Matchday Guide | Northampton (A)

17 March 2023

Crewe Alexandra travel to take on promotion-chasers Northampton Town this weekend (Saturday, 3pm).

Lee Bell’s side will look to respond after coming away from Stevenage empty-handed in midweek.

The Opposition

Northampton sit fourth in League Two on 63 points, a point away from the automatic promotion places with only 10 fixtures to go.

Their recent form has been consistent, picking up 11 points from a possible 15 in their last five fixtures, including a 1-0 victory over fellow promotion-chasers Mansfield Town last time out, courtesy of a Jack Sowerby winner.

The Gaffer

Jon Brady was appointed first team manager of Northampton on a permanent basis in May 2021, after having been in charge temporarily for three months.

Part of the coaching set-up since 2016, Brady nearly guided the Cobblers to promotion last year. But Bristol Rovers pulled off one of the greatest final-day victories over Scunthorpe United to deny them.

Fighting Talk

Jon Brady: “Crewe are a team that have really improved since Christmas, they’ve had some very tough games recently and haven’t lost many. We will have to be at our best to get a result at home and we really need the fans right behind us again to kick ourselves on.”

Alex Morris (Assistant Manager): “Northampton are a team full of good, solid League Two players, but they also have quality on top of that. Hoskins in the top scorer in the league, so they certainly have firepower, and they have options from the bench. We expect them to have territory and load the ball into our box, and we have to stand up to those challenges.”

Team News

Northampton remain without Ali Koiki, Ben Fox, Akin Odimayo, Danny Hylton, Tyler Magloire and Shaun McWilliams for Saturday’s encounter.

Crewe will assess the fitness of Ryan Finnigan and Tariq Uwakwe for Saturday’s trip as both were forced off with muscle injuries in midweek. Rod McDonald will serve his final match of a three-game suspension, whilst Christopher Long and Zac Williams are a couple of weeks away from featuring.

Head-to-Head

Northampton currently boast the best record in this fixture with 29 victories compared to the Alex’s 26, though The Railwaymen have had better fortunes in their last three encounters with two wins.

Last time out, it was the Cobblers who had the final say as they equalised deep into stoppage time to make it 2-2 earlier on this campaign.

Officials

Andrew Kitchen has been appointed referee for Saturday’s fixture, having last officiated the Alex earlier on this season in November, an impressive 1-0 away victory against Swindon Town.

He will be assisted by Mark Jones and Christopher Hubbard, with Darren Wilding filling in as fourth official.

Ticket Details

Click here to purchase.

Category	Pre-Match	Matchday (Card only payments from Cabin)
Adults	£22	£24
Over 65s	£18	£22
Under-21s	£18	£22
Under-18s	£10	£12
Under-7s	Free	Free

How To Get There

For travel information, click HERE.

Elsewhere in League Two

AFC Wimbledon v Crawley Town; Bradford City v Hartlepool United; Carlisle United v Stevenage; Harrogate Town v Barrow; Leyton Orient v Colchester United; Rochdale v Swindon Town; Salford City v Doncaster Rovers; Stockport County v Mansfield Town; Tranmere Rovers v Newport County; Walsall v Gillingham.

Can't Make The Game?

Crewe fans in the UK and around the world can listen to LIVE commentary on iFollow - CLICK HERE to purchase an Audio Match Pass for just £2.50!

Match Previews

Match Reports

Match Report | Northampton 1 Crewe 0

18 March 2023

Railwaymen beaten by one goal on the road
Baker-Richardson starts for first time since October
Holicek makes his league debut for club

Crewe Alexandra were beaten by a single goal at Northampton Town.

Louis Appere’s first-half strike proved enough to separate the sides, as The Railwaymen drew a blank on the road.

A disappointing first 45 minutes was followed by an improved second-half, but Crewe – for whom keeper James Beadle was outstanding - could not find a leveller.

Now Lee Bell’s men will prepare for their third consecutive away game, at Gillingham on Tuesday.

Lee Bell made three changes to the side that lost at Stevenage in midweek. Two were enforced, with injured midfield duo Ryan Finnigan and Tariq Uwakwe being replaced by Charlie Colkett and Lachlan Brook, who made their first starts since January.

Courtney Baker-Richardson made his first start since October, with Elliott Nevitt dropping to the bench, as the Alex lined up in a 4-3-3.

Northampton, captained by former Crewe man Jon Guthrie, rattled the woodwork on 19 minutes after a sedate start to the game.

Top-scorer Sam Hoskins got behind the defence and stabbed goalwards, only for the ball to hit the underside of the bar and bounce to safety.

But on 24 minutes it was 1-0 after Crewe failed to clear and Hoskins crossed for Appere to smash home.

Beadle made a super point-blank save after a ricochet in the box almost took the ball, and Kelvin Mellor cleared off the line as the Cobblers kept coming.

Beadle was at his brilliant best to deny Will Hondermarck from close range as the clock ticked towards half time.

Crewe enjoyed more territory early in the second half but found it hard to test keeper Lee Burge.

Beadle parried a Jack Sowerby strike on the hour, while Joel Tabiner volleyed over at the other end.

The Alex switched to 4-4-2 for the final half-hour, with Elliott Nevitt on for Baker-Richardson.

Beadle acrobatically clawed away a Sowerby half-volley, and a Hoskins effort, as the hosts looked for a second.

Northampton survived a scare in injury time when subs Matus Holicek and David Amoo threatened to force the ball home in a goalmouth scramble, but the hosts held on.

Northampton (5-3-2): Burge; Lintott, Sherring, Guthrie, Haynes (Osew, 63); Sowerby, Leonard, Hondermarck (Abimbola, 90); Hoskins (Wright-Phillips, 83), Appere (Yengi, 83), Bowie (Pinnock, 63).

Subs not used: King, Cartwright.

Booked: Hondermarck.

Crewe (4-3-3): Beadle; Mellor, O’Riordan, Offord, Adebisi; Tabiner, Colkett (Thomas, 72), Ainley (Holicek, 77); Agyei, Brook (Amoo, 77), Baker-Richardson (Nevitt, 59).

Subs not used: Richards, Lawton, Griffiths.

Booked: None.

Referee: Andrew Kitchen

Attendance: 5,673 (248).