James Heneghan's Northampton Town v Peterborough United preview

Fixture: Northampton Town v Peterborough United, Sky Bet League One
Sam Hoskins is the only survivor from the last Cobblers team to play Peterborough in a league fixture.Sam Hoskins is the only survivor from the last Cobblers team to play Peterborough in a league fixture.
Sam Hoskins is the only survivor from the last Cobblers team to play Peterborough in a league fixture.

Date/time: Saturday, October 10, 3pm kick-off

Venue: PTS Academy Stadium

Forecast: 12C, sunny spells

Outs and doubts: Cobblers: Fraser Horsfall, Joe Nuttall, Scott Pollock, Joe Martin. Peterborough: Ricky Jade-Jones, Jack Taylor, Flynn Clarke

Betting: Northampton 7/2, draw 13/5, Peterborough 4/5

Form guide: Cobblers WLLWLD, Posh WWLWLD

Current league positions: 16th v 8th

Posh boss Darren FergusonPosh boss Darren Ferguson
Posh boss Darren Ferguson

Possible line-ups: Northampton (3-4-1-2): Arnold, Harriman, Bolger, Racic; Adams, Watson, Missilou, Mills; Hoskins; Smith, Rose. Peterborough (3-4-1-2): Pym; Thompson, Beevers, Kent; Ward, Brown, Hamilton, Butler; Broom; Clarke-Harris, Dembele

Man in the middle: Brett Huxtable

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Last time out: Northampton 5 (Mills, Marshall, Ashley-Seal 2, Chukwuemeka) Southampton U23s 0; Peterborough 4 (Eisa, Szmodics, Clarke, Boyd) Fulham U21s 2

Most recent meeting: September 3, 2019 - Northampton 0 Peterborough 2 (Kanu, Dembele)

Record v Peterborough: P70 W20 D18 L32

James Heneghan's preview: Cobblers always knew what they were getting themselves into when they won promotion back to League One last season but these next few weeks will be a true test of their credentials at this level, and it all starts with tomorrow's big local derby against rivals Peterborough United.

Back-to-back league defeats and a torrid recent record against Posh does not have supporters swimming with confidence but if there was ever a time for Cobblers to rediscover their winning touch in the league, now would be it.

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That's especially true given what's ahead for Northampton. It goes without saying that beating Peterborough would be a significant feather in Keith Curle's cap but it hardly gets any easier for his side in the coming weeks. A long trip to Plymouth is next on the schedule followed by fixtures against Charlton, Portsmouth and Wigan, all before the end of October.

So, for a variety of reasons, Saturday would be an opportune time to chalk up another three points, and it's fair to say they are due to a win in this fixture.

Cobblers fans do not need reminding of their team's grim derby record. Colin Calderwood was the last Northampton manager to beat Peterborough in any competition (barring a spot-kick win in the EFL Trophy), some nine games and 14 years ago.

Posh have won five of the eight games since and are odds-on with most bookies to make it six victories this weekend. It doesn't get any better if you go back further either: since 1986, Northampton have triumphed in just one of their nine league home games against Peterborough.

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Though there is a twist to the latest chapter in this rivalry as both sets of players will have to deal with the unique surroundings of empty stands at the PTS. No matter what managers might say and how hard players might try, it is surely impossible to recreate the same derby day buzz without supporters in the ground.

In sharp contrast to just a couple of weeks ago, Curle has a wealth of options to pick from. At least eight of the 11 players to have had an injury at some point over the last month are now fit, while several excellent performances in midweek only add to his headaches.

Danny Rose, Nicky Adams and Jack Sowerby must all be in contention to make their first league start of the campaign but if Curle is spoilt for choice at wing-back and up front, the same cannot be said in defence.

Joe Martin is suspended and Fraser Horsfall remains an injury doubt, so that means Michael Harriman will likely get the nod at centre-back should Curle stick with a back three. It remains the one position he must surely look to strengthen ahead of Friday's transfer deadline.

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Peterborough are missing star midfielder Jack Taylor, who's on international duty, but like his counterpart, Darren Ferguson is not short on options and he too has some tricky selection decisions following United's win over Fulham in the EFL Trophy on Tuesday.

That success as Posh's second victory in a row and third in three games as they begin to find their feet after a sluggish start, although they are still yet to pick up a point, let alone a win, on the road this season.

The last league meeting between these two was only two years ago and yet Sam Hoskins and Shaun McWilliams are the only survivors from the Northampton squad that was beaten 2-0 at London Road, a defeat that spelled the end of Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink.

The late and much-missed Justin Edinburgh also saw his reign ended by this fixture. The same will not happen to Curle whatever happens on Saturday but even at this early stage of the season, it is a fixture he, like all Cobblers fans, will be desperate to win.

Prediction: Northampton Town 1 Peterborough United 1