Northampton Town v MK Dons
SKY BET LEAGUE 1
Sunday September 4th, 12.00pm
Sixfields
NORTHAMPTON TOWN 3
Harry Beautyman 8
Alex Revell 13
Matt Taylor 28
MK DONS 2
Dean Bowditch 38
Samir Carruthers 90
Attendance: 6,618 (1,269 away supporters)
Cobblers: Adam Smith, Brendan Moloney, David Buchanan, Zander Diamond, Lewin Nyatanga, Paul Anderson (sub Sam Hoskins 68), Jak McCourt, Matt Taylor, Kenji Gorre (sub Alfie Potter 68), Harry Beautyman, Alex Revell (sub Marc Richards 90)
Subs not used: David Cornell, Joel Byrom, Rod McDonald, JJ Hooper
MK Dons: David Martin, George Baldock, Dean Lewington, Joe Walsh, Ed Upson (sub Ben Reeves 59), Samir Carruthers, Darren Potter, Dean Bowditch, Paul Downing, Nicky Maynard (sub Kieran Agard 59), Ryan Colclough (sub Daniel Powell 71)
Subs not used: George B Williams, Jack Hendry, Lee Nicholls, Brandon Thomas-Asante
Referee: Mr David Webb
Booked:
Cobblers: Alfie Potter (78, 2nd of the season)
MK Dons: Samir Carruthers (42), George Baldock (44)
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
MK Dons: none
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.
The Sky Sports cameras were at Sixfields as the Cobblers welcomed MK Dons for a Sunday lunchtime fixture.
Deadline day signing Paul Anderson came straight into the side to make his debut while the MK Dons line-up featured two ex-Cobblers loanees in Dean Bowditch and George Baldock. Lewin Nyatanga continued alongside Zander Diamond in the home defence with Gabriel Zakuani still away on international duty with DR Congo. John-Joe O’Toole missed the game through suspension.
Harry Beautyman opened the scoring on 8 minutes but the goal also owed a lot to the endeavour of Jak McCourt, who won the ball with a terrific challenge in midfield before going on a 40-yard run and playing in Beautyman who kept his nerve to finish into the far corner.
Alex Revell doubled the Cobblers lead five minutes later, glancing a header past David Martin following an inch-perfect cross from Matt Taylor. It was a sweet moment for Revell who spent the last few months of the 2015/16 season at Stadium:mk.
Nicky Maynard had a chance to pull a goal back for MK Dons but the striker shot straight at Adam Smith with the goal seemingly at his mercy.
The Cobblers extended their lead on 28 minutes, Matt Taylor with a delightful free-kick from just outside the area making it 3-0. McCourt then tried a shot from distance that was saved by Martin.
A shot from Ed Upson went just wide as Karl Robinson’s side looked to gain a foothold in the game. They had that foothold on 38 minutes when Dean Bowditch headed in from close range.
Anderson was inches away from almost immediately restoring the Cobblers three goal cushion but it was the Dons who ended the first half the stronger.
Ten minutes into the second half the Cobblers were awarded a penalty, referee David Webb pointing to the spot after Kenji Gorre went down in the area under pressure from Bowditch. Matt Taylor stepped up only to see his spot-kick saved by Martin.
Kieran Agard and Ben Reeves came on in a double change for Dons while Rob Page also made a double substitution, bringing on Alfie Potter and Sam Hoskins for Anderson and Gorre.
COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (4) 7
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (3) 4
CORNERS: (1) 2
FOULS: (5) 11
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (0) 1
MK DONS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (2) 7
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (1) 3
CORNERS: (2) 4
FOULS: (4) 9
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (3) 4
The above stats are recorded by club staff. The stats shown elsewhere on this page are recorded by Opta