It’s Not Always Pretty: Northampton Town 0-1 Imps

August 20, 2025 Gary League One, Lincoln City, Matches, Northampton, Reports 0

Credit Graham Burrell

Back in 2018, City went to Sixfields on the opening day of the season, and won 1-0.

On that afternoon, we deserved to lose maybe 3-1, but we got our goal and we ground out a result. By the end of the season, we were champions, and all anyone really remembers is that we won.

Now, I’m not saying we’ll be champions, but that team knew how to dig out a result. It knew how to ‘refuse to lose’ and in the last four days or so, that quality has been evident in the current crop of players.

Did we deserve to win the game last night? On the balance of chances, no. The xG stats were 0.91 to 0.17, so 0-0 would have been the fair result. Our second-half performance was tough to watch: no shots at all, one or off target, and just two touches in the opposition box. Northampton were the better side, just as they were in 2018, but we got the three points.

The game isn’t to be defined by the fact that we had to battle in the second half. For 30 minutes, we looked very good indeed, and I felt we looked to be in complete control. Still, what does any of it matter? We won, right?

If you thought that, you wouldn’t be reading this.

Team selection had few surprises: unchanged from Saturday’s win, and just one switch on the bench, Okoronkwo stepping into the squad. I’ve never seen some many ‘O’s on a bench, and I wonder if an EFL team has ever had three players with surnames beginning Ok on the bench before. I’d try to work it out but I have better things to do, so we’ll just say ‘probably not’ and move on.

One thing I cannot move on from – Christian names on shirts. I’m looking forward to seeing Francis/Frankie Okoronkwo in action, but I’m already having a crisis of identity on his behalf. We’re to call him Frankie, but he has Francis on his shirt? One of the nuances of modern football I just can’t get on board with.

I felt we started brightly, looking to build on the recent momentum. Let’s be honest – this was one we looked at and thought ‘we could win there’ and if you’d offered me six points from these two matches and Bolton, I’d have happily shook on it. That meant we still had to go out and do what we needed to do, and early doors, I thought we might. Rob Street’s early run down the right almost found Reeco Hackett at the back post, while Tendayi Darikwa’s cross moments later saw Hackett head wide, though the flag was already up. Hackett looked lively coming in from the left, and I felt we’d get some real joy.

Then we got the first glimpse of those errors we made last season. A Hamer pass sold Darikwa short, and Tyrese Fornah raced through on goal. Rob Street scores that. James Collins scores that. Fornah? He saw the excellent George Wickens standing tall and making an important save. I also noted Tom Bayliss tracking back, which may have forced Fornah wider than he’d have liked – good work from him.

We still looked decent, shrugging off that chance as Hackett combined neatly with James Collins, only to drag a shot wide. it did feel like we were only moments from a breakthrough, and when it came, it was a joy to behold.

Wickens got the fourth assist (not a thing, but I do like to trigger stat-haters) with a good delivery, and Street got a nice flick on. Darikwa picked up the ball, looking stylish in doing so, and delivered a superb cross. A cross is only as good as the person on the end of it, and ‘one of our own’ was on hand. Draper met it on the half-volley, guiding the ball in off the post to give City a deserved lead.

For a moment, I thought we were going on to get three or four. Buoyed by the goal, the Imps pushed for a second. Draper’s header was scrambled off the line before Collins lifted a chance over the bar. As that ball sailed into the evening sky, I said to my Dad we were looking comfortable. Northampton had offered nothing other than what we’d given them, and the listless home supporters were quiet, possibly with their recent form hanging heavy over their heads.

Out of form side, disillusioned home support and a one-goal lead. A yes, the perfect recipe for making a game a lot harder than it should have been. Collins’ effort was on 25 minutes, and after that, it was one-way traffic.

Before we go on, it is important to consider game state. I know someone at the back is already screaming ‘woke nonsense’ at the screen, but game state is very important. Game state is the score and situation on the pitch at a particular time, and the way it affects things. For instance, if a game is 2-1 going into the final five minutes, the team with one will likely be committing more men forward for a goal. If a side is 3-0 up after 2-0 minutes, they won’t be risking too much in attack, instead happy to let the chasing side have the ball and be hit on the break.

At 1-0 up, the game state changed at Sixfields. If we’re not 1-0 up, the likelihood is we don’t drop back quite as much as we did, while Northampton don’t push at us as much. I know supporters will say ‘well, we should treat 1-0 like 0-0 then’ and while that is a simple answer, it doesn’t account for so much, such as player fitness, etc. If we’re 12-0 up, does a player risk injury or waste stamina on a lung-busting chase that looks only 10% likely to win the ball? Okay, Tendayi would, but anyone else? I’m not so sure after a game on Saturday as well.

That game state saw the home side rally towards half-time, with Terry Taylor and Cameron McGeehan both trying their luck, but Wickens remained firm to preserve the advantage. One amusing moment saw the ball collected in a melee of bodies, with calls of handball ringing out. It looked like a balloon rather than a ball, and once it bobbled free, Wickens had to claw behind for a corner.

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