Form Guide… 

First placed Swindon are 5 points clear at the top of the table and currently on a run of three defeats in twenty-nine League Two matches. Town’s current form guide reads four wins, one draw and one defeat in six outings.

At the County Ground, Town are unbeaten since August, making it 18 games without tasting defeat and 48 points from a possible 54. In the previous fourteen home games Wes Foderingham has only been beaten once.

18th placed Northampton Town are now 9 points clear of the relegation zone following a remarkable turnaround of form since early March. The Cobblers are unbeaten in their past four games, having won three, drawn twice and suffered one defeat.

Away from Sixfields, Northampton are unbeaten in four away trips, having won twice, drawn twice and lost twice.

Swindon-Town-FC.co.uk Head-to-Head…

Town have faced Northampton on 132 occasions, winning 58, drawing 26 and defeated 48 times; scoring 202 and conceding 197. Swindon are unbeaten in five meetings.

At the County Ground, Swindon have an excellent record with 34 victories, 9 draws and just 8 defeats from 51 matches.

Northampton haven’t won at the County Ground in 8 visits. Their last win being an emphatic 5-1 victory in a Division Four clash in May 1983.

What The Stats Say… 

The match sees Swindon, who are back up to the most efficient side in the division, face 16th ranked Northampton, according to our latest rankings.

Here are how the teams perform in each of the five attacking and defensive measures, when assessed against the rest of the division…

Defence					Attack
	STFC(Hosts)	r	Cobblers    (Away)	r		STFC(Hosts)	r	Cobblers   (Away)	r
Shots Against Per Game	6.35	2	12.8	20	Shots For Per Game	12	9	9.7	12
% Shots Against on Target	40.2%	2	48%	6	% Shots For on Target	49.8%	13	47.8%	15
% Save Rate	84.3%	2	73.5%	12	% Strike Rate	17.6%	3	13%	11
Corners Against Per Game	2.9	1	6.6	16	Corners Won Per Game	6.4	8	5	10
Possession Conceded	46.8%	3	51.5%	12	Possession Won	53.2%	3	48.5%	12
R = rank: The ranking shown for each measure indicates the efficiency of the sides against the rest of the division as either hosts or the away side | TheWashbag.com

Swindon’s strength as hosts with 8 goals conceded, 16 clean sheets and just 9 points dropped this season remains reflected in the rankings, which indicate the defence is principally responsible for our successes as hosts.

The Cobblers’ ranking has always been higher than their lowly league position, perhaps highlighting for a while their climb off the basement and likely avoiding of relegation. In their away games, Northampton contend well with the 5th highest shots against per game (12.8) with 73.5% saved.

SCORED	1-15	16-30	31-45	45+	46-60	61-75	76-90	90+
STFC(at home)	3	5	7	2	8	8	8	1
Cobblers (away)	1	4	3	0	7	5	2	2

Town have been increasingly stronger in the later stages of the first half, but its been Swindon’s dominance in the second 45 that has seen us secure so many home victories. Swindon will need to be aware of the Cobblers’ threat after half time, whereby Northampton have scored 7 between 46-60 minutes, before tailing away as the minutes progress.

CONCEDED	1-15	16-30	31-45	45+	46-60	61-75	76-90	90+
STFC (at home)	1	1	2	0	0	2	2	0
Cobblers (away)	4	8	4	1	2	4	6	2

Swindon have yet to concede more than 2 goals in any of the periods as hosts. Northampton have been particularly vulnerable to conceding during the middle stages of the first half and in the final 15 minutes.

My prediction… 

Despite Northampton recent upturn in form culminating with a 2-1 victory over Oxford on Friday, Swindon have been formidable as hosts, so I can only see a 3-0 Town victory.

Come on You Reds!