A Little Faith

There was a pretty good excuse for me not updating this blog since Saturday’s defeat to Sheffield Wednesday in the FA Cup. For while the game was being played out I was in the middle of the biggest and most important day of my life. On Saturday, November 27th 2010 I became a father.

With contractions starting on Thursday night, it was a horrendous ordeal for my incredible girlfriend Marta, her strength shining through in what was a long and painful night, day, evening, another night and another day! For me the only pain that I suffered was watching her go through this minute by minute and not being able to do anything about it. I dug deep in myself though to find a support that was very much needed through around forty hours of strain.

But at 5pm exactly, my life changed forever. My beautiful baby girl was brought into this world healthy as you like and screaming the house down! Plenty of fathers will tell you this but there really is nothing like the feeling of holding your child for the first time and as I was handed my daughter the emotions of the previous two days came bursting out.

After such an experience there was only one name on our list that fitted perfectly. One word that summed up everything we needed through it and everything we will need from now on to be the best parents possible...Faith.

So Faith Isha Brothers-Marquez is her official name, an addition to a remarkable group of friends and family that were rooting for her from the off. You know who you are, so thank you for all your messages of support through the day and since. Thanks also go to the midwives and doctors of Bath Royal Union Hospital who were immense and patient (though the chances of any of them reading this are incredibly long!).

But the main thanks go to Marta, who has shown courage, bravery and even humour through the birth of our daughter and who I couldn’t imagine ever being without again.

I know this blog is primarily about football but the fact that I didn’t realise the Cobblers had played on Saturday until midnight when I was getting reading to sleep shows you that there are far more important things in life sometimes. Of course things will be back to full working order when I listen in on Saturday’s game with Faith, both in name and in word!

Danny

New striker checks in

Leyton Orient striker Ryan Jarvis beat the loan deadline to make a move to Sixfields last night and will be in the squad for Saturday's FA Cup game at Sheffield Wednesday. Jarvis, 24, has scored three times for the League One club this season but has seen first team opportunities lessen in recent weeks and joins Town until January.

Jarvis, previously of Norwich, Colchester, Kilmarnock and Notts County, brings more competition for places up front and again seems to signal the end for Steve Guinan who remains on the transfer list ahead of the January window. Meanwhile, it looks like Billy Mckay, Craig King and Jarvis will battle it out for a starting place along side Leon McKenzie who is first choice, whilst also covering for the leading scorer if fitness worries creep in again.

Frustration the key at Hillsborough

If we're to get anything at all from the FA Cup game on Saturday at Hillsborough then we need to hold our discipline firmly and try to frustrate the Owls in the early going. Our hosts very much need the money that progression to the Third Round provides with questions still hanging over their heads about where a new owner may come from. Milan Mandaric has rekindled his interest this week and could be about to wipe out the club's debts but either way they'll be looking to get through to a potential money spinning tie.

Wednesdays intentions for the competition were certainly obvious in the previous round where they trounced Southport 5-2 and since then they've continued to fire home the goals with four wins and thirteen goals in four games including the hammering of bottom club Walsall on Tuesday night. That was a result that put Wednesday back into fourth place in League One and they'll be huge favourites for this one.

But the Cobblers have been at their best this term when our backs have been against the wall and as long as we don't give them a hefty lead or a man advantage in the early goings then tensions could mount and supporters might well grow nervy.

The Anfield spirit is needed, and maybe just maybe we can write another piece of cup history for this season at another one of the most iconic grounds in English football.

Miller's tale ends well for Town

Rotherham United 2-2 Northampton Town
League Two
Tuesday, November 23rd 2010

After the mauling of Underhill, the last place we wanted to find ourselves on a cold Tuesday night was Rotherham, a place where we had two players sent off last season and suffered a defeat that all but ended the slim playoff hopes of that particular term. Being two goals down inside the opening twenty minutes didn’t help either and you got the feeling that things were about to take another downward turn.

But Town decided that this was going to be another night to stun us when we felt at a low point of the season and with a sudden surge of energy scored twice in the space of three crazy minutes to completely turn the game around. First, Abdul Osman slotted home and then seemingly seconds later, Andy Holt netted for the first time this season with a fine finish to level the game and make both sets of fans scratch their heads as they tried to figure out what on earth was going on!

Leon McKenzie so nearly made it 3-2 a few minutes later as well and had that, or Craig King’s later opportunity, flew in then we could have completely wiped out the blues from Saturday afternoon. As it was though, both sides had to settle for a point and an even second half justified a score line that Sammo will be a lot happier with than his opposite number Ronnie Moore.

Going to Rotherham, particularly in their temporary home of the Don Valley Stadium (not a nice place to play football), is a tough ask at the best of times but with pressure building at the foot of the table it’s a big result to get a point having come from behind.

