We’re getting right down to it now: fourth on my list of the best opening day fixtures in my Imps’ lifetime.
This time, the opening game of our 2018/19 title-winning season at Northampton Town.Looking back, the result was everything. And in truth, it’s a bloody good one.
Not because we played particularly well, or because we laid down a performance that struck fear into League Two. Far from it. But because, in the middle of a heatwave, with a new system, a half-new team, and a difficult opponent, we left Sixfields with three points. On another day, we might have lost 4–1. But on this one, we won, and that’s what opening days are for.
It wasn’t pretty. We never looked quite settled in the 3-5-2, and there were large spells where we looked anything but comfortable. But when the season’s over, nobody looks back at week one and wonders who had the better xG. The league table says we won, and if we’re honest, the league table is the only verdict that counts.
Those first fifteen minutes? We barely touched the ball. Northampton came flying out of the traps, full of movement, confidence, and ideas. We, on the other hand, looked disjointed. Nervy. Across the back, we made basic mistakes, twice gifting them openings that only the excellence of Josh Vickers kept out.
Vickers had already underlined his importance last season, but here he showed exactly why he would be key again. Every time our shape wobbled, he was there, commanding, alert, decisive. By the end of the 90, he had won us the game. Not single-handedly, but close.
Gradually, we grew into it. Northampton started to run out of ideas as the heat took hold, and we dug in. Not quite parking the bus, but certainly letting them pass around in harmless areas. Their only real threat came from balls over the top, and even those looked more hopeful than incisive.
Still, the system left us exposed in wide areas. Sam Hoskins, in particular, gave Harry Toffolo a difficult afternoon. He was pacy, direct, and sharp. It wasn’t a dominant display from us by any means. But there were flashes, glimpses of what was to come. We weren’t yet the side that would win the league. But we were hard to beat. And we were ruthless.
If the first half was forgettable from a neutral’s point of view, the start of the second half wasn’t. Within minutes of the restart, Neal Eardley picked up where he left off the season before, calm on the ball, intelligent in his positioning, and with the delivery of a winger. His whipped cross was met brilliantly by Matt Green, who stooped low to nod it beyond the keeper and spark wild celebrations.
That was the moment the game changed. The plan from then on was clear: dig in, sit deep, frustrate. From a supporter’s perspective, it wasn’t thrilling. But from the manager’s seat, it was textbook.
Bruno Andrade came on to stretch the play, and Green (our standout outfield player) was given an early finish after a tireless shift. Akinde, on debut, didn’t quite get the service he thrives on, but showed promise. There wasn’t much in the way of attacking after the goal. We defended in numbers and managed the game. Simple as that.
There’s no escaping the fact we could have been punished late on. A long punt over the top breached the back line and suddenly Andy Williams was clean through. He should have scored. But again, Vickers came to the rescue, making himself big, blocking the shot, and even recovering the loose ball. It was a match-winning moment. No question.
If a striker had scored a hat-trick, we’d be singing his name. Vickers’ contribution was just as valuable. Clean sheet, three points, and no shortage of heroics. We had other good performers. Matt Green was energetic, Toffolo dangerous going forward, and the midfield worked hard, but Vickers was the difference.
Looking back now, it’s easy to say Northampton didn’t go on to be as strong as we thought. But on the day, many fancied them for the top seven. They had talent, they had energy, and they had every reason to expect more than they got.
We, on the other hand, had something far more valuable: resilience. We didn’t play our best football, and in truth, the shape didn’t suit us on the day. But we found a way. That became a theme of the season.
There were minor criticisms: the system felt a little ill-fitting, especially with new players bedding in; we gave away possession cheaply at times; and the game management came at the expense of entertainment. But if you win on your off-days, you’re in a good place.
Off the pitch, Northampton were superb hosts. Friendly stewards, relaxed atmosphere, everything that some of the less welcoming League Two grounds lacked. Sixfields may have a building site running down one side, but the experience was good, and it’s only fair to give them credit for that.
One game doesn’t define a season, but it can set a tone. Our 2–2 draw with Wycombe on the opening day the previous year looked better in hindsight after they went up. This 1–0 win might not have sparkled at the time, but as the months passed, it aged well.
We didn’t dominate. We didn’t dazzle. But we got the job done. In a season where we needed to grind out wins, this was the perfect start.
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