'Defensively strong but scoring a concern' - Doncaster Rovers get Northampton Town lowdown
Doncaster Rovers host Northampton Town this weekend. Ahead of the game we spoke to James Henegan, of the Northampton Chronicle and Echo, to get the lowdown on the Cobblers.
Q: How would you summarise Northampton's season so far?
JH: Steady. It started badly with one point from the four games but performances gradually improved and results turned and I think most fans are pretty content. Survival was the main goal before a ball was kicked and that remains the case.
Defensively they have been very strong - only two teams in League One have conceded fewer goals so far this season - but they struggle to create chances and score goals and that is the main concern among supporters. Just eight goals from 11 games is a concerning return. Changing that will probably make or break their season.
Q: What's the fans' verdict on manager Kevin Nolan and what's that relationship like?
JH: Nolan is popular among the fanbase. He made a point of building a strong connection between players, staff and supporters when he first came in and that bond had only grown since. Of course, no manager is popular if they aren't getting results.
Nolan came in at a very precarious time last season and did extremely well to steady the ship and ultimately keep the club in League One. He completely overhauled the squad in the summer and this is now very much his team.
Q: How are they likely to line-up on Saturday?
JH: (3-4-3): Ross Fitzsimons; Conor McCarthy, Jordan Thorniley, Nesta Guinness-Walker; Sam Hoskins, Dean Campbell, Terry Taylor, Jack Perkins; Cameron McGeehan, Tyrese Fornah, Ethan Wheatley.
Q: Who's the dangerman Rovers need to keep an eye on?
JH: Tyrese Fornah is often their most creative player. He operates in a left-sided attacking midfield role and can drift both centrally and out wide and he causes problems for teams with his ball-carrying ability. Cameron McGeehan is another player to watch out for; he has a knack for popping up in the right places to chip in with important goals.
Q: Score prediction?
JH: Both teams are coming off a bad result and will probably want to keep things tight so I'll be boring and go for a 1-1 draw.