League Two is as tight as it comes at the moment and it’s not just manager speak that a couple of wins can get you shooting up the league. Indeed had we scored again last night we could be looking at being 20th or higher rather than lingering above the drop zone. So still no need to panic then and this determined display could be an excellent tonic to kick on once more.

There’s a bit of respite before the next league game with the FA Cup trip to Hillsbrough on Saturday afternoon providing a welcome distraction and a chance to have a go at a club steeped in tradition. If that trip to Yorkshire ends up anything like this one then we’ll be very happy indeed!

2,000!

No, that's not the number of red cards the Cobblers have this season (though we're pushing close!) but the number of posts made on this blog since I started back in 2006. Many posts have been jubilant, a few too many more haven't been but with such a milestone here I'll try not to linger too much on Barnet (shudders).

It was dismal wasn't it?! Another red card after going a goal up through Leon McKenzie, and a complete capitulation after that. The recent revival shouldn't be forgotten as message boards once again turn to talk of sacking Sammo/Cardoza resigning but the perilous position of third bottom needs to be sorted.

There's not a great chance of making it any better at fourth placed Rotherham on Tuesday night, a venue where we had TWO players sent off last time out and it's bad timing for the cup tie at Hillsbrough that looms on Saturday too. But we have to rubbish talks of Sammo going immediately.

I've been pro-Sammo from the start and maybe have a bias from watching him throughout the nineties as a player but a couple of wins again and we'll be back in the mixer - it's getting through a game with eleven men on the pitch that's needed first and foremost!

Anyway, more pressing matters and our baby still hasn't arrived but the sense of deflation after the Underhill disaster was certainly lessened as has been any defeat of late. I've been able to take things with a bit more of a pinch of salt than usual with such a mammoth life change about to happen.

I'm not saying I've lost my passion for the Cobblers but a defeat the Football League's bottom club isn't a worry to me as much any more. Worrying whether a little life will be safely delivered gives you more of a perspective on things and although I'll be the first to drown my tears in a pint of Guiness if we face an unthinkable relegation in May, I know that I'll still be a Cobbler if we're Premier League or non-league. I'm comfortable with that and that's probably why I'm more relaxed about the weekend's result and the league table at the moment.

It seems a long time since missing a Cobblers game was the end of the world. Maybe I really am starting to grow up?! Scary, but after 2,000 mini rants to the half listening world, maybe it's about time.

I look forward to 2,000 more posts and many more after that because this still gives me a platform to release my rantings. Who knows, by the time I write about the Rotherham game, I'll have a little face looking up at me and begging me not to get her involved in all these emotions of following Northampton Town.

No chance, she's a Cobbler, just like her old man. That's that!

Here's to 2,000 more...don't worry, keep calm and carry right on. Or something like that.

Up the Cobblers!

Osman's ban overturned!

Huzzah! An overturning of the red card today means that Abdul Osman will be back to face Barnet on Saturday. Osman was very harshly shown his marching orders just before half-time but the Football Association has reviewed the incident and rescinded the decision.

So finally some sense from the FA who also reduced the ban of Bradford City midfielder Tommy Doherty from three games to one after he saw red during the defeat to Wycombe on Saturday.

So are we seeing some lenience from the F.A. at last? I personally can't remember a decision like this for the Cobblers in recent years so it's good to see them view the incident and over rule the referee.

The red card remains on Osman's record but there will be no ban in place as we head to Underhill this weekend.

Cobblers appeal Osman red card

Thankfully the club have done the right thing having reviewed the video of Abdul Osman's red card and are appealing the three match ban that the midfielder would have to take should the sending off stand. Admittedly we do have a bad disciplinary record this season but this one was completely unjust and wrong.

Osman appeared to get the ball fairly in the challenge right in front of the West Stand on Saturday and with the game finely poised it could be argued that we could well have gone on to win the game if Osman wasn't shown red.

The results of the appeal should be known by Tuesday afternoon this week.

Osman off but Cobblers claim point

Northampton Town 0-0 Port Vale
League Two
Saturday, November 13th 2010

There’s 0-0 draws and then there’s 0-0 draws. I don’t quite know what I mean by that but it’s something along the lines of there being two different versions of the good old stalemate. Example One, as seen on Wednesday night as two of the ‘biggest names’ in English football, Manchesters United and City, was awful and a neither side deserved to come away with even a point after showing no desire at all to win what should be one of the biggest games of their respective seasons.

But then there’s the type seen yesterday at Sixfields, a game where either side could have won, chances went begging and despite being down to ten men for 46 minutes of the game The Cobblers could easily have come away with maximum points.

