Newport County 1 Northampton Town 2 - the match report
SKY BET LEAGUE 2
Saturday January 4, 3.00pm
Rodney Parade
NEWPORT COUNTY 1
Harry Worley 45
NORTHAMPTON TOWN 2
Hallam Hope 29
Darren Carter 47
Attendance: 3,864 (313 Cobblers fans)
Newport: Lenny Pidgeley, David Pipe, Ismail Yakubu (sub Ryan Burge 72), Adam Chapman, Danny Crow, Robbie Willmott, Andy Sandell, Mike Flynn (sub Lee Minshull 64), Tom Naylor, Harry Worley, Christian Jolley (sub Conor Washington 64)
Subs not used: Max Porter, Tony James, Ryan Jackson, Deji Oshilaja
Cobblers: Matt Duke, Kevin Amankwaah, Ben Tozer, Paul Reid, Lee Collins, Chris Hackett, Gary Deegan, Darren Carter, Danny Emerton (sub David Moyo 26), Antonio German (sub Ivan Toney 89), Hallam Hope (sub Matty Harriott 77)
Subs not used: Ben Heath, JJ Hooper, Ishmel Demontagnac, Connor Roberts
Referee: Mr F Graham
Booked:
Newport: Christian Jolley (41), Andy Sandell (80), Adam Chapman (86)
Cobblers: Darren Carter (47, 6th of the season), Paul Reid (72, 5th), Chris Hackett (86, 6th)
10 cautions on or before 11 April; 2 match suspension
15 cautions at any time in season; 3 match suspension
Sent off:
Newport: 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.
Strikers Hallam Hope and Antonio German, signed on loan from Everton and Gillingham respectively, both came into the Cobblers side for their first game of 2014 following the New Year's Day Chesterfield postponement. Darren Carter returned in midfield after serving a one-match ban while Ben Tozer switched to left-back with Joe Widdowson ruled out with a shoulder injury.
Despite some horrendous weather in the days leading upto the game the Newport groundstaff had done a terrific job and although the pitch was very heavy in certain areas the game was given the final go ahead at 12.30pm by referee Fred Graham.
From the Cobblers first attack, Antonio German got onto the end of a ball from Paul Reid but his shot deflected off a Newport defender and on to the cross bar.
Danny Emerton was replaced by David Moyo on 23 minutes after the winger received treatment for an apparent facial injury.
Hallam Hope put the Cobblers in front on 29 minutes, finishing at the second attempt after Lenny Pidgeley had saved his initial effort, the Everton striker having been played in by Moyo.
Moyo then set up another chance for Hope but this time the on-loan Everton striker's shot was kept out by Lenny Pidgeley.
After a good spell of pressure from the home side which saw Matt Duke make a couple of terrific saves, Harry Worley made it 1-1 with a header from a corner deep into first half stoppage time.
The Cobblers lead was restored early in the second half, Darren Carter with a superb side-footed strike following a Chris Hackett corner.
Robbie Willmott was denied by a fantastic flying save from Duke before Kevin Amankwaah and Paul Reid managed to get the ball clear.
With Newport now ramping up the pressure on the Cobblers goal, substitute Ryan Burge dragged a shot wide.
Caretaker boss Andy King then made a change with Matty Harriott coming on for Hallam Hope.
Referee Fred Graham awarded the home side a penalty on 87 minutes despite the incident appearing to have happened outside of the area.
Andy Sandell stepped up to take the spot kick only for Matt Duke to pull off a fantastic diving save to preserve the Cobblers lead and secure a vital three points.
NEWPORT MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (5) 11
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (6) 8
CORNERS: (4) 10
FOULS: (6) 10
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (2) 4
COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (3) 7
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (3) 4
CORNERS: (1) 6
FOULS: (6) 14
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (0) 1
The above stats are recorded by club staff. The stats shown elsewhere on this page are recorded by Opta.