BIG PREVIEW- Morecambe (H)

Here is all you need to know about Saturdays game VS Morecambe.

The Cobblers will need to keep an eye on Morecambe forward AJ Leitch-Smith when the Shrimps make the journey to PTS Academy Stadium this weekend.

Leitch-Smith began his playing career with hometown club Crewe Alexandra, coming through the youth system at Gresty Road. Loans followed at Halifax Town, Newcastle Town, Icelandic side IBV and Curzon Ashton before establishing himself at Crewe, where he made 103 appearances and scored 19 goals for the Railwaymen during six-years as a professional in Cheshire.

He signed for Yeovil in the summer of 2014, spending a year at the club before swapping Huish Park for Vale Park in 2015, when he signed for Port Vale. He scored 11 goals during his only season (2015/16) in Staffordshire, and in June 2016 he left the Valiants to make the move to Shrewsbury Town.

Over a two-year stay with the Salop, where he was signed by current TRFC boss Mellon at the New Meadow, Leitch-Smith made 16 appearances for the Shropshire outfit.

Leitch-Smith also spent time on loan at Scottish Premiership side Dundee, turning out 28 times at Dens Park in 2017/18, scoring six goals.

Following his departure from Shrewsbury, the 28-year-old Leitch-Smith returned to the North West to link up with Bentley’s Morecambe, penning a one-year-contract at the Globe Arena and since his arrival at Morecambe, Leitch-Smith leads the way at the summit of the club’s goal-scoring charts with six strikes to his name.

Northampton Town- Cambridge United 3-2 Northampton Town

Morecambe- Morecambe 1-2 Stevenage

LEE COLLINS

Kevin Howick and Stuart Butler

Fourth Official : Brett Huxtable

Last Cobblers game Mr Collins refereed was Northampton 1-3 Cheltenham.

He has give 49 yellow cards in 15 games.

Since 2009

Games won:9

Games drawn:4

Games lost:2

Morecambe 1 Northampton Town 0

“I know where we are in the league but for me it’s all about putting in performances and gaining results, I don’t see it as pressure, I see it as a challenge for the players and the focus for them is, performance and results. There are going to be twists and turns but in every game there is an opportunity to get three points. I think the biggest strength that Morecambe have got is that everybody expects you to beat them. They use that to their advantage and if you’re not on your game they will cause you problems. They are together, they work hard and they are tough to play against. They can cause us problems, we can cause them problems and we are looking forward to it."

About Last weeks game.

“Last week, there were lots of good signs; today we thought ‘do we go more defensive with (Alex) Kenyon or more offensive with (Liam) Mandeville?’

“You’ve got to be adaptable but it’s so frustrating because we speak about mindsets and what we expect of them.

“When we turn in a performance like that in the first half, it takes me to lose my voice to get them going.

“We were terrible in the first half but we finished it with Rhys Oates and Jordan Cranston having a couple of shots, so we looked like we had recovered from it.

“I was thankful it was only 1-0 at half-time; we didn’t win first or second balls, we didn’t track runners.

“In 90 per cent of games, even when the result hasn’t gone for us, we’ve been clapped off but, today, we were open to criticism.

“I could hear it – because it’s a lonely place in the dugout – and they have every right but the crowd were excellent in the second half.”