COCA-COLA LEAGUE TWO
Saturday March 13th, 3.00pm
Sixfields

MATCH SPONSOR
Northamptonshire Stop Smoking Service

MATCHBALL SPONSOR
McManus Taverns

NORTHAMPTON TOWN 2
John Johnson 20, Abdul Osman 39

DARLINGTON 0

Attendance: 4,755 (156 away fans)

Cobblers: Jason Steele, John Johnson, Peter Gilbert, Craig Hinton, Dean Beckwith, Paul Rodgers, Alex Dyer, Abdul Osman, Liam Davis (sub Luke Guttridge 80), Billy McKay, Adebayo Akinfenwa. Subs not used: Paul Walker, Michael Jacobs, Gary Mulligan, Courtney Herbert, Seb Harris, Stephen O'Flynn.

Darlington: Shane Redmond, Alan White, Andrew Milne, Ian Miller, Gary Dempsey (sub Chris Moore 46), Gary Smith, Curtis Main (sub Josh Gray 46), Tadgh Purcell, Simon Madden, Gareth Waite, Mor Diop (sub Patrick Deane 70). Subs not used: Nick Liversedge, Nathan Mulligan, Ross Chisholm.

Referee: Mr A Penn (sub Mr M Rowley 69)

Booked:
Cobblers: none
Darlington: none

10 cautions on or before 11 April; 2 match suspension
15 cautions at any time in season; 3 match suspension

Sent off:
Cobblers: none
Darlington: none

Sending offs: 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 welcomed Darlington to Sixfields for this Coca-Cola League 2 fixture. The Cobblers were still suffering with their fair share of injuries, with Chris Dunn, Andy Holt, Steve Guinan, Kevin Thornton and John Curtis all ruled out. They were joined on the sidelines by knee injury victim Ryan Gilligan with Alex Dyer the man to replace him.

Dyer was involved in the first action of note, his quick 9th minute throw and link up play with Billy McKay saw the midfielder deliver a cut back that Liam Davis drove towards goal but the effort was blocked. Two minutes later the Cobblers were even closer, Abdul Osman flicking on a cross into the box but McKay's powerful volley was somehow kept out by keeper Shane Redmond.

John Johnson opened the scoring for the Cobblers on 20 minutes. He started the move by finding Alex Dyer, who clipped a superb ball in to Akinfenwa in space on the edge of the area. His shot crashed off the underside of the bar and the rebound fell to Johnson who beat Billy McKay to the finish.

Gareth Waite headed wide for Darlington before the Cobblers lead was doubled. A Liam Davis corner was not dealt with by the Quakers defence and the ball dropped for Abdul Osman to curl home a purposeful finish from 15 yards.

Liam Davis then sent a free kick inches wide of the post at the end of a first half dominated by the Cobblers.

Steve Staunton made a double change at the break with Chris Moore and Josh Gray replacing Gary Dempsey and Curtis Main.

Davis drove wide after breaking from midfield on 53 minutes, while at the other end Jason Steele made an excellent 63rd minute double save, firstly from Gary Smith and he then denied Josh Gray at close range.

The referee came off after 69 minutes to be replaced by assistant Mr Rowley. Fourth official Chris Knowles took over assistant referee's duties. While the officials were sorting themselves out, Darlington made a substitution with Patrick Deane coming on for Mor Diop.

Gareth Waite curled a long range effort past the post before Luke Guttridge replaced Davis.

Steele saved from Gray while for the Cobblers Akinfenwa shot wide in stoppage time, but as at Port Vale the week before the Cobblers had done a professional job in the second half of seeing the game out to record their fourth successive win.

COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (5) 8
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (3) 5
CORNERS: (4) 5
FOULS: (5) 8
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (1) 2

DARLINGTON MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (1) 5
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (1) 4
CORNERS: (0) 4
FOULS: (6) 12
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (2) 2

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

Advertisement
The Northampton Chronicle & Echo, which prints Cobblers in the Community every Friday, can be delivered to your home for half price with no delivery charge! Please email direct.delivery@jpress.co.uk quoting reference DDHP01 for more details. Please phone 01604 467074 for full terms and conditions.