COCA-COLA LEAGUE TWO
Saturday August 29th, 3pm
Pirelli Stadium
BURTON ALBION 3
Shaun Harrad 2, Michael Simpson 7, 11
NORTHAMPTON TOWN 2
Steve Guinan 72, Ryan Gilligan 81 pen
Attendance: 3,321 (Burton did not confirm the number of Cobblers fans in attendance)
Burton: Artur Krysiak, Paul Boertien, Michael Simpson, Tony James, John McGrath, Andy Corbett, Shaun Harrad, Ryan Austin, Jimmy Phillips (sub Darren Stride 83), Greg Pearson (sub Russell Penn 62), Guy Branston. Subs not used: Richard Walker, Robin Shroot, Shane Redmond, Marc Goodfellow, Jacques Maghoma.
Cobblers: Chris Dunn, Paul Rodgers (sub Gary Mulligan 45), Craig Hinton (sub Abdul Osman 45), Chris McCready, Dean Beckwith, Ben Marshall, Luke Boden (sub Robbie Threlfall 85), Ryan Gilligan, Andy Holt, Steve Guinan, Billy McKay. Subs not used: Paul Walker, Alex Dyer, Romone Rose, Seb Harris.
Referee: Mr R Shoebridge
Booked:
Burton: Paul Boertien (54)
Cobblers: Abdul Osman (64, 2nd of the season), Ben Marshall (67, 2nd), Ryan Gilligan (90, 2nd)
5 cautions on or before 28 February; 1 match suspension
10 cautions on or before 11 April; 2 match suspension
15 cautions at any time in season; 3 match suspension
Sent off:
Burton: 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.
The Cobblers side that travelled to Burton Albion showed two changes from the team that had beaten AFC Bournemouth. Adebayo Akinfenwa and John Curtis were both ruled out by injury, with Billy McKay and new loan signing Luke Boden coming in to the side. Seb Harris was named among the substitutes, along with Gary Mulligan and Abdul Osman who had shaken off injuries.
Ben Marshall was close to giving the Cobblers the lead after just 39 seconds. Picking the ball up from Craig Hinton's pass he made his way to the edge of the area before sending a low drive inches wide of the post. An early goal did arrive though, and it came at the other end after Chris Dunn had delayed a clearance and that allowed Burton striker Shaun Harrad time to close him down and slot home into the empty net.
The disastrous opening continued and the home side saw their lead doubled after 7 minutes. Michael Simpson bundled home a scrappy goal in a crowded penalty area. Although Burton had a commanding advantage, the Cobblers had another opportunity on 8 minutes, Steve Guinan's shot being deflected inches wide of the target.
Despite that, it was 3-0 moments later, when a shot from the edge of the box from Michael Simpson went in off the underside of the cross bar. A Cobblers team who had conceded only one goal in their previous four league games had now shipped three in a little over 10 minutes.
Luke Boden released Steve Guinan in on goal after 39 minutes. The Cobblers striker was one on one with keeper Artur Krysiak but the Burton keeper made a good block. Stuart Gray then made a double change just before the break with Gary Mulligan and Abdul Osman replacing Paul Rodgers and Craig Hinton.
Billy McKay forced a 50th minute save from the Burton keeper, before Steve Guinan failed to connect when a McKay header had found his strike partner in a good position.
Paul Boertien was booked for catching Mulligan as the Cobblers continued to up the tempo, the resulting free kick from Luke Boden was punched away from under the bar by Krysiak. A McKay volley from a Holt cross was then saved.
For Burton, Russell Penn replaced Greg Pearson, before Abdul Osman picked up a caution for a foul on Harrad. Ben Marshall was then booked for a late tackle on Phillips.
The Cobblers then had shouts for a penalty waved away when Albion keeper Artur Krysiak jumped for a ball with a high foot aimed at Mulligan. The deficit was reduced moments later when Steve Guinan was in the right place to convert after a shot from Boden has been parried.
The referee did award the Cobblers a spot kick on 80 minutes when Gary Mulligan was held back inside the area. Ryan Gilligan stepped up to score from the spot. Burton made a change after the goal with Darren Stride on for Jimmy Phillips.
In a rare foray forward, Shaun Harrad curled a free kick just over the bar for the home side. The final Cobblers change saw Robbie Threlfall replace Boden.
The fourth official indicated four additional minutes - during which time Ryan Gilligan was booked - and although the Cobblers poured forward looking for an equaliser they could not find that all important goal.
BURTON MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (4) 5
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (1) 4
CORNERS: (2) 2
FOULS: (7) 14
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (1) 1
COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (2) 13
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (1) 5
CORNERS: (2) 2
FOULS: (5) 17
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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