Northampton Town 3 West Ham United 1 - the match report
PRE-SEASON FRIENDLY
Tuesday August 7th, 7.45pm
Sixfields
NORTHAMPTON TOWN 3
Clive Platt 10
Kelvin Langmead 66
Alex Nicholls 82
WEST HAM XI 1
Sam Baldock 50
Attendance: 1,414 (269 away fans)
Cobblers: Lee Nicholls, John Johnson, Kelvin Langmead, Anthony Charles, Joe Widdowson, Chris Hackett, Ben Harding, Luke Guttridge, Ben Tozer, Clive Platt, Alex Nicholls.
Subs: Adebayo Akinfenwa, Lewis Wilson, Jake Robinson, Ishmel Demontagnac, Lewis Hornby, Dean Snedker, Henoc Mukendi (trialist)
West Ham XI: Jake Larkins, Leo Chambers, Matthias Fanimo, Jack Powell, Jordan Spence, Eoin Wearden, Sam Baldock, Sebastian LLetget, Frederic Piquionne, Blair Turgott, Robert Hall.
Subs: Dylan Tombides, Gimes Guzman, Paul McCallum, Dominic Vose, Taylor Miles, Kieran Sadlier, Frazer Shaw
Referee: Mr A Woolmer
Booked:
Cobblers: none
West Ham: none
Sent off:
Cobblers: none
West Ham: none
A West Ham United XI boasting a strike force of Frederic Piquionne and Sam Baldock provided the opposition for the Cobblers, who lined up in their all new florescent green away strip, for their final home pre-season friendly.
Lee Nicholls, signed on a three-month loan deal from Wigan Athletic, was named in goal with Liverpool trialist Henoc Mukendi among the substitutes. Clive Platt and Ben Tozer both came into the side replacing Adebayo Akinfenwa and Ishmel Demontagnac.
The first chance of the game fell to Sam Baldock but the former MK Dons forward fired wide.
Clive Platt gave the Cobblers the lead on 10 minutes, driving the ball home from close range after Alex Nicholls flicked on a cross from Chris Hackett.
Jack Powell rattled the Cobblers crossbar with a well-struck free-kick as the Hammers looked to respond. Alex Nicholls was meanwhile denied by a good save from the Hammers keeper after being neatly set up by Luke Guttridge.
Frederic Piquionne saw a shot deflected behind with the assured looking Lee Nicholls comfortably dealing with the ensuing corner.
Sam Baldock equalised for the Hammers five minutes into the second half after the Cobblers defence failed to clear.
Anthony Charles did well to block a fiercely struck Robert Hall effort while on the break Alex Nicholls fired over after being played in by Hackett.
The Cobblers restored their lead midway through the second half, Kelvin Langmead netting from a corner, his third goal in as many games.
Ben Harding saw an effort deflected behind as the Cobblers corner count neared doubled figures.
Henoc Mukendi and Adebayo Akinfenwa both entered the fray on 80 minutes with Clive Platt and Luke Guttridge the players to make way.
It was 3-1 soon after, Akinfenwa flicking on for Alex Nicholls who beat the Hammers goalkeeper with a calm finish.
COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (5) 16
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (2) 5
CORNERS: (4) 9
FOULS: (8) 10
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (0) 1
WEST HAM MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (1) 9
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (4) 5
CORNERS: (2) 3
FOULS: (4) 6
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (0) 1