COCA-COLA LEAGUE ONE
Saturday January 5th 2008, 3pm
Elland Road

LEEDS UNITED 3
Frazer RICHARDSON 43, Rui MARQUES 52, Curtis WESTON 90

NORTHAMPTON TOWN 0

Attendance: 24,472 (Leeds United did not confirm the exact number of Cobblers fans in attendance)

Leeds: Casper ANKERGREN, Frazer RICHARDSON, Paul HUNTINGTON, Rui MARQUES, David PRUTTON (sub Curtis WESTON 90), Jermaine BECKFORD, Ian WESTLAKE (sub Sebastien CAROLE 46), Tore Andre FLO (sub Tresor KANDOL 77), Andrew HUGHES, Ben PARKER, Neil KILKENNY 
Substitutes not used: David LUCAS, Radostin KISHISIHEV

Cobblers: Mark BUNN, Danny JACKMAN (sub Ian HENDERSON 58), Andy HOLT, Liam DOLMAN, Mark HUGHES, Brett JOHNSON, Colin LARKIN (sub Danny MAY 70), Joe BURNELL, Jason CROWE, Andy KIRK (sub Giles COKE 58), Dean BOWDITCH
Substitutes not used: Chris DUNN, Alex DYER

Referee: Mr G Salisbury

Booked:
Leeds: none
Cobblers: Giles COKE (69, 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:
Leeds: 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 their third trip to Yorkshire in eleven days when they travelled to Elland Road to take on Leeds United. Giles Coke was a welcome name on the substitutes bench, as was Ian Henderson as the duo returned from injury. Still ruled out though were Ryan Gilligan and Chris Doig, while Daniel Jones and Poul Hubertz were suspended.

After a quiet opening, Mark Hughes made a good recovering block from a Jermaine Beckford shot from 20 yards after 10 minutes, but on 23 minutes Leeds twice came close to opening the scoring. Beckford did well to wriggle free from Mark Hughes but was denied by a fine save from Mark Bunn when one on one with the Cobblers keeper. The rebound fell to Tore Andre Flo, but Brett Johnson was in the right place to clear his shot off the line.

Leeds keeper Casper Ankergren did well to cut out a dangerous 33rd minute cross from Colin Larkin with Andy Kirk lurking, before the home side had the lead two minutes before half time when Frazer Richardson ended a run from deep by firing a shot beyond Mark Bunn thanks to a deflection off Mark Hughes.

Dennis Wise made a change at the start of the second half with Sebastien Carole replacing Ian Westlake.

The home side doubled their lead with a corner routine on 52 minutes. A deep Neil Kilkenny corner was volleyed back by Andrew Hughes for Rui Marques to head home at the far post.

Stuart Gray introduced Ian Henderson and Giles Coke for Danny Jackman and Andy Kirk on 58 minutes.

Colin Larkin saw a 60th minute shot blocked, while Mark Hughes headed wide at the far post following a Jason Crowe cross. Ian Henderson then volleyed over making a near post run to meet a Dean Bowditch delivery.

Coke was booked for tripping Richardson, before Danny May replaced Colin Larkin.

Beckford curled a 75th minute effort against the bar, before Tresor Kandol came on for Flo for the home side.

Mark Bunn and Mark Hughes did very well to combine and deny Beckford after 82 minutes after the Leeds striker used his strength to battle his way into the area, before the Cobblers were awarded their first free kick for more than an hour after Prutton tripped Johnson.

Andy Holt had a shot deflected wide in the closing stages, but there was still time for Curtis Weston to come on for David Prutton. Weston found the net in injury time, barging Mark Hughes off the ball to fire in beyond Bunn.

That was that, and Leeds claimed the points to maintain their excellent home record.

LEEDS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (4) 11
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (3) 10
CORNERS: (2) 3
FOULS: (6) 7
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (2) 2

COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (0) 2
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (0) 3
CORNERS: (2) 3
FOULS: (5) 8
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (1) 2

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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