COCA-COLA LEAGUE ONE
Saturday January 12th, 3pm
Sixfields

MATCH SPONSOR
Sixfields Travel Club

MATCHBALL SPONSOR
Claret and White

PROGRAMME SPONSOR
Claret and White

Attendance: 4,639 (358 away fans)

Cobblers: Mark BUNN, Mark LITTLE*, Daniel JONES, Liam DOLMAN (sub Mark HUGHES 46), Brett JOHNSON, Jonathan HAYES (sub Ryan GILLIGAN 68), Jason CROWE, Giles COKE, Danny JACKMAN, Andy KIRK (sub Ian HENDERSON 60), Dean BOWDITCH 
Substitutes not used: Chris DUNN, Joe BURNELL

Hartlepool: Aaran LEE-BARRATT, Robbie ELLIOTT (sub Matty ROBSON 72), Willie BOLAND, Michael NELSON, Ben CLARK, Gary LIDDLE, Ritchie HUMPHREYS, Richard BARKER (sub Joel PORTER 86), David FOLEY (sub James BROWN 57), Ian MOORE, Eddie NOLAN
Substitutes not used: Jan BUDTZ, Antony SWEENEY

Referee: Mr M Russell

Booked:
Cobblers: Giles COKE (39, 2nd of the season), Mark HUGHES (52, 8th), Ryan GILLIGAN (90, 7th)
Hartlepool: Ben CLARK (15) 

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:
Cobblers: none
Hartlepool: 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.

* SPONSORS MAN OF THE MATCH

Stuart Gray made four changes to the side beaten at Leeds United as Northampton Town welcomed Hartlepool United to Sixfields. Three of the players drafted in - Giles Coke, Jonathan Hayes and Mark Little were making their first starts for the club, while Daniel Jones returned from suspension. Mark Hughes, Colin Larkin, Andy Holt and Joe Burnell made way. Chris Doig (injured) and Poul Hubertz (suspended) were unavailable.

The Cobblers boss had named a young side - the average age of the starting XI was 22.5, with the average of the sixteen even lower at 22.3.

Jonathan Hayes had the first effort at goal, but his powerful shot at the far post was wide of the target after he latched on to a poor clearance from keeper Aaran Lee-Barratt on 9 minutes.

Ben Clark was booked after a crude foul on Dean Bowditch after 15 minutes. The resulting free kick from Daniel Jones was headed behind for a corner, and from that flag kick the Cobblers had the lead. A deep kick from Jones was headed back by Jason Crowe, controlled by Andy Kirk and crashed home by Liam Dolman for his first senior goal.

David Foley drove wide as Hartlepool looked to respond, while Mark Bunn also saved a deflected effort from the same player.

Giles Coke picked up his 2nd booking of the season in his second appearance after a trip on Ritchie Humphreys, before the visitors equalised in first half stoppage time, Ben Clark shooting beyond Mark Bunn from 12 yards.

Mark Hughes replaced Liam Dolman at half time, and the substitute was soon booked after a trip on Barker.

Danny Jackman had a drive deflected wide on 53 minutes, before James Brown replaced David Foley for the visitors.

Stuart Gray introduced Ian Henderson for Andy Kirk on the hour mark, while Jackman had another shot cutting in from the left, but this time the effort was saved by the keeper.

Ryan Gilligan came on for Hayes in the Cobblers final change, while moments later Ian Moore struck the far post for Hartlepool with a deep cross-shot.

The substitutions continued with Matty Robson replacing Robbie Elliott for Pools, before the Cobblers missed a golden chance to re-take the lead on 74 minutes. Mark Little started the move, dancing round 2 players in the middle of the field before feeding Jackman. He found Bowditch, whose low cross was met by Ian Henderson in space, but the former Norwich man shot over the bar.

Ian Moore then missed a good chance for the visitors, sidefooting wide at the near post from a left wing cross, while for the Cobblers a Giles Coke header from a Jones free kick was well held by Lee-Barratt.

Neat play from Ryan Gilligan on 86 minutes released Ian Henderson in on goal but his effort was smothered by Lee-Barratt after the Cobblers striker appeared to be being tugged back as he ran through.

Joel Porter replaced Barker in the final change of the game, while Ryan Gilligan picked up the final caution for fouling Gary Liddle.

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

HARTLEPOOL MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (3) 4
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (3) 8
CORNERS: (5) 6
FOULS: (2) 10
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (3) 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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