PRE-SEASON FRIENDLY
Saturday July 29th, 3.00pm
Sixfields
NORTHAMPTON TOWN 2
Chris Long 70
Leon Barnett 83
NEWPORT COUNTY 1
Lemar Reynolds 68
Attendance: 1,346 (80 away supporters)
Cobblers: David Cornell, Leon Barnett, Regan Poole, Aaron Pierre, Daniel Powell, George Smith, Yaser Kasim, Matt Taylor, Matt Crooks, Billy Waters, Alex Revell
Subs: David Buchanan, Ash Taylor, Marc Richards, Leon Lobjoit, Dean Bowditch, Aaron Phillips, Chris Long, Joe Iaciofano, James Goff
Newport: Joe Day, David Pipe, Dan Butler, Joss Labadie, Robbie Willmott, Matt Dolan, Frank Nouble, Scot Bennett, Mark O’Brien, Sean Rigg, Mickey Demetriou
Subs: Evan Press, Mo Touray, Trialist 1, Trialist 2, Jazzi Barnum-Bobb, Lewis Collins, Jamie Turley, Jay Fourston, Aaron Williams, Tom Owen-Evans, James Bittner
Referee: Mr Darren England
Booked:
Cobblers: none
Newport: Joss Labadie (52)
Sent off:
Cobblers: none
Newport: none
A week before kicking off the 2017/18 Sky Bet League 1 season with a trip to Shrewsbury, the Cobblers wrapped up their pre-season campaign with a home fixture against Newport County, a club previously managed by Justin Edinburgh between 2011 and 2015.
Edinburgh named a strong starting eleven while latest recruit, Burnley striker Chris Long, was named on the bench having signed a season-long loan deal at Sixfields 24 hours previous. Injury deprived Newport’s Ben Tozer an appearance against his former club.
After a fairly low key opening half hour, Billy Waters fired a shot over the bar having been played in by Yaser Kasim. It was the first real sight of goal for the Cobblers who, despite some good possession, found clear cut chances hard to come by.
David Buchanan, Dean Bowditch and new signing Chris Long all came on for the second half, George Smith, Billy Waters and Matt Crooks making way.
Joe Day made a diving save to keep out a Matt Taylor free-kick before Edinburgh made another couple of changes, Marc Richards and Ash Taylor replacing Alex Revell and Aaron Pierre.
Lamar Reynolds opened the scoring for Newport midway through the second half but the Cobblers weren’t behind for long, Chris Long with a fine solo effort to level things up. Long was forced out wide by the Newport defence but created some space for himself before curling a shot in off the post.
Leon Barnett headed in from a Matt Taylor corner to put the Cobblers in front on 83 minutes, and that proved to be the winning goal as the Cobblers signed off their pre-season action with a come from behind victory.
COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (1) 5
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (3) 4
CORNERS: (4) 6
FOULS: (9) 15
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (0) 1
NEWPORT MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (1) 8
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (3) 8
CORNERS: (2) 3
FOULS: (7) 17
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (3) 5