COCA-COLA LEAGUE ONE
Friday February 22nd, 7.45pm
Victoria Park

HARTLEPOOL UNITED 0

NORTHAMPTON TOWN 1
Giles COKE 82

Attendance: 3,945 (209 Cobblers fans)

Hartlepool: Jan BUDTZ, Godwin ANTWI (sub Jamie McCUNNIE 49), Michael NELSON, Graeme LEE, Ritchie HUMPHREYS, Antony SWEENEY, Gary LIDDLE, Willie BOLAND (sub David FOLEY 56), Alan THOMPSON (sub Tom CRADDOCK 67), Richard BARKER, Joel PORTER 
Substitutes not used: Robbie ELLIOTT, Andy MONKHOUSE

Cobblers: Mark BUNN, Jason CROWE, Mark LITTLE, Mark HUGHES, Gabor GYEPES, Andy HOLT, Ryan GILLIGAN, Joe BURNELL, Danny JACKMAN, Poul HUBERTZ, Adebayo AKINFENWA (sub Giles COKE 77)
Substitutes not used: Chris DUNN, Ian HENDERSON, Danny MAY, Liam DOLMAN

Referee: Mr P Joslin

Booked:
Hartlepool: Willie BOLAND (28)
Cobblers: Gabor GYEPES (22, 1st of the season) 

5 cautions on or before 28 February; 1 match suspension
10 cautions on or before 8 April; 2 match suspension
15 cautions at any time in season; 3 match suspension

Sent off:
Hartlepool: none
Cobblers: 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 made the long trip north to take on Hartlepool United in Coca-Cola League One. Stuart Gray named an unchanged side following the 4-0 win over Gillingham in the previous game. Injury meant the Cobblers were without Brett Johnson, Chris Doig, Colin Larkin, Jonathan Hayes and Alex Dyer.

On a very blustery evening in the North East with a gale force wind blowing across the pitch, it was clear conditions would have a big part to play in the game.

A 9th minute free kick from Poul Hubertz from 25 yards was blocked by the defensive wall as the Cobblers had the first effort at goal, before the same player shot over the bar from a Jason Crowe pull back.

Gabor Gyepes was the first man booked after a tackle from behind on Joel Porter, while Willie Boland was cautioned for hauling down Danny Jackman.

The Cobblers were close to taking the lead on 32 minutes, but from Adebayo Akinfenwa's knock back, Ryan Gilligan's drive was touched around the post by Jan Budtz at full stretch.

Alan Thompson fired over the bar from 20 yards for the home side on 40 minutes in the final action of a goalless first half.

Hartlepool made a change four minutes after half time with Jamie McCunnie replacing Godwin Antwi.

Akinfenwa shot just wide of the near post on 51 minutes after turning away from Graeme Lee and making progress to the edge of the area, before the Cobblers had strong penalty appeals turned down when Lee stopped Jason Crowe's through ball with his arm.

The home team made their second substitution when David Foley came on for Willie Boland.

Ritchie Humphreys drove narrowly wide from the edge of the box for Pools on 62 minutes, before Hartlepool's third change saw Tom Craddock replace Alan Thompson.

Stuart Gray brought Giles Coke on for Akinfenwa on 77 minutes.

Mark Bunn tipped a dipping effort from Tom Craddock over the bar a minute later, but soon afterwards the Cobblers had the lead. Mark Little won the ball back from a quick Budtz throw and found substitute Giles Coke. He sent in a shot from 25 yards that slid under the body of the Hartlepool keeper and nestled in the back of the net.

With less than 20 seconds to go, Mark Bunn made a matchwinning save, changing direction to tip a deflected effort from Joel Porter around the post. The Cobblers cleared the resulting corner and the final whistle blew.

Hartlepool had scored seven goals in their previous two home fixtures, but they could not find a way past the Cobblers back line as Stuart Gray's team continued their impressive form.

HARTLEPOOL MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (3) 7
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (1) 3
CORNERS: (2) 4
FOULS: (3) 6
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (1) 1

COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (2) 4 
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (2) 7
CORNERS: (2) 3
FOULS: (8) 17
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (0) 1

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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