Northampton Town manager Kevin Nolan is readying his side for tomorrow’s Nene derby against fierce rivals Peterborough United.
Both sides are fighting at opposite ends of the League One table, but three points would go some way to achieving their respective ambitions this season.
Transfer Strategy Backfires?
There was lots said about the Cobblers January transfer window, as they prioritised youth over experience in a relegation fight. Former Oxford United defender Elliott Moore was the only player they signed over the age of 21, with three loan arrivals from higher divisions. Kyle McAdam and Ben Hammond joined from Premier League side Nottingham Forest, while Jake Evans was acquired from fellow East Midlands outfit Leicester City.
The latter certainly raised some eyebrows, given he is just 17 years of age. While there is plenty of experience elsewhere in Northampton’s squad, signing three relatively untested players was a bold strategy for a team fighting at the wrong end of the division. McAdam spent the first half of the season with third-tier rivals Mansfield Town, while Hammond and Evans are in their first loan spells in their senior career.
Nolan provided the latest on one of the more experienced heads in his ranks, alongside the three youngsters.
“Tiredness and fatigue is coming into it a little bit and that’s why I had to bring Nesta [Guinness-Walker] off on Tuesday. He said he could give us an hour on Tuesday and that’s what he did but we couldn’t push him any further as he was struggling.
“Jake Evans is a player we’ve brought in to help with his development, he’s a great talent but you have to be careful with young players and at this moment its maybe not quite the right time for him. It’s a similar situation with Kyle McAdam and Ben Hammond.”
Injury Latest
Nolan is still unable to call on Jon Guthrie and Kyle Edwards, who both remain unavailable due to injuries. Jack Vale serves the final match of his three-game suspension after seeing red at Lincoln City earlier this month. Jack Perkins, who was dismissed just ten minutes into the reverse fixture against Posh, replaced Guinness-Walker on Tuesday evening. Sam Hoskins also made way against Port Vale, but he is believed to have overcome a knock to be in contention.
Nolan will be desperate for a positive result, after February is looking likely to end in the same manner as the opening month of the year. The Cobblers took points off promotion-chasing Stockport County and Bolton Wanderers, but then lost four successive league matches. And after starting the month with a four-game unbeaten streak across all competitions, Northampton have since lost three on the bounce.
Defeats against relegation rivals Leyton Orient and Port Vale, both at home, mean that tomorrow’s clash against Posh at Sixfields carries even more importance. Lose that, and relegation to League Two will start to feel a lot more likely.