It was Abdul Osman’s harsh red card, though, that will steal all the headlines with the game ruined by a poor referee, Iain Williamson, after he gave Abdul Osman his marching orders for what looked like a ball winning tackle just before half-time. The last time Williamson was in charge of a Cobblers game was a 2-1 defeat at Colchester in January 2009 in a game where he sent off Paul Rodgers dead on half-time and we threw away a lead to fall to defeat that day. Thankfully his error this time didn’t have such a negative effect this time and the incident fired up the game instead.

After the break, both sides battled hard in search of a winner and there were no real signs of shutting up shop. Vale went close through Doug Loft but Chris Dunn was at full stretch to tip the ball away. At the other end, Michael Jacobs produced a stunning effort from distance that threatened to steal it for Sammo’s men.

Loft hit the bar late on as we hung on but a draw was a fine and fair result that had most Cobblers fans going home happy. That’s more progress in the recovery from the five game losing streak and we would have taken a draw before hand so with ten men it’s more than acceptable as we head into a couple of weeks away from Sixfields, starting with Barnet next Saturday.

Thankfully, Mr Williamson won’t be anywhere near us at Underhill!

King signs on in time for Vale game

The Cobblers have signed front man Craig King on a month’s loan from Leicester City this afternoon. King’s goal scoring record isn’t too impressive, with just three from twenty eight games on loan at Hereford last season, but he has scored at Sixfields for the Bulls – in their 3-1 win over Town around a year ago.

Despite the lack of real goal scoring records, he’s described as more of a battling and hard working striker that will quickly win over the fans. He’s got a good chance to immediately do that if he helps us to victory over Port Vale on Saturday and the signing adds pressure to Billy McKay to keep his place assuming that Leon McKenzie won’t be held back should he be passed fit to play.

Vale a massive test for resurgent Town

Port Vale are sure to really test the mettle of the reinvigorated Cobblers on Saturday afternoon and Sammo's men will have to be at their very best to beat a side that's only lost twice in the league all season and just once on the road. But we should take some hope from the fact that Vale have drawn their last four away from home including a late salvation of their F.A. Cup campaign to hold minnows Dartford Town last weekend.

Winger Lewis Haldane made his first appearance of the season in that game after being struck down by an infection in the summer following an insect bite and his return is being heralded in the Potteries as something to really kick the club on once more.

We need no introduction to Vale's leading scorer of course with Marc Richards' ten goals firing them up into the automatic promotion places and his strike partner and namesake Justin Richards isn't half bad either, with five goals so far. Rico scored at Sixfields last season only for his spot kick to be cancelled out Bayo Akinfenwa's own penalty and we should expect a similiarly close match this weekend.

The Cobblers, scrapping rather than entertaining for the points at the moment, need to ruffle the feathers early on and not give ourselves too much work to do in coming from behind. This side seem to thrive on being in front and that's when we've played our best football of the season, particularly at places like Lincoln where a crucial win was set up from simply being in front rather than playing catch up.

There's still plenty left in this season and a point wouldn't be the end of the world against Vale who will surely be contending for the title come May. Slow progress is the key at the moment and as long as we're not dragged back to the murky depths of the relegation battle we can be pleased for now!

Reduced Prices again for cup tie

The confirmed date for the Sheffield Wednesday cup tie is Saturday, November 27th with a 3pm kick off and the clubs have agreed reduced prices, as has been the case in most of our cup adventures this season.

Season ticket holders can get their hands on tickets for the Second Round game for just £12 (adults), and £6 (concessions) whilst those paying on the day and non season ticket holders will only pay up to £15 for their entrance fee to Hillsbrough.

Hillsbrough trip in F.A. Cup

The Cobblers will travel to Hillsbrough in the FA Cup Second Round after the draw was made this afternoon. Sheffield Wednesday saw off Southport in the televised game and were instantly drew against the Cobblers at home.

It's a very tough ask to go there and win but you never know with our cup exploits this season. Plenty of our fans will travel once more and there's certainly nothing to lose in that one. The match will take place on the weekend of 27/28 November.

Cup adventures go on!

Forest Green Rovers 0-3 Northampton Town
FA Cup First Round
Saturday, November 6th 2010

Michael Jacobs has gone from one end of the footballing spectrum to the other and back again in just a few short months this season. Starting the campaign as a secret weapon of a youngster trying to break into the first team, his stock grew and grew until he scored the vital second goal at Anfield in front of the Kop and then slotted home a penalty in the shoot out. But it was back to smaller and far less grand surroundings yesterday with Jacobs scoring the third goal in a comfortable 3-0 win at Conference side Forest Green Rovers.

