PRE-SEASON FRIENDLY
Friday July 27th, 7.45pm
PTS Academy Stadium
NORTHAMPTON TOWN 2
Billy Waters 73
Kevin van Veen 84
MANCHESTER UNITED XI 0
Attendance: 3,241 (317 away supporters)
Cobblers: James Goff, Leon Barnett, Sam Foley, Kevin van Veen, Daniel Powell (sub Michael Harding Academy 87), Jordan Turnbull, Dean Bowditch (sub Morgan Roberts 46), John-Joe O’Toole, Jay Williams (Academy), Camron McWilliams (Academy), Billy Waters
Subs: David Cornell, Hakeem Odoffin, Jack Bridge, Sean Whaler
Man Utd XI: Kieran O’Hara, Tyrell Warren, Lee O’Connor, Regan Poole, Luca Ercolani, Aliou Traore, Zachary Dearney, DJ Buffonge, James Wilson, Aidean Barlow, Nishan Burkart
Subs: George Tanner, Matej Kovar, Alex Fojticek, Callum Whelan, Max Dunne, Tom Sang, Millen Baars
Referee: Mr Will Finnie
Booked:
Cobblers: none
Manchester United XI: none
Sent off:
Cobblers: none
Manchester United XI: none
The Cobblers took on a Manchester United XI at the PTS Academy Stadium on Friday night as the curtain came down on their pre-season campaign. Dean Austin once again named a number of the club’s youngsters in his squad while Regan Poole, who spent the 2017/18 season on-loan at the Cobblers, started at centre-half for United.
Daniel Powell had an early shot deflected behind and the Cobblers winger was denied by a good left-handed save from Kieran O’Hara in an encouraging opening twenty minutes from the home side.
Kevin van Veen tried an effort from distance on the half hour mark and from the flurry of corners that followed Leon Barnett had a shot blocked and Sam Foley headed over. Zachary Dearney speared a shot just wide in United’s first real sight at goal.
James Goff comfortably claimed a scuffed effort from Dearney 8-yards out while Poole blocked a goal bound effort from Billy Waters as the first half ended goalless.
Morgan Roberts replaced Dean Bowditch in the only change for either side at half-time. The second half started quietly before Powell had a shot blocked from an acute angle and Foley drew a comfortable save from O’Hara.
A covering goal line clearance from Jay Williams prevented James Wilson opening the scoring for United and not long after that the Cobblers took the lead, Billy Waters with a low finish from just inside the area after being teed-up by van Veen.
Van Veen doubled the Cobblers lead, heading in Powell’s right-wing cross from six-yards to seal a 2-0 win for Dean Austin’s side in their final pre-season friendly before the Sky Bet League 2 opener against Lincoln City at the PTS Academy Stadium on Saturday 4 August.
COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (3) 7
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (6) 7
CORNERS: (6) 9
FOULS: (8) 13
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (0) 0
MANCHESTER UNITED XI MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (1) 2
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (1) 3
CORNERS: (2) 3
FOULS: (7) 10
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (1) 2
SCRATCH CARD GOAL TIMES: 72:56, 83:06