Northampton Town

Northampton 2-0 Cheltenham
Transfer-listed striker Scott McGleish eased Northampton's relegation worries with a double strike. He broke the deadlock in first-half stoppage time, forcing the ball home after Luke Taylor hit the bar. And he wrapped things up 16 minutes from time, scoring from the spot after John Finigan handled a first-time shot from Eoin Jess. Brian Wilson should have pulled one back two minutes later but shot over from a good position. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Northampton: Bunn, Chambers, Dyche, Doig, Crowe, Burnell, Taylor, Holt, Gilligan (Aiston 90), Jess, McGleish (Kirk 84). Subs Not Used: Dunn, Hunt, Quinn. Booked: Gilligan, Bunn. Goals: McGleish 45, 74 pen. Cheltenham: Higgs, Wilson, Duff, Townsend, Bell (Caines 66), Melligan (Gillespie 74), Bird, Finnigan, Spencer, Odejayi, Guinan (Yao 58). Subs Not Used: Brown, Gill. Booked: Wilson, Finnigan. Att: 5,239. Ref: S Bratt (West Midlands).

Yeovil v Northampton
Yeovil are boosted by the availability of new signing Marcus Stewart, who signed in December but in available to play from 1 January. Stewart will have to force his way back into a winning line-up in which strike duo Leon Best and Lee Morris who both scored in the 3-2 win at Crewe. Northampton travel with Scott McGleish (calf) and Sean Dyche (groin) again unlikely to feature. However, winger Sam Aiston could start after recovering from a broken ankle.

Cobblers keeper Harper joins Dons
Goalkeeper Lee Harper has joined Milton Keynes Dons after having his Northampton contract cancelled. The 35-year-old former QPR and Arsenal stopper, who joined the Cobblers in 2002, made 182 appearances for the Sixfields club. Harper enjoyed a successful loan spell with his new club earlier this season. The Dons have also signed former Leeds defender Paul Butler until the end of the season and allowed winger Nicky Rizzo to join Grimsby on loan.

Cobblers hand Dunn pro contract
Northampton manager Stuart Gray has handed young goalkeeper Chris Dunn a professional contract until the end of the season. The 19-year-old's YTS contract ended earlier this month and he has now been handed full terms. "It is a very good reward for Chris," said goalkeeper coach Jim Barron. "Since he has been in the squad he has gone from being a youngster coming in to help out to a young man who has earned the players' respect."

Gray wants more clinical approach
Northampton manager Stuart Gray blamed his side's poor finishing for their 1-0 defeat at Port Vale on Tuesday. He said: "We dominated the game but did not convert our chances. We have to make it pay when we are on top. "We said at half time that we must not get caught by a sucker punch but they scored with a freak goal. "I could not fault the effort or commitment but the disappointing thing is we are not punishing teams when we are on top in games."

Cobblers stadium suffers setback
Northampton chairman David Cardoza has admitted the club are no closer to their proposed redevelopment of Sixfields Stadium. Cardoza met with council leader Tim Hadland on Monday to discuss the funding for the redevelopment. But Cardoza said: "We are well beyond the point where words alone are enough to offer us any consolation. "However, if the council deliver what Hadland has said is possible, then that offers us hope and encouragement." The Cobblers are hoping the council will use land owned by the club for a new district centre which would provide funding for the redevelopment of Sixfields - but that process has now been going on for over four years.

Jess poised for Northampton exit
Eoin Jess' career at Northampton looks to be over after the midfielder stated he had been released from his contract. The club have not confirmed a deal has been done but Jess, 36, has made it clear that his future lies elsewhere. He said told the Northampton Chronicle: "The manager has looked towards next season and he sat me down on Friday and told me what he was going to do. "My deal was up in the summer anyway, so it was a matter of being released. There's no bitterness, not at all."

Veteran Jess leaves Northampton
Eoin Jess' career at Northampton is over after the Scottish midfielder was released from his contract. Jess, who joined the Cobblers after leaving Nottingham Forest in the summer of 2005, made 76 appearances for the club and scored twice. "Eoin and I sat down and had a chat and at 36 I don't think he is too keen on carrying on his playing career," said Cobblers boss Stuart Gray. "He's out of contract in the summer and it made sense to make this decision." Gray added: "I think he wants to move into the coaching side of things and we wish him all the best with that."

Taylor set for final appearance
Northampton boss Stuart Gray has confirmed that veteran midfielder Ian Taylor will make his final appearance in Friday's match with Huddersfield. The 38-year-old has clocked up more than 550 appearances and scored over 100 goals since starting his career at Port Vale in 1992. Taylor scored seven goals for the Cobblers last season as they won promotion to League One. Gray said: "He will not be involved in our final game against Doncaster."

Reading's Cox stays with Cobblers
Northampton Town have extended the loan spell of Reading striker Simon Cox. The original one-month loan had come to end, after Saturday's 1-0 victory against Chesterfield. But the two clubs have agreed to extend the agreement for the 23-year-old to stay on to cover the Cobblers' final two matches of the season. Cox, who can also play in midfield, has made a handful of senior appearances for Reading and also had two spells on loan at Brentford this season.

Burnell to be fit for next season
Northampton Town manager Stuart Gray says midfielder Joe Burnell will be fit for the start of pre-season training. The 26-year-old suffered ankle ligament damage in the Cobblers game with Port Vale back in early February. However he was able to take part in end of season fitness tests, and Gray told the club's website: "Initially it looked bad, but then we were reassured. "It wasn't too bad, and hopefully he'll have a good summer and come back ready for pre-season."

Johnson signs new Cobblers deal
Northampton defender Brett Johnson has signed a new six-month contract. The 21-year-old played only six games for the Cobblers last season because of hamstring problems. Town boss Stuart Gray told his club's website: "Brett can certainly play but he has had a lot of injury problems in the last few months. "We will be doing more investigative work into why he keeps getting the same hamstring injury because it happened four times last season."

Jackman set for Northampton move
Gillingham manager Ronnie Jepson has revealed that Danny Jackman will leave the club and join Northampton Town. The left-back, 24, worked with Cobblers boss Stuart Gray at Aston Villa and will link up with him again next term. Jepson told SSB: "He proved a few points to me this season and by the end of the campaign he had certainly improved in a few areas. "It will be sad to see him go, but all we're interested in is people who want to play at this football club."

Howe signs Northampton contract
Northampton have handed Jon Howe a short-term deal. The 19-year-old impressed in a trial game at Sixfields earlier in the summer and during pre-season and boss Stuart Gray has rewarded him with a contract. Howe, who was released by Milton Keynes at the end of last season, can play in midfield or at full-back Gray told the club's webvsite: "Joe brings flexibility and potential. He adds more depth by being able to play in more than one position."

Gray refuses to criticise players
Northampton boss Stuart Gray refused to criticise his players after they gave up a 2-0 lead at Leyton Orient. Gray told Northampton's website: "That first victory hasn't arrived yet, but I can't fault the players' effort or commitment in the last three games. "We're doing a lot of things right and if we keep doing that I'm sure our rewards will come. "This is a hard place to come and we're the first team to take a point off them this season."

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