The goal, a fine finish from just outside the area, was Jacobs’ first touch after replacing Paul Rodgers with fifteen minutes to go and rounded off a good win that sends the Cobblers through to within one more step of yet another potential money spinning tie. There were one or two moment to scare the Cobblers in this one but the biggest threat of Forest Green getting back into the game died out when Reece Styche had a penalty saved by Chris Dunn. Relief all round there, particularly for Ben Tozer, who had brought down Ross Dyer to concede the spot kick.

With the score at 2-0 at that point there could well have been a nervy last half hour in store for Town had the penalty gone in but instead Sammo’s men held out for a third straight win that lifts confidence further following the most rockiest of Octobers.

The first half goals came from John Johnson, a rasping volley from distance and from Steve Guinan who latched onto a Billy McKay pass and coolly slotted under James Bittner for the second. That was the platform we needed to professionally kick on after the break and seal a route through to Round Two.

The cup adventures that we’ve had this season are not over quite yet and a handy draw this afternoon (ITV1 at 2pm, the Cobblers are ball number 33) would give us yet more hope of glamour in this bizarre season. Greedy, much?!

Tozer back to bolster defence

Ben Tozer resigned for the Cobblers yesterday and walked straight back into the starting line-up at Lincoln. The defender, on loan again from Newcastle United, was banned for three games at the end of his last spell but returned in quick fire fashion at Sincil Bank to keep a clean sheet and help Town to a 2-0 victory so let’s hope he’s learnt lessons from his sending off against Hereford, after which he was sent back north.

Without a doubt he’s a big talent and will hopefully form a good partnership with Dean Beckwith in the coming weeks, defence being key to climbing the table once more.

Beckwith meanwhile has helped himself to two goals in two games, a case of the old London buses syndrome with those being his first and second goals for the club. Long may that continue, and a partnership flourish with the man returning from Tyneside with unfinished business at the Cobblers.

Cobblers WIN AT SINCIL BANK!!

Lincoln City 0-2 Northampton Town
League Two
Tuesday, November 2nd 2010

I don't know what everyone was worried about! Five straight defeats, worrying about Sammo's position and some poor showings can now hopefully be put to bed after we recorded a first win at Lincoln since 1992 this evening. Dean Beckwith and John Johnson got the goals, both from corners, to fire us three points clear of the bottom two and we can all breath again for now.

What could be the only worry is injury problems with Kevin Thornton not even in the squad and Leon McKenzie coming off just after half time. Both will be checked out this week ahead of the cup tie at Forest Green on Saturday but fingers crossed that neither is serious.

Back to the good news though and a splendid result at a ground that's become a stinker in recent years and plenty of praise for the players for putting in a fine shift this evening to set us up well for both the cup game on Saturday and the next league game against a high flying Port Vale side. The starting line up remained the same and a good old fashioned slog resulted in the couple of hundred Town fans going home from Lincoln very happy....finally!!

Relief all round with first win...now for those pesky Imps!

Phew! Huuuge sigh of relief on Saturday with that slightly unexpected victory over Gillingham and my evil plan of predicting treacherous waters worked as the Cobblers piled on the away day misery for Gillingham. It was a much more direct and hard working line up from the Town and it worked wonders despite an early goal, not from Bayo, but from Chris Palmer for Gillingham. But the turn around was complete even before half time with Dean Beckwith finally netting his first goal for the club and Leon McKenzie slotting home a penalty to contiue his excellent start in a claret shirt.

With Kevin Thornton dropped to the bench in favour of a work horse of a midfield foursome in Gilligan, Osman, Wedderburn and Holt and Billy McKay partnering McKenzie up top it was a dogged display that was very much needed and hopefully we can push on tonight at Lincoln. If we are to record a first win at Sincil Bank since 1992 and pull further away from the bottom two – Saturdays’ results pushed us up to the heady heights of 21st with Lincoln down to 22nd – we will need to be at our best against a side trying to prove their worth in front of new boss Steve Tilson. Tilson has overseen two draws so far in his reign and will be desperate to achieve a first win tonight.

A big crowd is expected with reduced prices for home fans and an expectancy that’s been lifted by the decent start from Tilson. Coming from behind twice at Wycombe is no mean feat and they’ll be a tough nut to crack. Gavin Hoyte and Luke Howell came into their squad at the weekend and should keep their places to make home debuts while Josh Gowling and Ashley Grimes may all be handed first starts after joining on loan.

So plenty to think about for Sammo who will have to decide which route to take in terms of battling for the points in a route one direction once more or trying to play through the Imps by bringing Thornton back in. All may lie with McKenzie who is battling to be fit with a knee problem so if he doesn’t make it there could be another reshuffle.
Thankfully, we didn’t get the expected beating on Saturday so fingers crossed for another turn in fortune at Sincil Bank.

Come on Town!