The Grecians come into the match on the back of Tuesday night’s defeat to Portsmouth in the Leasing.com Trophy semi-final. In the League, the Grecians have won their last three and sit in second place in EFL Sky Bet League Two having won their last three matches. Northampton come into the match on the back of three straight defeats in the league and sit in eighth place, level on points with Colchester United, who occupy the final play-off spot.
Last time out
Walsall 3 Northampton Town 2 | February 15, 2020 | EFL Sky Bet League Two
Callum Morton’s first-half double put the Cobblers in charge, but Josh Gordon’s header, Danny Guthrie’s fortuitous free-kick and Holden’s late deflected effort earned Walsall the points. Morton turned home Nicky Adams’ near-post cross from close range to put Northampton ahead after 21 minutes.
The Cobblers striker, on loan from West Brom, doubled the lead on 39 minutes, beating a static home defence to volley in Paul Anderson’s cross. Gordon flashed home a fine header from Shay Facey’s 55th-minute cross to spark the fightback, but Morton wasted two glorious chances for a hat-trick and saw another well saved by Liam Roberts
Those misses proved costly as Guthrie’s free-kick from out wide evaded everyone to find David Cornell’s top corner on 77 minutes. Wes McDonald then blazed over from 10 yards for Walsall but, in the third minute of stoppage time, he teed up Holden, whose shot deflected over Cornell to condemn the Cobblers to a third straight loss.
Portsmouth 3 Exeter 2 | February 18, 2020 | EFL TROPHY – SEMI-FINAL
Holders Portsmouth struck twice in stoppage time to come from behind to beat League Two Exeter City and reach the 2020 Leasing.com Trophy final. John Marquis headed home in the 96th minute at an ecstatic Fratton Park when a penalty shootout had been imminent.
That followed Cameron McGeehan’s deflected equaliser after Christian Burgess’ 89th-minute own goal had appeared set to send Exeter through. Pompey will face either Newport County or Salford City in 5 April’s final. Those two League Two clubs meet in Wednesday’s second semi-final, which will be hard pushed to match the drama of Tuesday’s tie.
All five goals at Fratton Park were scored beyond the 78th minute, with Exeter taking the lead twice but being denied by two quick, spirited Pompey comebacks. Exeter skipper Jake Taylor volleyed in the long-awaited opener with 11 minutes to go after the hosts failed to clear a corner before Marcus Harness turned in on the rebound to equalise.
Twice Exeter – who had already knocked out third-tier sides including Oxford and Ipswich to reach the last four – had seemed poised to set up an all-League Two final. But Marquis’ last-gasp intervention kept Pompey’s bid for their second successive triumph in this competition at Wembley on track.
PREVIOUS ENCOUNTER
Exeter City 3 Northampton Town 2 | February 7, 2020 | EFL Sky Bet League Two
Cobblers broke the deadlock after 34 minutes when a poor clearance led to the ball falling for Charlie Goode on the edge of the penalty box and he lashed a shot into the bottom corner.
However, Exeter was level soon after when they played a quick free-kick to Randell Williams and he cut inside before firing in a low shot from 20 yards. Jack Sparkes struck the base of a post with an excellent free-kick for Exeter and they went in front just after the hour when Williams crossed and Aaron Martin headed in at the back post.
It was 3-1 three minutes later when Alex Fisher headed in a superb cross from Sparkes, but Northampton was back in the game when Sam Hoskins scored an excellent individual goal in the 79th minute, beating two men before slotting the ball into the bottom corner. That set up an exciting finale with Northampton threatening on occasions, but Exeter held firm for an important three points.
Manager – Matt Taylor
“The team is in a good place at the moment, but it is all well and good going into a game being in a good place, you have got to stay in a good place throughout the game,” he said. “We spoke about that after Macclesfield, where we started well and were excellent for the first half an hour, that counts for nothing if you let a team back in the game. It will take a 96 or 97-minute performance this weekend to get anything from the game.
“We want a constant performance in terms of an eagerness to get to the ball, affect the ball and win as many first contacts as we can and play when it is on to play. Hopefully the conditions are settling down a bit in terms of the weather. It was absolutely brutal last weekend and the lead up to that game as well, so hopefully it will be a nicer day to play football.”
Match Official
MARTIN COY
Matthew Jones and Christopher Kidd
Fourth Official : Lloyd Wood
Martin Coy has been in charge off 25 games ths season and given 75 yellow cards and 4 red card. Mr Coys last Cobblers game was a 2-2 draw in Sky Bet Leauge Two vs Morecombe.
Played for both – Exeter City
A profile of some of the players who have played for both Northampton Town and Exeter City.
Matt Grimes
Matt Grimes joined Northampton Town on a season long loan from Swansea City for the 2017-18 season. Grimes played a key role for the Cobblers in that season scoring four times and recording 13 assists. Grimes was a product of the Exeter City youth academy and made 58 appearances for the Grecians, scoring 5 goals before sealing a move to Swansea City.
Hiram BoatengHiram Boateng joined the Cobblers on loan from Crystal Palace in January 2017. The powerful central midfielder made 16 appearances in a Cobblers side that successfully avoided relegation in 2016/17. Boateng joined Exeter City on transfer deadline day in August last year and is a key member of their squad, making 63 appearances to date.
Alex Nicholls
Striker Alex Nicholls signed for Northampton Town from Walsall where he scored 7 goals in his first season before a broken leg ruled him out for over a year. He came back to add one further goal for the Cobblers, that coming in a win over AFC Wimbledon. Nicholls originally signed for Exeter on loan from the Cobblers to help build his match fitness but joined them permanently in January 2015, he made a total of 61 appearance for the Grecians, hitting the back of the net 9 times.
Andy Woodman
Goalkeeper Andy Woodman penned a deal with the Cobblers in March 1995 where he quickly established himself as a fans favourite. Woodman was the man between the sticks for four years making 160 appearances for the club. He was at Exeter the year before he signed for Northampton where in his single season, he made 6 appearances for the Devon club.
Steve Phillips
Steve Phillips was a prolific striker who played for Northampton Town in two separate stints. His first time in the claret and white began in 1975 where he stayed for two seasons making 51 appearances and scoring 9 times. He re-joined the club in 1980 where he had another two-year spell at the club, this time making 75 appearances and scoring 29 goals. He signed for Exeter on loan in 1987 where he made 6 appearances and scoring once.