New boy Oliver hits hat-trick as Cobblers put seven past Sileby

Andy Williams and Junior Morias were the men on target in the first-half before a different team came out in the second-half and shifted Town up a gear, adding five further goals on a productive afternoon at Fernie Fields.

Oliver, a recent addition from Morecambe, was the standout with his well-taken hat-trick but there were several other impressive performers for Keith Curle's men, including fellow new signings Chris Lines and Matty Warburton, plus youngster Jack Newell.

The Cobblers now fly out to Spain where they will stay for a week-long training camp, concluding with a second friendly against Coventry on Friday.

Naming two different teams for each half on Saturday, the Cobblers started with two trialists - forward Nathan Tyson and French midfielder Curtis Yebli - alongside just one of their 11 summer arrivals, Chris Lines, who was also wearing the captain's armband.

The only players not involved at all were new signings Charlie Goode, Ryan Watson and Alan McCormack, plus Jordan Turnbull and teenager Scott Pollock.

Youngsters Ryan Huges, Jay Williams and Morgan Roberts also made the starting XI at Fernie Fields, and Cobblers were up and running inside four minutes when a wonderful pass from Lines found Shaun McWilliams, who slipped in Williams and he slotted home.

It was all Town in the early stages, the visitors looking sharp and confident, and they twice almost had a second with Junior Morias clipping the crossbar before Williams saw an effort blocked at the end of a sweeping move.

The second arrived midway through the first-half when Morias' long-range effort took a wicked deflection and wrong-footed Sileby's helpless goalkeeper Sachin Tayal.

Despite conceding twice, though, Tayal gave a good account of himself between the sticks for Rangers as he produced smart stops from Williams and Roberts, both of whom had profited from Lines' excellent vision.

Tayal continued to be a busy man, thwarting Williams once again before producing his best stop of the half when beating away Morias' effort to keep the deficit at two going into half-time.

Seven summer recruits took to the pitch in the second-half, including Steve Arnold and Nicky Adams, and they took a little longer to find their groove but soon the goals flowed.

Adams, back for his second spell at the club, reminded Cobblers fans of his quality with a perfect cross for Oliver to head home on the hour-mark before the same man produced a sensational overheadkick to make it 4-0.

Billy Waters tapped in a fifth and then Matty Warburton, one of the day's most impressive performers, slammed in a sixth before Oliver completed his hat-trick when finishing off a slick team move late on.

Cobblers first-half team: David Cornell, Shaun McWilliams, Jay Williams, Ryan Hughes, Joe Bunney, Morgan Roberts, Chris Lines (c), Curtis Yebli (trialist), Nathan Tyson (trialist), Junior Morias, Andy Williams

Second-half team: Steve Arnold, Reece Hall-Johnson, Ryan Hughes, Joe Martin, Sam Hoskins, Nicky Adams, Jack Newell, Matt Warburton, Billy Waters, Vadaine Oliver, Harry Smith