Hoskins on target as Cobblers beat Peterborough Sports in behind closed doors friendly

An own goal gifted Cobblers an early lead before Sam Hoskins’ fine solo effort in the second half secured victory against the National League North outfit. The squad now fly out to Spain for a five-day training camp in Alicante where they’ll play FC La Unión Atlético in another friendly on Wednesday.

Summer signings James Wilson and Tom Eaves both started for the first time on Saturday, and two trialists also featured in the first 45 minutes with a further two playing in the second half.

Cobblers started well and led inside five minutes when a visiting defender headed a corner into his own net, but Peterborough responded with a good chance of their own and Nik Tzanev needed to be at full stretch to claw away a header.

Town could have increased their lead with a couple of openings midway through the first half as Mitch Pinnock cut inside and saw his sweet strike well saved before Eaves clipped Ben Fox’s excellent cross onto the bar.

Wilson only played 30 minutes – as planned – but he impressed with his quality on the ball and passing through the lines, so nearly releasing a trialist through on goal, before another trialist should have done better after being teed up by Eaves.

Tzanev was called into action again at the other end, scampering across his goal well to parry a 25-yard free-kick, as Cobblers kept their lead intact at the break.

Town’s second half team included Callum Morton and and youngsters Reuben Wyatt and Josh Tomlinson, but they were lucky not to be pegged back as Peterborough squandered a couple of good chances.

As it was, Cobblers doubled their advantage with a moment of quality just past the hour when Hoskins wriggled away from several defenders and clinically picked out the bottom corner from the edge of the box.

Hoskins blazed another effort over and Callum Morton’s quick feet nearly earned him a couple of openings before substitute Neo Dobson sliced wide after some good individual play.