FA CUP SPONSORED BY E.ON, ROUND 2
Tuesday December 11th, 7.45pm
Banks's Stadium

WALSALL 1
Michael RICKETTS 85 pen

Attendance: 3,066 (341 Cobblers fans)

Walsall: Clayton INCE, Rhys WESTON, Daniel FOX, Anthony GERRARD, Darren WRACK, Tommy MOONEY (sub Alex NICHOLLS 76), Paul HALL (sub Troy DEENEY 61), Scott DANN, Mark BRADLEY, Edrissa SONKO (sub Ishmel DEMONTAGNAC 46), Michael RICKETTS
Substitutes not used: Bertrand BOSSU, Richard TAUNDRY

Cobblers: Mark BUNN, Danny JACKMAN (sub Guy BRANSTON 89), Daniel JONES, Mark HUGHES, Liam DOLMAN, Ian HENDERSON, Colin LARKIN, Joe BURNELL, Ryan GILLIGAN (sub Alex DYER 82), Andy HOLT, Poul HUBERTZ
Substitutes not used: Chris DUNN, Danny MAY, Brett JOHNSON

Referee: Mr R Shoebridge

Booked:
Walsall: none
Cobblers: Danny JACKMAN  (85, 2nd 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:
Walsall: 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 trip to Walsall for their FA Cup 2nd round replay. The Cobblers faced a tough task looking to progress against a side who had only lost once in their previous 14 games and that task was made even tougher without the absent Chris Doig, Giles Coke and Andy Kirk (injured). Dean Bowditch (ineligible) was also missing while Jason Crowe and Bradley Johnson were suspended.

On a bitterly cold night, the pitch had been covered pre-match and as close to an hour before kick off the groundstaff had lit fires in a number of braziers on the pitch to try and stop the playing surface freezing up. The 'over-soil' heating had done its job and the game kicked off without a problem.

Despite the close proximity of the two clubs, this was the Cobblers first visit to the Banks's Stadium since November 2000, and it was Stuart Gray's side who had two early efforts at goal but an Andy Holt header and a Danny Jackman drive were both wide of the target.

Ryan Gilligan sent in a low 15th minute shot from the edge of the area that Clayton Ince got behind, while on 35 minutes Poul Hubertz saw his shot blocked by Anthony Gerrard after Andy Holt had won the ball back in an advanced position.

Mark Hughes volleyed wide after Hubertz had headed a Daniel Jones free kick back across goal, before the Cobblers striker saw his header from a Jones corner cleared off the line by Rhys Weston.

The Cobblers had completely dominated the first half and it took the visitors until stoppage time at the end of the first 45 minutes to have an attempt on target, Mark Bunn beating away a Michael Ricketts drive.

The home side made a change at half time with Ishmel Demontagnac coming on to replace Edrissa Sonko. Their second substitution was made just after the hour with Troy Deeney being introduced at the expense of Paul Hall.

Andy Holt drove wide on 72 minutes after Colin Larkin had played the ball back to him, before Tommy Mooney was replaced by Alex Nicholls.

Neat play from Poul Hubertz on 79 minutes saw the big striker deliver an inviting cross that was met by the head of Andy Holt, but Clayton Ince was in the right place to save Holt's header at point blank range.

The Cobblers first change saw Alex Dyer replace Ryan Gilligan, before the home side were awarded a penalty with 5 minutes to go when Danny Jackman was adjudged to have pulled down Demontagnac. Jackman was booked and Michael Ricketts scored from the spot.

Guy Branston replaced Jackman in the Cobblers second change, and although they pushed forward with Mark Hughes heading narrowly over in the closing stages they fell to an undeserved defeat thanks to that late penalty.

WALSALL MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (1) 3
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (4) 5
CORNERS: (1) 4
FOULS: (9) 18
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (3) 5

COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (6) 8
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (5) 8
CORNERS: (3) 6
FOULS: (4) 11
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (2) 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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