Cheltenham Town 3 Northampton Town 2 - the match report
SKY BET LEAGUE 2
Satuday October 18th, 3.00pm
Whaddon Road
CHELTENHAM TOWN 3
Terry Gornell 45, 79
John Marquis 84
NORTHAMPTON TOWN 2
Joel Byrom 48
David Moyo 86
Attendance: 2,447 (518 Cobblers fans)
Cheltenham: Trevor Carson, Lee Vaughan, Craig Braham-Barrett, Matt Taylor (sub Jack Deaman 26), Troy Brown, Steve Elliott, Matt Richards, Byron Harrison (sub John Marquis 71), Terry Gornell, Jason Taylor, Eusebio Bancessi (sub Joe Hanks 82).
Subs not used: Andy Haworth, Matthew Gould, Omari Sterling-James, Raffaele De Vita.
Cobblers: Jordan Archer, Daniel Alfei, Ryan Cresswell, Gregor Robertson, Enda Stevens, Chris Hackett (sub Kaid Mohamed 46), Ricky Ravenhill (sub John-Joe O'Toole 82), Joel Byrom, Lawson D’Ath, Alex Nicholls (sub David Moyo 62), Ivan Toney
Subs not used: Matt Duke, Ben Tozer, Kelvin Langmead, Darren Carter
Referee: Mr K Hill
Booked:
Cheltenham: none
Cobblers: Ricky Ravenhill (33, 2nd of the season), Daniel Alfei (77, 2nd)
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:
Cheltenham: none
Cobblers: 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.
Northampton Town were dealt another injury blow in the build up to the game at Cheltenham with skipper Lee Collins (foot) ruled out.
Gregor Robertson came in for Collins at centre-half while there were two other changes to the starting line-up, Daniel Alfei and Lawson D’Ath coming in for Ben Tozer and Kaid Mohamed. Former Cobblers loanee, Millwall striker John Marquis, was among the Cheltenham substitutes.
Lee Vaughan tested Jordan Archer in the opening few minutes at Whaddon Road, the Cobblers keeper making a good initial save before gathering the ball in at the second attempt. Lawson D’Ath then had a shot blocked at close range before the game entered a quiet period.
The Cobblers won a corner on 33 minutes and from that delivery Ivan Toney was hauled to the floor at the far post. The referee waved away the appeals for a penalty and booked Ricky Ravenhill for his protests.
Archer made a good save to deny Jason Taylor on 34 minutes before the delightfully named Eusebio Bancessi fired a shot just wide for the Robins.
Cheltenham took the lead in first half stoppage time, Terry Gornell stabbing the ball home after the Cobblers failed to clear from a free-kick.
Kaid Mohamed replaced Chris Hackett for the second half, which begun with Carson making a terrific save to keep out a shot from Alex Nicholls.
Joel Byrom equalised for the Cobblers on 49 minutes, the midfielder slotting the ball home following a good ball from Enda Stevens.
With the Cobblers now on top, they nearly took the lead on the hour mark when Kaid Mohamed’s shot struck the inside of the post.
Cheltenham were still posing a threat themselves though and but for an outstanding save from Archer, Gornell would have put the home side back in front.
The Robins did re-take the lead on 78 minutes and it was, Terry Gornell heading in from a free-kick.
Robins substitute John Marquis then made it 3-1, the goal coming from another free-kick with Marquis finishing from close range.
David Moyo pulled a goal back to make it 3-2 but despite pressing hard the Cobblers couldn’t carve out an equaliser in the remaining few minutes and Cheltenham held on to claim the three points.
CHELTENHAM MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (7) 12
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (4) 9
CORNERS: (4) 9
FOULS: (6) 13
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (0) 2
COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (4) 7
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (3) 5
CORNERS: (1) 5
FOULS: (6) 14
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (2) 5
The above stats are recorded by club staff. The stats shown elsewhere on this page are recorded by Opta