As a result of the Wildcats coach having cut three potentially good cadet players the week before the season started through their total lack of commitment, meant that Wildcats went into the away fixture at Northampton with only six players.

Northampton, last years National Cup finalists was
always going to be a tough fixture after Wildcats
debut season finished winless, and as Northamptons
smallest player was as tall as Wildcats tallest, Wildcats were always going to struggle.

As a result of the lack of commitment by the players
cut Wildcats had yet to practice 5 v 5 in a training
environment, and as a result struggled, as Northampton hit Wildcats with a 5-0 opening salvo.

Despite Chris Stevens foul shots, Northampton
increased their advantage with a 16-0 run (21-2)
before Jon Brackett and a Stevens 3-pointer saw
Wildcats 27-7 behind after 8 mins of the first quarter
when Charles Frost suffered a knee injury which was to keep him out of the rest of the game and see Wildcats reduced to five players.

Wildcats started the second quarter 29-7 behind, and
despite Northants outscoring Wildcats 8-2, Coach
John Collins had to call a time out as Wildcats having
sorted their zone defence out, were asking the home
team searching questions which they were failing to
answer.

Two scores from Chris Stevens further reduced the
scores, but with Stevens now ill through eating a burger before the game meant that Wildcats w ere now effectively playing with just four players..

At the break Wildcats w ere 58-13 behind. Starting slowly a 10-0 start saw Wildcats fall further behind despite some outstanding defence. During this before the season started through their total quarter Chris Woodman making his Wildcats debut hit a brace of baskets to see Wildcats 85-21 behind at the end of the third Quarter.

At long last the match officials got their act together
having had an appalling and inconsistent first three
periods, which as the game score was so wide was a
blessing in disguise because they could have affected
the outcome had the game been so close.

Northampton deserved their convincing win, although it said much for the Wildcats character that they battled to the very end, and showed excellent defensive
qualities

All it needs now is to find a minimum of four youngsters who will show the same commitment as the six
that played and turn up to each training session, with
out some excuse that they have dreamt up to miss
training, then Wildcats programme will start to move
forward with success. For until Wildcats can train 5 v 5 they will always struggle