Northampton Town v Southend United
SKY BET LEAGUE 1
Saturday September 24th, 3.00pm
Sixfields
NORTHAMPTON TOWN 4
John-Joe O'Toole 46
Alex Revell 51 pen
Matt Taylor 60
Paul Anderson 78
SOUTHEND UNITED 0
Attendance: 6,138 (770 away fans)
Cobblers: Adam Smith, Brendan Moloney, David Buchanan, Zander Diamond, Gabriel Zakuani, Sam Hoskins (sub JJ Hooper 82), Jak McCourt (sub Harry Beautyman 63), Matt Taylor, John-Joe O’Toole, Paul Anderson, Alex Revell (sub Marc Richards 79)
Subs not used: David Cornell, Lewin Nyatanga, Kenji Gorre, Joel Byrom
Southend: Mark Oxley, John White, Ben Coker, Adam Thompson, Adam Barrett (sub Ryan Inniss 70), David Mooney (sub Simon Cox 71), Steve McLaughlin (sub Anthony Wordsworth 52), Will Atkinson, Jermaine McGlashan, Ryan Leonard, Jason Demetriou
Subs not used: Ted Smith, Luke O’Neill, Adam King, Anton Ferdinand
Referee: Mr R Joyce
Booked:
Cobblers: none
Southend: Stephen McLaughlin (43)
5 cautions on or before 30 November; 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
Southend: Jason Demetriou (5)
Sendings off: 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.
Paul Anderson and John-Joe O’Toole came into the side as the Cobblers returned to league action following the midweek EFL Cup tie against Manchester United. Kenji Gorre and Harry Beautyman dropped to the bench.
After a scrappy start on a blustery afternoon at Sixfields, Gabriel Zakuani made a good block to deny Steve McLaughlin before Matt Taylor drew a smart save from Mark Oxley.
It was a quiet first 45 in terms of clear cut chances and the sides went in at the break with the score still goalless.
Less than a minute into the second half the Cobblers took the lead, John-Joe O’Toole scoring from close range after Mark Oxley couldn’t hold Jak McCourt’s shot.
Five minutes later Alex Revell made it 2-0 from the penalty spot with Southend also reduced to ten men, Jason Demetriou shown a straight red card for bringing down Anderson in the area.
Matt Taylor made it 3-0 just before the hour mark, his inch-perfect free-kick from 25-yards finding the top corner, giving Oxley no chance in the Southend goal.
Harry Beautyman came on for Jak McCourt in the Cobblers first change, McCourt leaving the field to a standing ovation. Southend meanwhile brought on former Cobblers loanee Simon Cox in a straight swap for David Mooney.
Town extended their lead further on 78 minutes, Paul Anderson firing a shot into the bottom corner after a quick flowing counter-attack started by Sam Hoskins and involving Harry Beautyman.
A good late save from Adam Smith ensured it finished 4-0 as the Cobblers bounced back from their first league defeat in nine months in some style.
COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (2) 10
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (1) 3
CORNERS: (2) 5
FOULS: (4) 9
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (0) 0
SOUTHEND MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (3) 5
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (1) 3
CORNERS: (0) 1
FOULS: (9) 13
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (0) 1
The above stats are recorded by club staff. The stats shown elsewhere on this page are recorded by Opta