Plymouth Argyle 1 Northampton Town 0 - the match report
SKY BET LEAGUE 2
Saturday November 2, 3.00pm
Home Park
PLYMOUTH ARGYLE 1
Lewis Alessandra 90
NORTHAMPTON TOWN 0
Attendance: 6,547 (220 Cobblers fans)
Plymouth: Luke McCormick, Durrell Berry, Max Blanchard, Guy Branston (sub Luke Young 76), Conor Hourihane, Lewis Alessandra, Rommy Bocco (sub Paul Hayes 80), Reuben Reid (sub Tyler Harvey 90), Neal Trotman, Curtis Nelson, Jamie Reckord.
Subs not used: Jake Cole, Andre Blackman, Hamza Bencherif, Andres Gurrieri
Cobblers: Matt Duke, Lee Collins, Joe Widdowson, Mathias Kouo-Doumbe, Paul Reid, Chris Hackett, Stuart Dallas, Kane Ferdinand, Darren Carter, Ian Morris, Luke Norris.
Subs not used: Ben McNamara, Ben Tozer, Danny Emerton, Ishmel Demontagnac, Matty Harriott, Ivan Toney, Gary Deegan
Referee: Mr T Kettle
Booked:
Plymouth: Guy Branston (74), Neal Trotman (83)
Cobblers: Lee Collins (65, 4th of the season)
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:
Plymouth: 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.
Kane Ferdinand, having joined the club on loan from Peterborough, came straight into the side in place of Gary Deegan. Plymouth's starting XI included two former Cobblers loanees, Guy Branston and Jamie Reckord.
Darren Carter fired just over from 25-yards on 7 minutes before Chris Hackett shot into the side netting after some good work down the left by Stuart Dallas. Mathias Doumbe then headed over from a Carter corner.
A dangerous cross from Hackett on 21 minutes came off the head of Neal Trotman before hitting the inside of the Argyle post and bouncing away to safety.
Plymouth's first spell of pressure came just after the half hour mark with a shot from Jamie Reckord being tipped away by Matt Duke.
Another Carter corner was again met by Doumbe but his header again went over the bar while for Argyle Reuben Reid couldn't keep his shot down after being found in the box by Lewis Alessandra. A half-volley from Curtis Nelson was then saved by Duke.
Luke Norris tested Luke McCormick early on in the second half but his shot from a tight angle was well saved by the Plymouth custodian.
Duke made a smart save to deny Lewis Alessandra as both sides looked to push forward. Chris Hackett appeared to be blocked off inside the Argyle area on 54 minutes but referee Trevor Kettle waved away the Cobblers appeals for a penalty.
A Reuben Reid shot from 25-yards was well saved by Duke while the Cobblers keeper also had to be alert to catch a dipping free-kick from Reckord from the half-way line.
Lewis Alessandra had a chance to break the deadlock on 84 minutes but Joe Widdowson just did enough. Duke then made a terrific save diving away to his right to deny Alessandra.
Alessandra did then break the deadlock in the final minute, finishing well after a cross from Argyle substitute Luke Young. The Cobblers didn't have time to muster a response after that and Argyle claimed the points.
PLYMOUTH MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (4) 10
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (3) 7
CORNERS: (2) 6
FOULS: (6) 12
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (1) 1
COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (4) 6
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (7) 11
CORNERS: (3) 5
FOULS: (4) 11
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (1) 2
The above stats are recorded by club staff. The stats shown elsewhere on this page are recorded by Opta.