PRE-SEASON FIXTURE
Saturday July 10th, 3.00pm
Fernie Fields
SILEBY RANGERS 0
NORTHAMPTON TOWN 6
Liam Cross 1
Nicke Kabamba 21, 30
Mitch Pinnock 51, 57
Benny Ashley-Seal 69
Sileby: Lewi Patching, Liam Roche, Alex Vaughan, Garvan Hines, Ollie Wilkinson, Dan Lyons, Ryan Lovell, Troy Johnson, Alfie Taylor, Jori Mann, Luke Stevens
Subs: Jacob Cox, Merdi Maki, Sam Tamakroe, Adam Jordan
Cobblers first half: Jonny Maxted, Isaiah Bazeley-Graham (trialist), Fraser Horsfall, Sid Nelson, Josh Debayo (trialist), Dylan Connolly, Paul Lewis, Shaun McWilliams, Liam Cross, Danny Rose, Nicke Kabamba
Cobblers second half: Liam Roberts, David Sesay (trialist), Michael Harriman, Jon Guthrie, Camron McWilliams (trialist), Sam Hoskins, Jack Sowerby, Josh Flanagan, Mitch Pinnock, Scott Pollock, Benny Ashley-Seal
Referee: Andy Woolmer
Booked:
Sileby: none
Cobblers: none
Sent off:
Sileby: none
Cobblers: none
Northampton Town kicked off their pre-season schedule against Sileby Rangers at Fernie Fields with boss Jon Brady naming a different starting eleven in each half.
Summer signings Jonny Maxted, Paul Lewis, Nicke Kabamba, Dylan Connolly and latest addition Sid Nelson were all given a run out in the first half. Jordan Flores, on a season-long loan from Hull City and Caleb Chukwuemeka both missed the game with minor knocks while Joseph Mills was not quite ready to return following his injury at the end of last season. Max Dyche was another player to miss out with the defender self isolating as a precaution.
Some fans were allowed to attend although numbers were still limited due to current Covid-19 guidelines and there was an early Cobblers goal for the returning supporters to witness, Liam Cross providing the finishing touch after some good work by Kabamba to beat two defenders.
Connolly curled just over from the edge of the area after a neat one-two with Danny Rose, Shaun McWilliams side-footed wide from 12-yards and former Cobblers youth teamer Lewi Patching saved from Cross as the Cobblers pressed for a second.
It was 2-0 midway through the first half when Kabamba scored from close range after a neat interchange with Rose and it was then almost three when Lewis headed against the cross bar after getting on the end of a teasing ball into the box by Cross.
Kabamba headed in a cross to make it 3-0 before Patching denied the striker his hat-trick with a good save. The Sileby keeper then made a terrific point blank block to prevent Rose adding a fourth.
Liam Roberts replaced Maxted in goal for the second half with fellow summer arrivals Jon Guthrie and Mitch Pinnock also coming on.
Pinnock fired home a fourth following a fantastic ball in from Scot Pollock who was back from a long-term injury and the midfielder, seemingly keen to make up for lost time, went close to a goal when his first time volley was tipped around the post by Patching.
A short corner then saw the Cobblers increase their lead further after Pinnock’s initial shot beat the keeper, possibly via a touch from Sam Hoskins. Hoskins then saw a long range effort saved by Patching before providing the cross for Benny Ashley-Seal to turn in Town’s sixth goal of the afternoon.
The Cobblers were awarded a late penalty but Sam Hoskins was denied by a fine Patching save, and there was still time for Pollock, Pinnock and Hoskins again to go close.
It ended 6-0, as the Cobblers got their pre-season fixtures under way.
SILEBY MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (2) 2
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (1) 1
CORNERS: (0) 0
FOULS: (0) 4
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (0) 1
COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (9) 19
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (7) 11
CORNERS: (5) 9
FOULS: (5) 9
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (1) 2