August
Newsfile

Newsfile Archive

Peter Thorne will make his home debut when he starts the game. Thorne given Russell Perrett's old number 32, is set to replace Leo FW in the starting line up. One other change that seems certain to be on the cards is Andy Legg coming back into the team in place of Layton Maxwell.

There is talk of a possible change around at the back but at the time of writing no definate news is available. It would appear that Leon Jeanne will again be on the bench but I would expect a longer run out if City need him tonight.

This is City's first game under the Ninian Park floodlights this season and its against the bottom placed side. Not a good combination to attract the fans and even less so after the poor show at Cambridge. But a 10,000 plus crowd is expected to cheer City to what must be a certain home victory.

While Northampton are not the best of opposition for Cardiff (see last 6 games)

you would have to say that Cardiff are odds on favourites to win tonight. City's unbeaten home league record stretches back over 25 league games. All in all City have played Northampton 20 times at Ninian Park in the league since their first meeting in 1932. City won 5 - 0 that day, its was 6 - 0 the following season. How we could do with that tonight. Of the 20 games played at Ninian Park 12 have been won, 4 draws and 4 defeats. Not such a bogey team after all.

Northampton are not bottom of the league by accident. They have suffered many injuries but 6 defeats in 7 games tells its own story. They are struggling and City must avoid the complacency that set in at Cambridge. This is a team there to be beaten.

Annanova reports that...

...Northampton boss Kevin Wilson should be able to name the same squad - which lost at home against Chesterfield. Although the Cobblers are languishing at the foot of Division Two, the constant stream of injuries sustained over the past weeks has finally halted. Town do still have a lengthy injury-list however, including captain John Frain and fellow defenders Daryl Burgess and Ian Sampson. Ian Evatt is likely to continue in an unfamiliar central defensive role after playing with a throat infection against the Spireites. Striker Derek Asamoah, who had been a doubt for Saturday's game with a dead leg, came on as a second-half substitute and could feature more prominently. Marco Gabbiadini was sent off in the defeat and is likely to receive a three-match ban, but he will be available for the game.

I hope to have more exact team news nearer to kick off. See you there.