PRE-SEASON FIXTURE
Wednesday July 13th, 7.45pm
NORTHAMPTON TOWN 0
WEST BROMWICH ALBION 3
Daryl Dike 51
Karlan Ahearne-Grant 72
Adam Reach 88
Attendance: 1,907 (480 away supporters)
Cobblers: Jonny Maxted, Jack Sowerby (sub Peter Abimbola 73), Jon Guthrie (sub Josh Tomlinson 81), Sam Sherring (sub Max Dyche 81), Sam Hoskins (sub Jack Connor 76), Ben Fox (sub Kieron Bowie 50), Louis Appere (sub Danny Hylton 46), Mitch Pinnock (sub trialist 73), Ali Koiki (sub Ryan Haynes 13), Shaun McWilliams (sub Liam Cross 74), Akin Odimayo (sub Harvey Lintott 77)
Subs not used: Lee Burge
West Brom: David Button, Darnell Furlong, Conor Townsend (sub Alex Mowatt 64), Dara O'Shea, Semi Ajayi, Callum Robinson (sub Karlan Ahearne-Grant 12), Jake Livermore (sub John Swift 64), Daryl Dike (sub Grady Diangana 56), Jayson Molumby (sub Matt Phillips 56), Jed Wallace (sub Taylor Gardner-Hickman 76), Adam Reach
Subs not used: Alex Palmer
Referee: Dean Whitestone
Booked:
Cobblers: none
West Brom: none
Sent off:
Cobblers: none
West Brom: none
Back from a week long training camp in Scotland, Northampton Town continued their pre-season campaign on Wednesday night with a home fixture against Championship side West Bromwich Albion.
Summer signings Sam Sherring (AFC Bournemouth), Akin Odimayo (Swindon) and Ben Fox (Grimsby) all started for the Cobblers on a warm evening at Sixfields while a number of other new additions were named on the bench. Darnell Furlong, who had a loan spell at Sixfields back in 2015, was included in a strong looking West Brom starting XI.
Jon Brady was forced into an early change when Ali Koiki picked up a knock with another new summer signing, Ryan Haynes, coming on with less than a quarter of an hour played.
In a tight first half Mitch Pinnock went close to breaking the deadlock when Louis Appere and Akin Odimayo combined but a West Brom defender was just able to head the ball behind.
Jonny Maxted came to the Cobblers rescue a couple of times, denying Jed Wallace and then diving at the feet of Daryl Dike to avert the danger.
The first 45 ended goalless however, both sets of players continuing to build up their match sharpness ahead of the new campaign.
Danny Hylton replaced Appere in the only Cobblers change at half-time but it wasn’t long before Kieron Bowie, signed on a season-long loan deal from Fulham earlier in the week, also joined the action.
Daryl Dike put West Brom in front on 50 minutes although there were some protestations from the Cobblers defence who clearly felt the goal should have been disallowed for off-side.
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Jonny Maxted made a good save to prevent Alex Mowatt doubling the lead while it needed a vital interception from Haynes to deny Matt Phillips.
Karlan Ahearne-Grant then did make it 2-0, finishing well after being played in by Grady Diangana.
A flurry of Cobblers substitutions followed as Brady gave more game time to the rest of his squad, including youngsters Liam Cross, Peter Abimbola, Jack Connor, Josh Tomlinson and Max Dyche as well as another new signing Harvey Lintott.
West Brom added a third goal late on through Adam Reach in what was another good work out for the Cobblers squad.
COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (3) 3
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (0) 1
CORNERS: (2) 2
FOULS: (3) 6
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (0) 0
WEST BROM MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (1) 8
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (4) 8
CORNERS: (2) 5
FOULS: (3) 6
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (1) 3