save by Stevenage keeper Taye Ashby-Hammond. Tyreece Simpson, played in by Marc Leonard, then struck the post from a tight angle, the Cobblers having hit the woodwork twice in the opening thirteen minutes.

Jon Guthrie headed wide from a corner just before the half-hour mark while Ben Thompson and Aaron Pressley both spurned decent openings for Stevenage. Simpson was looking a real threat for the Cobblers and Ashby-Hammond did well to deny the Huddersfield loanee a clear strike on goal.

With the new rules in place for the new season to ensure more game time, eight additional minutes were signalled by the fourth official and midway through those minutes Mitch Pinnock saw a shot blocked behind. There was also a moment of controversy when Ashby-Hammond appeared to bring down Jack Sowerby in the area but referee Lewis Smith was unconvinced.

Louis Appere replaced Akin Odimayo for the second half with Sam Hoskins, on his 400th career appearance, switched to right wing-back.

After a fairly frenetic action packed first half the second half was a bit more subdued with the weather conditions not helping. Clear cut chances were proving harder to come by but on 81 minutes Stevenage made the breakthrough, Carl Piergianni getting the final touch following a goalmouth scramble and a terrific initial save from Lee Burge.

Substitute Will Hondermarck volleyed wide as the Cobblers responded to falling behind before a flying save from Burge prevented Jordan Roberts doubling the visitors lead.

Marc Leonard curled a free kick just wide in the first of fourteen additional minutes but that was the closest the Cobblers came to an equaliser as Stevenage claimed the opening day spoils.

COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (3) 4
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (4) 7
CORNERS: (4) 5
FOULS: (7) 10
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (1) 1

STEVENAGE MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (1) 7
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (3) 7
CORNERS: (0) 4
FOULS: (7) 13
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (1) 2

Match Reports

Ticket News

PLEASE ARRIVE EARLY ON SATURDAY! DETAILS FOR THOSE BUYING OR COLLECTING TICKETS HERE ALONG WITH PARKING DETAILS

Your guide to Saturday's arrangements

4 August 2023

There is plenty happening at Sixfields on Saturday!

Please do arrive early as we are expected to be very busy. Please also look to enter the turnstiles and to take your seats as soon as possible to avoid any delays particularly in the busy fifteen minutes prior to kick off. While we will do all we can to ensure smooth and efficient entry in to the game, ticket and security checks must take place and arriving late may mean you miss kick off.

The turnstiles will open at 1.30pm and entry in to the stadium is welcomed at any point from that time onwards.

The north gravel car park will be open from 11am while the car park at Duston Mill, which is not operated by the club but is available for supporters to park in, (sat nav NN5 5FP) will also be open. Please do not park in the car parks of other business premises in or around Sixfields. There may well be parking restrictions in place.

Carr's Bar will be open before and after the game (home supporters only), as will the club store with the new PUMA home and away kits on sale. The outside bar at Carr's Bar may be open but will be weather dependent.

If you are collecting a pre-ordered home or away shirt, please visit the club store up until 1.30pm. After 1.30pm, if you are in the West Stand, you can collect from the concourse. Any other stand, please visit the club store.

The ticket office will also be open from 10am until kick off and again after the game until the queue has cleared. Season tickets can be collected from the ticket office (ID required). Please note from 2pm the ticket office will be dealing with Stevenage match and season ticket sales only. Sales for other games will resume after the match.

Match tickets can be collected from the ticket office until 12.30pm (ID required), and from the ticket collection point opposite the ticket office from 12.30pm onwards.

The family area will also be open with plenty of pre-game fun for supporters of all ages.

Tickets for the game remain on sale via ntfcdirect.co.uk

We wish you an enjoyable day at Sixfields, but please do arrive early!