The first week of the new season could hardly have gone more smoothy for Northampton with a league win at Bristol Rovers and a confident cup success against Blackpool leading to a Second Round draw with Newcastle United.
Now Chris Wilder's side face their first home league match of the campaign with the manager having a welcome selection headache handed to him by the performance in midweek of some of those he may have considered fringe players.
Exeter have also made a positive start with a league win against Yeovil and a cup victory over Swindon which saw them paired with Newcastle's great rivals Sunderland in the next round of the League Cup.
Manager Paul Tisdale believes the Cobblers will be play-off contenders this season, telling the Western Morning News: "They are a team that has built on last year, they have the same manager who has added some good acquisitions to the team they already had."