‘Match Preview: Northampton Men’s 1 v Coalville Men’s 1’

After a steep learning curve and a stern test of fitness last weekend against Milton Keynes and Bedford, the first team look forward to welcoming Midland 2 outfit Coalville, as part of their lengthy pre-season programme.

The home side will once again field a healthy squad as they prepare for the start of the season in three week’s time.

Head coach Christian Howard explains “our approach and focus is to continue to build the team shape and playing style. We saw a lot of improvement over the two games last week and it was good to get over twenty players involved.”

There was more positive news in the shape of new players arriving this week to bolster the squad that “brings a good level of competition to the players, just at the right time” according to Howard.

Bentley and Newsway return for the Coalville clash

Team news

Bentley, Mahoney, Madeley (GK), Beattie, Newsway, Drake, Parker (C), Piper, Phillips, Lewington, Clark, Zoers-Benstead, Wilkinson

The coaching team welcomes Drake, Clark and Bentley who all come in having missed one of the previous weekend fixtures as well as Wilkinson for his first game. One or two other players have been nursing niggling injuries since they returned back to full pre season training, including the experienced goalkeeper Paul Madeley, who has declared himself fully fit after sitting out training on Tuesday night.

Howard has four players unavailable for the Saturday clash but points out “this is a building phase and with a few weeks left, this is the time to get the right information over to the players that will make a difference when it comes to the season proper.”

Push back is 13.30 at home at the water base in Moulton.

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