COCA-COLA LEAGUE ONE
Wednesday December 26th, 3pm
Keepmoat Stadium
DONCASTER ROVERS 2
Mark McCAMMON 11, Adam LOCKWOOD 29
NORTHAMPTON TOWN 0
Attendance: 7,046 (426 Cobblers fans)
Doncaster: Neil SULLIVAN, James O'CONNOR, Steve ROBERTS, Adam LOCKWOOD, Sean McDAID (sub Gareth ROBERTS 55), James COPPINGER, Paul GREEN, Richie WELLENS, Brian STOCK (sub Mark WILSON 84), Mark McCAMMON, Jason PRICE (sub James HAYTER 77)
Substitutes not used: Lewis GUY, Martin WOODS
Cobblers: Mark BUNN, Danny JACKMAN, Daniel JONES, Mark HUGHES, Liam DOLMAN, Jason CROWE, Joe BURNELL (sub Alex DYER 84), Bradley JOHNSON, Dean BOWDITCH (sub Colin LARKIN 63), Poul HUBERTZ, Andy KIRK
Substitutes not used: Chris DUNN, Danny MAY, Brett JOHNSON
Referee: Mr M Oliver
Booked:
Doncaster: none
Cobblers: Joe BURNELL (76, 3rd 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:
Doncaster: 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 continued their busy December with a Boxing Day trip to the Keepmoat Stadium to meet Doncaster Rovers. Stuart Gray named the same starting XI that had beaten AFC Bournemouth 4-1 in the previous game. Andy Holt, Ian Henderson, Giles Coke and Chris Doig missed out through injury, while Ryan Gilligan served a one match suspension.
Both of these sides had scored four in their previous outing, and it was the home side who had the lead with their first effort of the game, Mark McCammon firing into the roof of the net at the far post following a deep cross from James Coppinger.
Mark Bunn was in the right place to save a Coppinger header on 15 minutes, before Andy Kirk forced a low stop from Neil Sullivan at the other end.
Rovers lead was doubled with just under half an hour played, Adam Lockwood heading home at the near post following a Coppinger corner.
McCammon then headed just wide of the target after the Rovers striker had started a 38th minute move himself before feeding Coppinger out wide as the home side ended the first half on top.
Dean Bowditch found the sidenetting with a header from a Joe Burnell cross three minutes after the re-start, before Steve Roberts twice hit the cross bar with headers following a Coppinger corner. His first effort was headed down but bounced up and hit the bar, before he also hit the frame of the goal with the rebound.
Bournemouth's first change saw Gareth Roberts replace Sean McDaid, while for the Cobblers Colin Larkin replaced Dean Bowditch.
Neil Sullivan was quickly off his line to deny Bradley Johnson after the Cobblers midfielder burst into the Rovers area, before Joe Burnell was the first player to be booked after tripping Price.
Rovers second change saw James Hayter replace Price, before Sullivan denied Jason Crowe with a near post save.
Alex Dyer was introduced for Joe Burnell on 84 minutes, while for the home side Marl Wilson replaced Brian Stock.
In terms of goalscoring opportunities - apart from Danny Jackman curling a shot over the bar - that was pretty much that, and this result meant that these two sides had exchanged 2-0 victories this season.
DONCASTER MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (4) 5
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (5) 9
CORNERS: (2) 8
FOULS: (4) 6
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (1) 1
COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (1) 2
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (1) 5
CORNERS: (1) 5
FOULS: (7) 16
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (2) 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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