DALLAS STRIKE SECURES WIN

Northampton Town 1 Accrington Stanley 0 - the match report

SKY BET LEAGUE 2
Saturday November 30th, 3.00pm
Sixfields

NORTHAMPTON TOWN 1

Stuart Dallas 29

ACCRINGTON STANLEY 0

Attendance: 4,092 (96 away fans)

Cobblers: Matt Duke, Kevin Amankwaah, Joe Widdowson, Mathias Kouo-Doumbe, Paul Reid, Stuart Dallas, Ricky Ravenhill, Gary Deegan (sub Ian Morris 81), Danny Emerton, Clive Platt (sub Jacob Blyth 71), Izale McLeod (sub Luke Norris 77).

Subs not used: Ben McNamara, Darren Carter, Ishmel Demontagnac, Lee Collins.

Accrington: Marcus Bettinelli, Peter Murphy, Michael Liddle, Luke Joyce, Tom Aldred, Dean Winnard, Danny Webber (sub James Gray 70), Kai Naismith, Piero Mingoia (sub Will Hatfield 72), Nicky Hunt, Kayode Odejayi.

Subs not used: Ian Dunbavin, Michael Richardson, Laurence Wilson, Josh Windass, George Bowerman.

Referee: Mr D Phillips

Booked:
Cobblers: none
Accrington: 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
Accrington: 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.

Izale McLeod partnered Clive Platt up front while Gary Deegan returned to the midfield following Kane Ferdinand’s recall by Peterborough. Jacob Blyth dropped to the bench with Chris Hackett missing the game through suspension due to an accumulation of yellow cards.

After a quiet opening 15 minutes, Marcus Bettinelli saved a shot from Stuart Dallas before at the other end Danny Webber fired a shot into the side netting.

It was Stuart Dallas who gave the Cobblers the lead on 29 minutes, Dallas coolly driving the ball home after being played in by Danny Emerton who has been released by Platt.

The Cobblers were then awarded a penalty on 35 minutes after McLeod was brought down in the area after being played in by Platt. McLeod stepped up to take the spot kick himself only to see his effort saved by Bettinelli.

McLeod curled a shot wide on 54 minutes after some great work from strike partner Platt. Duke made a smart stop to deny Webber before at the other end McLeod struck the crossbar with a 12 yard shot after again being set up by Platt. From the same passage of play the on-loan Dons striker appeared to be nudged over in the area but the referee said no penalty this time.

Jacob Blyth joined the action on 71 minutes with Platt leaving the field to a rapturous round of applause from the Cobblers faithful. Debutant McLeod was the next Cobblers player to be substituted with Luke Norris coming on in his place.

Peter Murphy spurned a good opportunity to equalise for Accrington on 81 minutes before Ian Morris replaced Gary Deegan in the Cobblers final change.

That proved to be the visitors last real chance of the afternoon, that first half goal from Dallas enough to ensure back-to-back wins for the Cobblers at Sixfields.

COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (5) 7
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (0) 2
CORNERS: (2) 4
FOULS: (9) 12
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (3) 5

ACCRINGTON MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (1) 3
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (1) 5
CORNERS: (2) 9
FOULS: (3) 6
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (5) 8

The above stats are recorded by club staff. The stats shown elsewhere on this page are recorded by the Press Association.

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