COCA-COLA LEAGUE ONE
Saturday March 1st, 3pm
Sixfields

MATCH SPONSOR
Wilson Electrical

MATCHBALL SPONSOR
Manor PCs

PROGRAMME SPONSOR
Cobblers World

Attendance: 5,507 (281 away fans)

Cobblers: Mark BUNN, Jason CROWE, Andy HOLT (sub Jonathan HAYES 79), Mark LITTLE, Mark HUGHES,  Gabor GYEPES, Ryan GILLIGAN (sub Giles COKE 69), Joe BURNELL, Danny JACKMAN*, Poul HUBERTZ, Adebayo AKINFENWA
Substitutes not used: Chris DUNN, Liam DOLMAN, Ian HENDERSON

* Wilson Electrical man of the match

Crewe: Ben WILLIAMS, Gary ROBERTS, Julien BAUDET, Steven SCHUMACHER (sub Michael O'CONNOR 77), Nicky MAYNARD (sub Tom POPE 15), Byron MOORE, Daniel O'DONNELL, George ABBEY, Patrick BOYLE, Gary ROBERTS (sub Ryan LOWE 46), Kenny LUNT
Substitutes not used: Chris McCREADY, Owain FON-WILLIAMS

Referee: Mr M Haywood

Booked:
Cobblers: none
Crewe: Kenny LUNT (64) 

10 cautions on or before 8 April; 2 match suspension
15 cautions at any time in season; 3 match suspension

Sent off:
Cobblers: none
Crewe: 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 Crewe Alexandra to Sixfields for their latest Coca-Cola League One fixture. Stuart Gray named the same eleven that had won at Hartlepool United a week previously, the only change being among the substitutes where the fit again Jonathan Hayes replaced Danny May.

Ryan Gilligan had an early effort turned round the post by Crewe keeper Ben Williams as the Cobblers began on the attack, while Joe Burnell fired over the bar from the edge of the area.

Crewe hit back, and they were close to scoring on a number of occasions in the 13th minute. Firstly Mark Little hooked the ball away after Nicky Maynard had lobbed Mark Bunn, while as the Cobblers struggled to clear, Mark Hughes blocked a powerful drive from Steven Schumacher. Finally, Byron Moore couldn't reach a cross to the far post.

The fast tempo was showing no signs of letting up, and Jason Crowe shot narrowly too high after a dummy from Poul Hubertz had created space on 17 minutes.

Crewe's Nicky Maynard had to leave the field on 22 minutes after suffering a hamstring injury. He was replaced by Tom Pope.

Adebayo Akinfenwa was close twice on 26 minutes. His first effort from a Poul Hubertz cross was kicked off the line by Gary Roberts, while he sent the rebound just wide of the near post.

Mark Bunn made a superb 33rd minute save to tip a volley from Daniel O'Donnell onto the bar. The Cobblers keeper was alert enough to then push the rebound from Byron Moore away.

Jason Crowe shot just wide of the post after Akinfenwa had flicked on a Holt delivery three minutes before the break, while a powerful Danny Jackman effort was beaten away by Williams in the last action of a goalless but entertaining first half.

At the start of the second half Ryan Lowe replaced Gary Roberts in Crewe's second change.

The new arrival nearly made an early impression, but he shot wide after latching on to Pope's pass. At the other end Jason Crowe shot over the bar from Akinfenwa's lay off.

The Cobblers had strong penalty appeals turned down on 62 minutes when keeper Williams appeared to trip Crowe, but a couple of minutes later a card was produced for Crewe's Kenny Lunt after he tripped Gilligan.

Poul Hubertz met a Jackman cross with a powerful header on 65 minutes but was denied by a flying Williams save.

Stuart Gray introduced Giles Coke for Ryan Gilligan in his first substitution, while for the visitors Michael O'Connor came on for Schumacher. As the changes continued, Jonathan Hayes replaced Holt.

Hayes saw a well struck effort pushed away by the diving Williams, before Crowe had a shot blocked.

The Cobblers had dominated for the most part, but the goal they strived did not come and they registered their first 0-0 draw under Stuart Gray.

COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (6) 12
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (9) 15
CORNERS: (2) 9
FOULS: (7) 13
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (0) 0

CREWE MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (5) 6
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (2) 3
CORNERS: (0) 0
FOULS: (2) 7
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (1) 3

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

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