Jacobs the star as Cobblers held Watford

Northampton Town 3-3 Watford
Pre-season Friendly
Saturday, July 24th 2010

Michael Jacobs was the star of the show on Saturday as the Cobblers fought to a 3-3 draw against Championship side Watford at Sixfields. The youngster scored twice and set up the third for Tadhg Purcell as the new striker netted his first goal for the club. Add to that a substitute appearance from John Johnson and you get an action packed friendly which both sides should come back happy from.

Jacobs, who has become increasingly the one to watch in pre-season, struck the first goal of the game after getting on the end of a Kevin Thornton cross before adding his and the Cobblers’ second a few minutes later with a header. Watford were stunned into action and Danny Graham pulled one back for them min-way through the half with the game now anything but a boring run of the mill friendly game.

It was Jacobs who provided the opening for the third goal for Purcell as the former Darlington man got on the end of his cross. Although the visiting keeper kept out the initial effort, Purcell scrambled home the rebound to give us a 3-1 half time lead.

That lead would slip away though as the second half unfolded and the visitors stepped up the pace. After chances went begging for Billy McKay and Courtney Herbert, Graham struck his second of the game to reduce the arrears. And those missed opportunities would prove vital as Martin Sorvell equalised with ten minutes to go to hand his side a share of the spoils.

So an entertaining game, a real rarity for pre-season, at Sixfields and with only two friendly games to go, starting at Nuneaton on Tuesday night, it’s getting tantalisingly close to the real thing!