Northampton dominate but lose to Tranmere as Hogg faces ‘sleepless nights’ before Colchester
Thursday 22 October 2026 · By Ian Tattersfield
Northampton Town could not follow up Saturday’s win at Grimsby Town. Tranmere Rovers won 1–0 at Sixfields on Tuesday night, and the Cobblers dropped back into the bottom two. Chris Hogg said afterwards that he would have “a couple of sleepless nights”.
Northampton were the better side for most of the first half. Sky Sports reported that Tranmere goalkeeper Luke McGee kept out Joe O’Brien-Whitmarsh and Owen Dale, and Matty Warhurst also went close. Midway through the half, Dale slashed wide with the goal at his mercy. Then, on 37 minutes and against the run of play, Bobby Faulkner glanced in Will Vaulks’s corner.
The second half was frustrating. Northampton had most of the ball but created very little against Tranmere’s compact defence. Hogg made a triple change with 20 minutes left, bringing on James Maxwell, Elliott List and Nathan Opoku, but no equaliser came. The crowd was 4,918.
“It’s frustrating to say the least,” Hogg told PA. “I’m disappointed and frustrated because you have that spell in the first half where you have to score. You score and it’s a different game and you build belief around the stadium and in the team.”
He was also unhappy with how the goal came about. “It’s disappointing to lose the game to a set-piece goal,” he said. “You look at tonight, it’s the most possession we’ve had in a game and we’ve probably had around 20 shots, but we have to test the goalkeeper more.”
Hogg told the Northampton Chronicle that the club was still on a journey. “You don’t suddenly crack it and life’s perfect because you’ve picked up four points on the road,” he said. “I’ll have a couple of sleepless nights after that result but we have to take the positives and there were lots.”
The Chronicle also pointed out that Northampton have not won a home league game since October 2023, more than three years ago.
Northampton are 23rd on 10 points, but they have played only ten games. They have two games in hand on several of the clubs around them.
The next home game comes quickly. Colchester United visit on Saturday 24 October (12.30pm BST). The U’s are eight league games without a win, though they did draw at Chesterfield on Tuesday. Northampton then travel to Accrington Stanley on Saturday 31 October (3pm GMT). The rearranged home game with Oldham Athletic follows on Tuesday 3 November (7.45pm GMT), and Northampton go to Port Vale on Tuesday 24 November.
In the FA Cup first round, Northampton travel to York City over the weekend of 7 November.
Hogg wants a response. “The message to the group is yes, be hurt, be disappointed, but we have to dust ourselves down and go again on Saturday,” he said.
Sixfields Stadium sits on the western edge of Northampton at Upton Way, NN5 5QA. Opened in October 1994 after Northampton Town left the County Ground, it is an all-seater bowl of 8,203. Visiting supporters are almost always placed in the Persimmon Homes South Stand, a covered single-tier end behind the goal that holds 972. For bigger travelling numbers the club can add seats in the LCS East Stand, with a segregation line put in place. Enter only through the South Stand turnstiles; the stand named on your ticket is allocated seating, so sit in the numbered seat printed on it.
The four stands are easy to read once you are on site. Opposite you is the Regen Renewables Dave Bowen Stand, the home end of 972 behind the far goal and at the foot of the grass bank that gives the ground its sunken look. Along the west touchline is the Jackson Grundy Stand, the main two-level structure of 3,880 with the players’ tunnel, dugouts, changing rooms, press box and hospitality. Facing it is the LCS East Stand (about 2,379), completed in 2025 with family seating, new boxes and a wheelchair viewing platform. The pitch is a conventional grass rectangle; the white goals sit directly in front of the North and South stands, not the sides.
Arrival is simplest by car from M1 junction 16 onto the A4500, then follow signs for Sixfields. On-site parking fills early on matchdays; blue-badge spaces must be pre-booked through your own club. Coaches drop at the south side. There is no cash at the away ticket window if any tickets remain — card only — and advanced purchase is strongly advised. Stewards operate bag and body searches, so travel light. Smoking and vaping are banned inside the stadium. Glass, cans, large umbrellas and flag poles are not allowed.
Once through the gates there is a fenced bar for away fans and pitchside kiosks for pies, tea and soft drinks. Toilets sit near the corner flags of the South Stand. The big screen is in the south-east corner. Views from the away end are generally clean and slightly elevated; the back rows have tighter legroom, so if you have a choice take a mid-block seat. The South Stand is compact and can be lively. If you prefer a quieter afternoon, ask your ticket office for a wing block rather than the centre.
The ground is part of a leisure park, so food before kick-off is chain restaurants and a cinema rather than traditional pubs on the doorstep. Carrs Bar in the main stand is primarily a home facility. After the final whistle, buses from the park are limited on midweek nights, so check Stagecoach times if you are not driving. Stewards in “Here To Help” tabards will point you to the right gate if you are unsure. Sixfields is a tidy, modern League One ground rather than an old inner-city bowl: follow the ticket, sit in the South Stand behind the goal, and you will have a straightforward afternoon.