Jacobs on target as Cobblers push Norwich City close in spicy pre-season friendly
Cobblers were beaten 3-1 by Championship side Norwich City in a competitive pre-season friendly on Saturday.
Matej Jurasek and La’Sean Sealey scored in the space of seven first half minutes for City before Michael Jacobs then netted Town’s first goal of pre-season, and the visitors had opportunities to level but failed to take them, with Jordan Willis’ late own goal confirming defeat.
It was clear why Kevin Nolan wanted a game like this; Norwich were very good with the ball and that forced Northampton do to a lot of running and chasing in the sweltering Norfolk heat, but they were organised and spirited throughout, and pressed very high at times, forcing the home side into numerous errors.
Three trialists were on the bench but none started at Norwich’s Avant Training Centre as Nolan named a fairly strong XI, which included an immediate start for Joe Wormleighton 24 hours after he officially joined the club.
Straightaway, the pattern of the game was obvious and expected as Norwich dominated possession and Cobblers did plenty of chasing, the hosts almost scoring early when Emmanuel Adegboyega headed wide from a corner.
The visitors looked a threat on the counter, particularly through the pace of Elliott List, but Norwich’s extra quality told on a couple of occasions, first through Jursaek as he rounded Ross Fitzsimons and tapped into an empty net, and then Sealey, who nodded in the second phase from a corner.
Norwich generally coped well with Town’s high press but an error on 42 minutes was pounced upon by the visitors. A loose ball fell to Sam Hoskins and though his shot was blocked, the ball ricocheted to Jacobs and he made no mistake at the second attempt after initially being denied by Dan Grimshaw.
Two trialists and Cameron McGeehan were introduced at half-time, but one of the trialists only lasted 10 minutes due to injury and Wormleighton had to come back on to replace him.
McGeehan was close to levelling after Cobblers seized on another error at the back, denied by ex-Town goalkeeper Louie Moulden, but the second half was broken up by a constant stream of substitutions and the game suffered as a result.
A bit of spice was added to the contest when McGeehan and Brad Hills almost came to blows following a clash of heads, sparking words between the two benches, before Town almost sneaked a late equaliser when Hoskins teed up Jacobs inside the box but the block came in just as he was about to shoot.
As it happened, Norwich had the final word when Willis couldn’t sort his feet out and inadvertently diverted the ball into his own net.
Cobblers: Fitzsimons (Trialist C 71), Baldwin (Trialist A 45) (Wormleighton 55) (Tomlinson 79), McCarthy, Dyche (Willis 66), Burroughs, Wormleighton (McGeehan 45) (Ireland 79), Fornah, Campbell, Jacobs, List (Trialist B 45), Hoskins ©
Norwich first-half XI: Grimshaw, Stacey, Medic, Darling, Adegboyega, Domeracki, Forbes, Forson, Wright ©, Jurasek, Sargent
Norwich second-half XI: Moulden, McConville, Duffy, Fisher, Bridge, Gibbs, Mundle-Smith, Crnac, Aboh, Jones