Albion look to make it five out of five (at Northampton)

On Tuesday evening, the Baggies visit Sixfields Stadium for just the second time in their history to take on Northampton Town for just the seventh meeting between the two sides. Albion have won all four games they have played away to Northampton, and drawn both meetings at the Hawthorns.

Cobblers, I hear you cry, but it’s true! (Sorry). Three of the previous six meetings have been in the League Cup with Albion winning the previous two ties, the latest being in 1995 when a brace from Bob Taylor at Sixfields saw the Baggies win 4-2 after a 1-1 draw at the Hawthorns a week earlier.

All the other meetings took place in the sixties including two league meetings in 65/66 when Northampton spent their only season in England’s top flight, one meeting in the League Cup and one meeting in the FA Cup. In those four games, Albion’s top goalscorers of the day enjoyed themselves with Jeff Astle scoring four goals, Clive Clark three and Bomber Brown two.

The Cobblers were League Two Champions in May and they have made an unbeaten start to their League One campaign, although with four league draws, the only game they have won so far this season was the 2-1 win at Barnsley in the first round of the League Cup. With Northampton’s last two games finishing 0-0, it may not be a goalfest at Sixfields!

Prediction

I’m sure Pulis will rest some of his meagre squad but he may not be able to to make wholesale changes given the lack of options available. Whatever side he puts out, Albion should have enough to dispatch Northampton but I don’t expect it to be comfortable.

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