Football – England – League Two
Saturday 20th September 2014 – Kickoff: 1500hrs
A couple of seasons ago, NorthamptonTown were challenging for promotion and among the play-off places, ultimately narrowly missing out on promotion up to League One.
Then, a period of unrest followed with talismanic striker Adebayo Akinfenwa leaving the club to go to Gillingham, and The Cobblers just avoided relegation into the Conference last season. But towards the end of the last campaign, manager Chris Wilder, who defected from Oxford United, kept them up and they’ve really kicked on at the start of this new campaign under his guidance.
Northampton are once again challenging for at least a play-off place and they go in search of back-to-back wins when they entertain Accrington Stanley at Sixfields Stadium this afternoon. Now that they have their home back to themselves after sharing with Coventry City, Northampton Town are enjoying their current home form of 3-1-0 8/2, which includes wins over Mansfield Town, Exeter City and Hartlepool United.
Forwards Richards (7 goals) and Mohamed (3 goals) are starting to hit their straps, and all appears rosy in the garden again.
Visitors Accrington Stanley couldn’t be further away from that scenario as they recently parted company with former boss James Beattie after another poor start to a campaign. This time, the patience ran out seemingly on both sides with Stanley winning just two games in League Two this season and losing all four of their away matches to date.
Defeats against Cheltenham Town, Shrewsbury Town, Bury and Oxford United was a tough start to their travels, and it doesn’t get any easier with a trip to Northampton Town who are buzzing right now. Stanley’s overall away record reads a poor 0-0-4 3/11 and they’ll do well to avoid a fifth straight defeat on the road here.
Northampton Town have now gone five matches unbeaten ojn home turf, winning four of them in the process – I can’t see their momentum slowing down here this afternoon, so I’ll back The Cobblers for perhaps a 2-1 win today.
Pick: Northampton Town straight win @ 1.83 Coral
