Northampton Town v Wycombe Wanderers
NPOWER LEAGUE 2
Saturday November 17th, 3pm
Sixfields
NORTHAMPTON TOWN 3
Adebayo Akinfenwa 24, 61 pen
Chris Hackett 64
WYCOMBE WANDERERS 1
Joel Grant 72 pen
Attendance: 4,764 (471 away fans)
Cobblers: Lee Nicholls, Danny East, Kelvin Langmead, Ben Tozer, Joe Widdowson, Lewis Hornby, Ben Harding, Chris Hackett, Jake Robinson )sub Anthony Charles 89), Adebayo Akinfenwa (sub David Moyo 78), Ishmel Demontagnac (sub Clive Platt 57).
Subs not used: Shane Higgs, Henoc Mukendi, Lewis Wilson, Ivan Toney
Wycombe: Jordan Archer, Danny Foster, Dave Winfield, Leon Johnson, Stuart Lewis, Sam Wood (sub Bruno Andrade 65), Dennis Oli (sub Matt McClure 69), Joel Grant, Charles Dunne, Dean Morgan, Josh Scowen.
Subs not used: Gareth Ainsworth, Lee Harrison, Jesse Kewley-Graham, Junior Morias, Oli Taylor
Referee: Mr Paul Tierney
Booked:
Cobblers: none
Wycombe: none
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
Wycombe: none
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.
The fit again Ben Harding, Chris Hackett and Adebayo Akinfenwa all came into the starting line-up as did Lee Nicholls and Jake Robinson. Emyr Huws was unavailable for selection after contracting a virus.
Former Wycombe midfielder Harding was making his first appearance in more than two months after recovering from an ankle injury.
Before the game Alex Nicholls came onto the pitch to receive the Cobblers player of the month award for October. Nicholls was given a rapturous round of applause as his fellow players formed a guard of honour.
After that the Cobblers were on top early on, Charles Dunne should have given Wycombe the lead on 16 minutes but his shot from close range came back off the post before cannoning away off the legs of Kelvin Langmead.
Adebayo Akinfenwa then headed the Cobblers in front on 24 minutes, connecting superbly with a sumptuous cross from Hackett.
Bayo went close to doubling Town’s lead on 31 minutes, his bullet header from a Ben Tozer long throw going just wide.
Ishmel Demontagnac appeared to be sandwiched to the ground by two Wycombe players after going on a run into the area just before half-time but the referee said no penalty.
Wycombe started brightly in the second half as Gareth Ainsworth’s side pushed hard for an equaliser.
Deam Morgan spurned a good opportunity on 57 minutes when he hit the outside of the post before Clive Platt came on for Demontagnac.
The Cobblers were awarded a penalty on 61 minutes, Dave Winfield fouling Platt. Akinfenwa stepped up to convert the spot-kick and double Town’s lead.
Chris Hackett made it 3-0 on 64 minutes with a sublime finish following a lovely flowing move involving Lewis Hornby, Platt and Akinfenwa.
Joel Grant pulled a goal back for Wycombe from the penalty spot on 72 minutes after Morgan was fouled by Danny East.
From another Tozer long throw, Akinfenwa was denied back-to-back hat-tricks as his header struck the crossbar with Kelvin Langmead unable to froce home the rebound. David Moyo then came on for Akinfenwa as the Cobblers made their second change.
Lee Nicholls made a great save to deny Dunne late on as the Cobblers secured a 3-1 victory.
COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (2) 6
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (3) 6
CORNERS: (3) 4
FOULS: (2) 9
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (1) 1
WYCOMBE MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (1) 7
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (3) 10
CORNERS: (2) 10
FOULS: (6) 9
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (3) 3
The above stats are recorded by club staff. The stats shown elsewhere on this page are recorded by the Press Association.