The match report
SKY BET LEAGUE 2
Saturday April 12th, 3.07pm
Sixfields
NORTHAMPTON TOWN 1
John Marquis 42
BURTON ALBION 0
Attendance: 4,604 (465 away fans)
Cobblers: Matt Duke, Leon McSweeney, Ben Tozer, Gregor Robertson, Chris Hackett (sub Kelvin Langmead 77), Ricky Ravenhill, Ian Morris, Evan Horwood, Alan Connell (sub Brennan Dickenson 80), Emile Sinclair (sub David Moyo 84), John Marquis.
Subs not used: Dean Snedker, Gary Deegan, Cristian Lopez, Ivan Toney.
Burton: Robert Lainton (sub Dean Lyness 46), Phil Edwards, Ian Sharps, Robbie Weir, Callum McFadzean (sub Ashley Hemmings 46), Jimmy Phillips (sub Gary Alexander 71), Adam McGurk, Matty Palmer, Shane Cansdell-Sherriff, David Gray, Billy Kee.
Subs not used: Lee Bell, Alex MacDonald, Marcus Holness, Michael Symes.
Referee: Mr C Berry
Booked:
Cobblers: Ian Morris (26, 1st of the season), Alan Connell (74, 1st)
Burton: none
10 cautions on or before 13 April; 2 match suspension
15 cautions at any time in season; 3 match suspension
Sent off:
Cobblers: none
Burton: 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.
Boss Chris Wilder was without a trio of key players for the visit of promotion chasing Burton Albion. Darren Carter (suspended) and Mathias Kouo-Doumbe (leg) while on-loan Zander Diamond was not given permission to play by his parent club Burton.
Alan Connell, Ben Tozer and Gregor Robertson came into the starting eleven with Kelvin Langmead named on the bench following a year long absence through injury.
As a mark of respect and remembrance for those who lost their lives as a result of the Hillsborough stadium disaster in April 1989, the game kicked off at 3.07pm and was preceded by a minute’s silence.
The Cobblers, playing in a 3-4-3 formation, started brightly with Alan Connell firing an early shot into the side netting. Burton’s first real foray forward came midway through the first half when a shot from Callum McFadzean deflected into the arms of Matt Duke.
John Marquis put the Cobblers in front on 42 minutes, his shot fumbled into the net by Burton keeper Robert Lainton. The goal came after a good spell of pressure from Town with Lainton having previously saved a shot from Connell.
Shane Cansdell-Sherriff looked almost certain to equalise for the Brewers in first half stoppage time only to be denied by a terrific block by Gregor Robertson.
Burton made a double change at half-time with Ashley Hemmings and Dean Lyness coming on for Callum McFadzean and goalkeeper Lainton.
A speculative cross from Billy Kee was touched onto the crossbar by Duke as the game approached the hour mark. With the atmosphere at Sixfields having now ratcheted up another notch Chris Hackett shot wide.
Kelvin Langmead entered the action to a rapturous round of applause on 77 minutes, Hackett the player replaced. Brennan Dickenson then came on for Connell before Marquis was denied by a smart save from Lyness.
That proved to be the last chance of the afternoon as the Cobblers secured a vital victory to move level on points with 22nd placed Wycombe.
COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (2) 7
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (3) 6
CORNERS: (0) 4
FOULS: (9) 18
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (1) 1
BURTON MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (2) 2
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (3) 6
CORNERS: (3) 7
FOULS: (6) 11
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (1) 2
The above stats are recorded by club staff. The stats shown elsewhere on this page are recorded by Opta.