Cobblers made to sweat in the heat in opening pre-season friendly at Leicester
Cobblers kicked off their pre-season campaign with a 3-0 defeat against Leicester City on a stifling hot day in the Midlands.
Hosted at Leicester’s training ground in 30 degree temperatures, the game largely played out in line with expectations as Russell Martin’s Foxes dominated possession and a long afternoon looked on the cards when they cruised into a 3-0 lead inside 23 minutes.
But Town, who fielded 22 players across the 90 minutes and played in their new all-white away kit, improved as the contest went on and kept the deficit at three. It was a beneficial workout in difficult conditions and now Chris Hogg’s men head to St George’s Park for a training camp.
One trialist started for Cobblers – experienced midfielder Grant Ward – and another – young forward Lennon Wheeldon – played in the second half, while all five summer signings featured. Youth teamers Filipe Opiela and George Daldy were also involved. The only two senior players not to make the short trip north were Jack Burroughs (knock) and Liam Shaw (soreness).
Zach Jeacock (goalkeeper), Janoi Donacian (right-back) and Harvey Saunders (forward) started in the first half but Cobblers trailed 2-0 inside 20 minutes through Stephy Mavididi’s smart finish and a deflected effort from Will Alves.
Town should have scored between those two goals but Saunders skied over after rounding the goalkeeper, and Leicester had a third before the first drinks break as Alves raced through and blasted beyond Jeacock.
The men in white were more defensively assured in the second half of the first half to keep the deficit at three going into the break, at which point Hogg changed his entire team. The second half XI included new faces James Maxwell and Logan Briggs, as well as trialist Wheeldon and youngster Daldy.
The game followed a different pattern after the break with Cobblers more of a threat, as illustrated by two forays forward that led to Maxwell and then Elliott List both dragging wide of the near post.
Leicester again dominated the ball but they created little in the second half, so much so that Ross Fitzsimons did not have a save to make until the final minute, as the game ended 3-0.
Cobblers first half XI: Jeacock, Donacien, Moore, McCarthy, Opiela (youth player), Perkins, Ward (trialist), Hoskins, Fornah, Dobson, Saunders.
Cobblers second half XI: Fitzsimons, Wormleighton, Dyche, Guthrie, Maxwell, Wheeldon (trialist), Daldy (youth player), Campbell, Briggs, List, Swyer.
Leicester first half XI: Vietes, Aluko, Okoli, Nelson, Thomas, Carr, Alves, Choudhury (C), Page, Mavididi, Otchere.
Leicester second half XI: Stolarczyk, Joseph, Faes, Wilson-Brown, Coulibaly, Skipp, Braybrooke, De Cordova-Reid, Evans, Opoku, Hutchinson.