Northampton Town v Accrington Stanley
NPOWER LEAGUE 2
Saturday March 9th
Sixfields
NORTHAMPTON TOWN 2
Chris Hackett 9
Roy O'Donovan 30
ACCRINGTON STANLEY 0
Attendance: 4,746 (73 away fans)
Cobblers: Lee Nicholls, Ben Tozer, Kelvin Langmead, Clarke Carlisle, Joe Widdowson, Chris Hackett (sub Jake Robinson 74), Lewis Hornby (sub John Johnson 66), Ben Harding, Ishmel Demontagnac, Roy O’Donovan, Clive Platt (sub Adebayo Akinfenwa 71)
Subs not used: Dean Snedker, Claudio Dias, Luke Guttridge, Lee Collins
Accrington: Paul Rachubka, Peter Murphy, Dean Winnard, Craig Lindfield (sub Francis Jeffers 69), Nicky Hunt, James Gray (sub Markus Carver 80), Lee Molyneaux, Tom Aldred, Amine Linganzi, Romauld Boco (sub Will Hatfield 86), Laurence Wilson
Subs not used: Luke Joyce, Charlie Barnett, George Miller, Ian Dunbavin
Referee: Mr S Attwell
Booked:
Cobblers: Ben Tozer (27, 4th of the season), Joe Widdowson (89, 11th)
Accrington: Nicky Hunt (16)
10 cautions on or before 11 April; 2 match suspension
15 cautions at any time in season; 3 match suspension
Sent off:
Cobblers: none
Accrington: 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.
Chris Hackett, Ishmel Demontagnac and Clive Platt all came into the side, replacing Lee Collins, Luke Guttridge and Adebayo Akinfenwa.
Former Cobblers loanee Paul Rachubka started in goal for Accrington who included amongst their substitutes ex-Everton and Arsenal striker Francis Jeffers.
The Cobblers took the lead on 9 minutes, Chris Hackett rifling in a free-kick from the edge of the area into the top left corner.
Roy O’Donovan made it 2-0 on the half hour in slightly bizarre circumstances. Rachubka’s clearance came off the back of O’Donovan who then showed his pace and strength to beat the goalkeeper to the ball and fire home into an empty net.
Ishmel Demontagnac went close in first half stoppage time but his drilled effort was deflected behind.
Accrington pushed forward at the start of the second half without really posing a threat or testing Lee Nicholls in the Town goal.
John Johnson replaced Lewis Hornby on 66 minutes in the Cobblers first change before Francis Jeffers came on for Stanley. Harding then played in Demontagnac but he shot wide when cutting in towards goal.
Aidy Boothroyd’s second change then saw Clive Platt make way for Adebayo Akinfenwa. Jake Robinson then replaced Hackett in the final change for the home side.
A low shot from Lee Molyneaux was deflected behind as the game entered the final ten minutes. Nicholls made a good save to deny Jeffers late on but the points were secured as the Cobblers made it 8 wins on the bounce at Sixfields.
COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (5) 5
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (4) 5
CORNERS: (3) 3
FOULS: (9) 23
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (4) 6
ACCRINGTON MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (0) 2
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (1) 4
CORNERS: (1) 7
FOULS: (8) 12
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (3) 6
The above stats are recorded by club staff. The stats shown elsewhere on this page are recorded by the Press Association.