COCA-COLA LEAGUE ONE
Saturday March 15th, 3pm
Sixfields

MATCH SPONSOR
Sixfields Travel Club

MATCHBALL SPONSOR
Cobley, Desborough & Co

PROGRAMME SPONSOR
Cobblers World

Attendance: 5,926 (858 away fans)

Cobblers:  Mark BUNN, Jason CROWE, Mark LITTLE, Gabor GYEPES, Daniel JONES, Ryan GILLIGAN, Joe BURNELL, Danny JACKMAN* , Poul HUBERTZ, Adebayo AKINFENWA (sub Giles COKE 74), Andy HOLT
Substitutes not used: Chris DUNN, Ian HENDERSON, Liam DOLMAN, Alex DYER

* Sixfields Travel Club man of the match

Swansea: Dorus DE VRIES, Alan TATE, Ferrie BODDE, Leon BRITTON, Jason SCOTLAND, Marcos PAINTER (sub Darren PRATLEY 46), Dennis LAWRENCE, Andy ROBINSON, Angel RANGEL, Guillem BAUZA (sub Fabien BRANDY 46), Thomas BUTLER
Substitutes not used: Kevin AUSTIN, Darryl DUFFY, Shaun MacDONALD

Referee: Mr J Moss

Booked:
Cobblers: Jason CROWE (90, 9th of the season)
Swansea: Alan TATE (21), Angel RANGEL (41), Fabien BRANDY (72)

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

Sent off:
Cobblers: none
Swansea: 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 League One leaders Swansea City to Sixfields. Stuart Gray made two changes to the side that had drawn at Bristol Rovers in midweek with Jason Crowe and Adebayo Akinfenwa returning to the side after injury and illness respectively, replacing Liam Dolman and Ian Henderson. Mark Hughes was missing through suspension.

The first effort at goal came from Danny Jackman after 7 minutes, the Cobblers midfielder sending in a right footed effort following a flick from Adebayo Akinfenwa that was spilt by Dorus De Vries, the Swansea keeper fortunate to see the ball trickle past the post for a corner.

Moments later the Cobblers went even closer, Akinfenwa beating De Vries all ends up with a header from a Jackman cross, the ball hitting the underside of the bar and bouncing away to safety.

The lead that Stuart Gray's side thoroughly deserved arrived after 14 minutes. A deep corner from Daniel Jones was headed back across by Akinfenwa for Poul Hubertz to score from close range.

The advantage was doubled five minutes later. Daniel Jones overlapped with Andy Holt down the left hand side and the Wolves loanee delivered a powerful cross that was steered past his own keeper by Alan Tate.

Tate was soon booked after a crude lunge at Gilligan, before the same Swansea man completed a nightmare spell when he conceded a penalty after catching Gilligan again, this time in the penalty area. Poul Hubertz stepped up to score from the spot and yes a 3-0 lead within the first quarter of the game was totally deserved.

Jason Scotland pulled one back for the Swans on 29 minutes. The striker got beyond the Cobblers defence and although Mark Bunn saved his first effort, Scotland was on hand to convert the rebound.

Guillem Bauza then headed just wide after Scotland had been forced wide by Bunn, before Angel Rangel was booked for holding back Andy Holt.

Swansea enjoyed a good spell as the first half ended to show why they are league leaders and to fire a warning that they would still pose a big threat in this game, even though the Cobblers ended a pulsating first half with a 3-1 lead.

Roberto Martinez made two changes at the start of the second half with Fabien Brandy and Darren Pratley replacing Marcos Painter and Guillem Bauza.

A ball back to Mark Bunn took a horrible bobble on 47 minutes, the keeper's clearance fell to Jason Scotland but the Northampton Town stopper was quick to smother the ball away from the striker.

Poul Hubertz picked up a short back pass from Dennis Lawrence but ended shooting over the bar under pressure from recovering defenders, but moments later the Cobblers fans were on their feet again, this time celebrating a first ever goal for the club from Danny Jackman.

Adebayo Akinfenwa held off Tate and slid a ball through to Jackman, who delivered a classy finish, curling a left footed shot beyond De Vries and into the back of the net.

Akinfenwa headed wide from a Hubertz cross as the Cobblers continued to come forward, while Andy Holt shot over the bar.

Brandy was booked after a horrible challenge on Burnell, before Akinfenwa left the field to a standing ovation to be replaced by Giles Coke.

Ferrie Bodde struck a 77th minute free kick well, but Mark Bunn pushed the ball away, before Jason Scotland scored his second goal when he poked the ball beyond Bunn having latched on to a pass from Pratley.

Mark Bunn made a good save from a Pratley drive on 87 minutes, and although Swansea kept looking for a way back, and Jason Crowe was booked in injury time, the Cobblers were good value for their latest victory.

COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (9) 10
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (4) 11
CORNERS: (4) 5
FOULS: (5) 11
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (3) 3

SWANSEA MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (3) 10
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (4) 4
CORNERS: (2) 5
FOULS: (9) 14
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (1) 4

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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