Northampton Town v Gillingham
NPOWER LEAGUE TWO
Tuesday October 2nd, 7.45pm
Sixfields
NORTHAMPTON TOWN 1
Adebayo Akinfenwa 82
GILLINGHAM 2
Deon Burton 45
Jack Payne 55
Attendance: 3,648 (388 away fans)
Cobblers: Lee Nicholls, John Johnson (sub Danny East 67), Joe Widdowson, Kelvin Langmead, David Artell, Ishmel Demontagnac (sub Louis Moult 78(), Luke Guttridge (sub Chris Hackett 9), Ben Tozer, Kemar Roofe, Adebayo Akinfenwa, Alex Nicholls.
Subs not used: Shane Higgs, Anthony Charles, Clive Platt, Henoc Mukendi.
Gillingham: Stuart Nelson, Matt Fish, Joe Martin, Jack Payne (sub Andy Frampton 69), Tom Flanagan, Chris Whelpdale (sub Myles Weston 58), Danny Kedwell, Charlie Allen, Deon Burton (sub Rovvie Findley 75), Adam Barrett, David Wright.
Subs not used: Ben Strevens, Callum Davies, Lewis Montrose, Tommy Forecast.
Referee: Mr S Hooper
Booked:
Cobblers: none
Gillingham: Joe Martin (85), Charlie Allen (90)
5 cautions on or before 31 December; 1 match suspension
10 cautions on or before 11 April; 2 match suspension
15 cautions at any time in season; 3 match suspension
Sent off:
Cobblers: none
Gillingham: Charlie Allen (90)
Sending offs: 2 cautions in one game; 1 match suspension but cautions do not count towards above totals. Other sendings off; 1 or 3 match suspension. Extra match ban for additional sendings off.
Kemar Roofe and John Johnson both came into the side for the visit of the league leaders Gillingham to Sixfields with Danny East and Chris Hackett dropping to the bench.
The Cobblers started positively with Luke Guttridge seeing a shot deflected behind following some good work down the left from Joe Widdowson and Roofe and a neat lay off from Adebayo Akinfenwa.
Guttridge was then forced off having picked up an apparent injury, Hackett the player to come on in his place.
Lee Nicholls made a terrific save to tip over a shot from Danny Kedwell in the Gills first meaningful foray forward.
Tom Flanagan blocked a shot from Akinfenwa from close range while Kelvin Langmead couldn’t find the target having been set up by Roofe. Chris Whelpdale then flashed a shot wide from 25-yards.
Hackett rattled the crossbar before just moments later Gillingham took the lead, Deon Burton keeping his cool to round Nicholls and slot home.
As the Cobblers looked to level at the start of the second half, Hackett again went close having been found by Akinfenwa but his effort was deflected wide.
Jack Payne doubled the Gills lead on 55 minutes, finding the corner of the net with a fine strike from 20-yards following a neat flowing passing move from the back.
Danny East replaced John Johnson on 67 minutes with the former Middlesbrough man having also picked up an injury. Louis Moult came on for Ishmel Demontagnac in the Cobblers final change.
Adebayo Akinfenwa pulled a goal back on 82 minutes, heading in from a Ben Tozer long throw.
Myles Weston saw a cross come back off the angle of post and bar before David Artell did well to deny Gills substitute Robbie Findley.
Charlie Allen was sent off in stoppage time but the Gills held on to claim their fifth consecutive away league victory.
COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (3) 8
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (1) 8
CORNERS: (3) 6
FOULS: (4) 12
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (0) 0
GILLINGHAM MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (2) 5
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (6) 8
CORNERS: (2) 3
FOULS: (6) 13
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (3) 4
The above stats are recorded by club staff. The stats shown elsewhere on this page are recorded by the Press Association.