COCA-COLA LEAGUE ONE
Saturay April 25th, 3pm
Sixfields

MATCH SPONSOR
Sixfields Travel Club

MATCHBALL SPONSOR
Datarider Services

PROGRAMME SPONSOR
Country Lion

SHIRT OF THE DAY SPONSOR
Alastair Bannerman

Attendance: 5,518 (204 away fans)

Cobblers: Chris DUNN*, Adam WATTS, Mark HUGHES, Chris DOIG (sub Jared HODGKISS 43), Danny JACKMAN, Jason CROWE, Luke GUTTRIDGE (sub Aleksandar PRIJOVIC 58), Abdul OSMAN, Andy HOLT, Ikechi ANYA, Adebayo AKINFENWA (sub Leon CONSTANTINE 79)
Substitutes not used: Paul WALKER, Ryan GILLIGAN

* Sixfields Travel Club man of the match

Hereford: Peter GULACSI, Richard ROSE, Toumani DIAGOURAGA, Kris TAYLOR, Ben SMITH, Steve GUINAN, Marc PUGH (sub Matthew DONE 64), Sam GWYNNE, Andy WILLIAMS, Josh GOWLING (sub Dean BECKWITH 24), Jennison MYRIE-WILLIAMS
Substitutes not used: Febian BRANDY, Stephen O'LEARY, Jose VEIGA

Referee: Mr S Bratt

Booked:
Cobblers: none
Hereford: none

15 cautions at any time in season; 3 match suspension

Sent off:
Cobblers: none
Hereford: 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.

Stuart Gray made one change to the Northampton Town side that welcomed Hereford United to Sixfields. The injured Paul Rodgers was replaced by Adam Watts.

The Cobblers suffered an early scare when Hereford's Marc Pugh sent a 2nd minute shot wide of the near post after a powerful run by Jennison Myrie-Williams. Mark Hughes had the first effort for the Cobblers, but his 9th minute header from a Luke Guttridge corner was beaten away well by Peter Gulacsi in the Bulls goal.

Chris Dunn was forced to tip a curling free kick from Pugh away on 12 minutes, while at the other end Luke Guttridge saw a shot blocked.

The visitors made a change on 24 minutes with Dean Beckwith replacing Josh Gowling, before Steve Guinan missed a golden chance to put Hereford ahead when he skied a shot over when well placed from 12 yards following Kris Taylor's cut back.

The Cobblers eased the nerves a little on 29 minutes. Luke Guttridge fed the ball wide to Mark Hughes and his cross was poked through to Andy Holt by Akinfenwa. Holt took a touch before sending a left footed finish beyond Gulacsi.

Danny Jackman was in the right place to clear a shot off the line from Marc Pugh as the Cobblers struggled to defend a 32nd minute corner. The visitors flag kicks were continuing to cause the home defence problems, and from another such delivery, Steve Guinan's 37th minute dipping volley hit the inside of the post and bounced to safety.

Gulacsi held a 41st minute free kick from Jackman, before the Cobblers were forced into a change, Jared Hodgkiss replacing the limping Chris Doig. Still the home side were being forced to defend, and Chris Dunn did superbly well to tip a header from Richard Rose over the bar.

The visitors pulled themselves level on 51 minutes when Andy Williams scored with a superb curling effort that dipped under the bar.

Marc Pugh drove wide of the far post as Hereford looked to increase the pressure, before Stuart Gray made a change with Aleksandar Prijovic replacing Luke Guttridge.

The Cobblers had the ball in the net immediately, but the assistant referee's flag cut short the celebrations after Mark Hughes had touched in a drive from Jared Hodgkiss. Andy Holt then saw his header from Jason Crowe's cross saved.

The Bulls second change saw Matthew Done come on for Pugh, before Akinfenwa shot over the bar from a tight angle.

The Cobblers restored their lead on 69 minutes. Adebayo Akinfenwa held the ball up on the edge of the area and played it off to Jason Crowe who sent a right footed finish beyond Gulacsi to the relief of the Sixfields crowd.

Dunn denied Done on 75 minutes, the Cobblers keeper quickly off his line to smother the ball at the feet of the Hereford substitute, before Crowe dragged a shot across the face of the area.

Leon Constantine came on for Akinfenwa in the final change.

As news came through that Cheltenham had pulled level against Carlisle, Ikechi Anya broke into the box but saw his shot blocked by Gulacsi. Dunn then saved Guinan's header as the tension continued to rise.

Osman curled an effort wide, before Jackman somehow smothered the ball away from Williams with the Hereford striker inside the penalty area.

That was the final action of note, and the relief was the main emotion at the final whistle. Cheltenham and Carlisle had drawn at Whaddon Road meaning the Cobblers require a point for safety.

COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (8) 13
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (2) 8
CORNERS: (4) 4
FOULS: (7) 14
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (0) 1

HEREFORD MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (5) 7
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (5) 7
CORNERS: (10) 11
FOULS: (6) 13
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (1) 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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