PRE-SEASON FIXTURE
Tuesday July 20th, 7.00pm
Sixfields
NORTHAMPTON TOWN 0
NOTTINGHAM FOREST 2
Lyle Taylor 48
Cafu 62
Cobblers: Liam Roberts (sub Jonny Maxted 67), Aaron McGowan (sub Michael Harriman 67), Ali Koiki (trialist), Fraser Horsfall (sub Max Dyche 78), Jon Guthrie (sub Sid Nelson 67), Paul Lewis, Jordan Flores (sub Josh Flanagan 76), Dylan Connolly, Mitch Pinnock (sub Liam Cross 76), Nicke Kabamba, Benny Ashley-Seal (sub Caleb Chukwuemeka 33)
Nottingham Forest: Jordan Smith, Joe Worrall (sub Baba Fernandes 63), Lewis Grabban (sub Lyle Taylor 46), Joao Carvalho, Alex Mighten (sub Ateef Konate 63), Cafu, Ryan Yates (sub Tyrese Fornah 76), Joe Lolley (sub Nuno Da Costa 63), Scott McKenna (sub Loic Mbe Soh 46), Jayden Rochardson, Jordan Lawrence-Gabriel (sub Fin Back 82)
Sub not used: Jordan Wright
Referee: Dean Whitestone
Attendance: 2,526 (935 away fans)
Booked:
Cobblers: none
Nottingham Forest: none
Sent off:
Cobblers: none
Nottingham Forest: none
Nottingham Forest were the visitors to Sixfields on Tuesday night as the Cobblers stepped up their pre-season campaign. Jon Brady was still without a number of players who were having to self-isolate but there was a first start for trialist left-back Ali Koiki. Joseph Mills, nearing a return, took part in the warm-up.
With the thunder rolling around Sixfields on a balmy evening in Northampton, the Cobblers started on the offensive, forcing a couple of early set plays before Mitch Pinnock fired wide. Liam Roberts meanwhile made a smart save to deny Alex Mighten the opening goal for Forest, both sides starting the game at a high intensity.
A combination of a finger-tip save from Jordan Smith and the cross bar kept out Nick Kabamba’s header as the game neared the half-hour mark with Benny Ashley-Seal’s follow-up effort flagged for off-side.
Caleb Chukwuemeka replaced Ashley-Seal not long after that however with the former Wolves front man failing to shake off a knock he picked up earlier in the game.
As an entertaining first half drew to a close, Jordan Flores saw a dipping volley from 35-yards saved by Smith.
Half-time substitute Lyle Taylor broke the deadlock for Forest early in the second half with Joe Lolley subsequently almost adding a second with a strike from long range.
Chukwuemeka went close to an equaliser after being played in by Dylan Connolly, his shot on the turn whistling just wide, while the academy striker then had the ball in the net, only to be denied by what must have been a tight offside call.
Roberts saved from Mighten but Forest soon doubled their lead, Cafu with a terrific strike from outside the area.
Flores saw a shot saved by Smith before Jon Brady brought on Jonny Maxted, Sid Nelson and Michael Harriman. Liam Cross and Josh Flanagan then also came on for the final quarter of an hour.
Harriman and Connolly both went close from distance as the Cobblers continued to look bright going forward before another change saw Max Dyche replace Fraser Horsfall.
The Cobblers played the last few minutes with ten men after trialist Ali Koiki went off with what appeared to be cramp and 2-0 was how it finished.
COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (3) 6
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (2) 4
CORNERS: (3) 6
FOULS: (5) 7
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (2) 5
NOTTINGHAM FOREST MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (2) 7
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (0) 3
CORNERS: (2) 4
FOULS: (4) 7
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (1) 2