Northampton vs Cheltenham preview: League Two play-off clash live on Sky Sports Football
Watch live on Sky Sports Football from 7.30pm; kick-off is at 7.45pm
Thursday 18 June 2020 18:48, UK
Northampton face Cheltenham in the Sky Bet League Two play-off semi-final first leg on Thursday, live on Sky Sports Football.
Recent form
With 104 days between the last round of League Two fixtures and the play-off semi-final first leg, recent form will count for little in the battle to reach League One. However, prior to football's suspension due to the coronavirus pandemic in March, Northampton lost 2-1 at home to Mansfield, while Cheltenham played out a stalemate with Port Vale.
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Live League 2 Play-Off Semi-Final 1st Leg
Talking point: Shaq cut-out to feature at Sixfields
Many clubs around the world have been making the most of playing being closed doors recently, allowing fans to purchase cardboard cut-outs of themselves to be placed inside stadiums to populate the desolate arenas.
Northampton are one of the latest to offer this and in doing so, the Cobblers have announced that basketball legend Shaquille O'Neal - a business associate of chairman Kelvin Thomas - will be in attendance on Thursday evening.
Opta stats
Northampton Town have only picked up one win from their last eight encounters with Cheltenham Town (W1 D3 L4), failing to win any of the last four (D1 L3).
Cheltenham Town have never kept an away clean sheet against Northampton Town in all competitions, conceding 28 goals in 17 games.
Northampton and Cheltenham will meet in the EFL play-offs for a second time in their history - with the Cobblers winning both semi-final legs in the 2012-13 League Two edition before falling short in the final to Bradford City (0-3).
Fourth-placed sides have been successful in the League Two play-offs in just one of the last 11 campaigns (Fleetwood Town 2013-14).
The team ending the season in seventh position in League Two has won the play-offs in five of the last 10 seasons, with Blackpool in 2016-17 the most recent side to do so.
Northampton will be competing in the EFL play-offs for the sixth time, five of which have come in the fourth tier of English football. Indeed, the Cobblers' only promotion via this route came in 1996-97 when Ian Atkins guided them to a 1-0 win over Swansea.
Cheltenham were unbeaten in their first eight games in the EFL play-offs (W5 D3), winning promotion from the fourth tier in both 2001-02 and 2005-06. However, they have since lost their last three play-off matches, including the 2011-12 final versus Crewe Alexandra (0-2).
Since the start of the 2015-16 campaign, Northampton's Nicky Adams has provided 59 assists in League Two (incl. play-offs), 26 more than any other player in the competition in this period. Indeed, Adams has registered 12 assists for the Cobblers in 2019-20.
Prutton's prediction
A unique position for both teams. Cheltenham, by virtue of a points-per-game calculation, jumped up a position and will be Northampton's opponents in the League Two play-offs.
You have no real idea what shape either side will be in, but it is a massive occasion for both. Northampton last played in League One and 2018, while Cheltenham have faced more than 10 years away from the third tier. I think the away side could well sneak the first leg.
David Prutton predicts: 0-1 (7/1 with Sky Bet)
