It’s been 21 days since the Cobblers took to the pitch for a game so the New Year’s Day clash with Swindon Town can’t come quickly enough!
Match Preview
After a frustrating few weeks with go game for the Cobblers, there’s some big questions to be answered ahead of a trip to Swindon Town that looks likely to actually happen! Will Jon Brady’s side take some time to get back up to speed against a team who have played as recently as Wednesday night? Who will be available to the Cobblers manager? Will we be so fresh that we can hit the ground running once more?
The 2-1 win at Harrogate in our last game kept up the momentum that had taken us to second place in League Two so the break probably could have been better timed so hopefully we can come back out and get right back at it. Swindon are also gunning for promotion back to League One at the first attempt and will provide a stern test for the Cobblers right off the back as we head into 2022.
Either way, it’ll be good to get back to it. Let the emotions and drama of the second half of the season begin!
The Opposition
Swindon’s game on Wednesday night was their first game since December 11, the same date as our last game, so there was some understandable rustiness. But manager Ben Garner has said that the game should do his players “the world of good” as he prepares his side for the clash with the Cobblers.
Garner was perhaps a surprise choice for the Swindon job in the summer after leaving Bristol Rovers in November 2020 but he’s rejuvenated the relegated Robins, who went down from League One with the Cobblers in May. Garner took over a club in disarray and with only a handful of senior professionals on the books at the start of pre-season but has led them straight into the promotion conversation.
The Robins sit in seventh place going into this one, just four points off Tranmere in third with a game in hand. They’ve also got certain high profile opponents on the horizon…Town host Manchester City at home in the FA Cup on Friday evening live on ITV.
Last time out
The last time the Cobblers took to the pitch, we came away with a 2-1 win at Harrogate back on 11 December. Swindon were in action more recently as they drew 0-0 at home with Stevenage on Wednesday night.
One to watch
With eight goals and two assists so far this season, Jack Payne is already on course to top his best ever return in front of goal in a single campaign. Payne has a knack for bursting from midfield and we’ll need to keep a close eye on the former Huddersfield Town and Lincoln man on Saturday.
Team News
Swindon have no fresh injury concerns ahead of the game with a recovery group and a training group in place as they also bring the squad back from a Covid outbreak. This game will be Jojo Wollacott’s last game before leaving for the African Cup of Nations with Ghana.
The Cobblers squad and starting lineup is unknown at the time of writing as everyone attempts to come back from the Covid break.
Last meeting
Northampton Town 1-1 Swindon Town – 18/09/21
The two sides shared the spoils back in September at Sixfields as Fraser Horsfall’s late header cancelled out Tyreece Simpson’s opener.
Line-up Prediction – Powered by FanHub
Match Officials
James Oldham is the man in charge of this one. Oldham last officiated a Cobblers game back in February as we lost 2-0 at Blackpool. He’s shown seventy yellow cards and two reds so far this season. Justin Amey and Ollie Williams are running the lines and Ravel Cheosiaua is fourth official.
Score Predictions
We’ve all gone for a particular score prediction this week in tribute to the great Desmond Tutu. RIP x
“Do your little bit of good where you are; it’s those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.”
Charles: Swindon 2-2 Cobblers
Danny: Swindon 2-2 Cobblers
Neil: Swindon 2-2 Cobblers
Jefe: Swindon 2-2 Cobblers
A Cobblers fan all his life, Danny is the most down to earth football supporter from Northampton.
While at university in Southampton, Danny kept up to date with all things NTFC from afar, sharing his thoughts on his ‘A Load Of Cobblers’ online blog.
