COCA-COLA LEAGUE TWO
Tuesday September 29th, 7.45pm
Sixfields

MATCH SPONSOR
O'Connor & Co

MATCHBALL SPONSOR
Briggs & Forrester and SDC

NORTHAMPTON TOWN 3
Ryan Gilligan 10, Courtney Herbert 46, Ian Sharps 58 og

Attendance: 4,017 (526 away fans)

Cobblers: Chris Dunn, John Johnson, Craig Hinton, Dean Beckwith (sub Chris McCready 75), Andy Holt, Ben Marshall, Ryan Gilligan, John Curtis, Luke Guttridge, Steve Guinan (sub Adebayo Akinfenwa 82), Courtney Herbert* (sub Billy McKay 51). Subs not used: Simon Brown, Abdul Osman, Alex Dyer, Seb Harris.

* O'Connor & Co man of the match

Rotherham: Andy Warrington, Dale Tonge, Jamie Green, Danny Harrison, Ian Sharps, Nick Fenton, Tom Pope (sub Ryan Taylor 43), Nicky Law, Kevin Ellison, Pablo Mills (sub Micky Cummins 67), Adam Le Fondre. Subs not used: Marc Joseph, Mark Lynch, Paul Warne, Andy Liddell, Jamie Annerson.

Referee: Mr O Langford

Booked:
Cobblers: John Johnson 45 (1st of the season), Andy Holt (77, 1st), Luke Guttridge (78, 1st)
Rotherham: Nicky Law (81)

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:
Cobblers: none
Rotherham: 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 welcomed Rotherham United to Sixfields with Ian Sampson making two changes to the team that had been beaten at Shrewsbury Town. Courtney Herbert made his first start, coming in for Adebayo Akinfenwa with Ben Marshall replacing back injury victim Gary Mulligan.

On a lovely autumn evening that was perfect for football, the first chance fell to the visitors. Overlapping full back Dale Tonge delivered a cross from the right that was met by Kevin Ellison, but the former Tranmere man's header was just wide of Chris Dunn's left hand post.

The Cobblers took the lead thanks to a fine piece of 10th minute opportunism from Ryan Gilligan. Ben Marshall's run down the right had won a throw in and after John Johnson's delivery had only been half cleared, Gilligan sweetly half volleyed home into the corner from the edge of the area.

Gilligan was then in action at the other end, blocking Danny Harrison's drive, before Millers keeper Andy Warrington made a brave save, diving at the feet of Courtney Herbert on the edge of his six yard box.

Herbert's pace took him away from his marker on 34 minutes, the Cobblers striker delivering a cross that saw Ian Sharps clear to deny Luke Guttridge, while at the other end Chris Dunn was alert to smother the ball as Adam Le Fondre looked to latch on to a knock down from a corner.

Rotherham made a change on 43 minutes with Ryan Taylor replacing Tom Pope.

John Johnson was booked in first half stoppage time for pulling back Ellison. That gave the Millers a free kick in a dangerous position on the very edge of the Cobblers penalty area but John Curtis was in the right place to head Nicky Law's shot clear and preserve the one goal advantage.

Within seconds of the re-start the Cobblers had doubled their lead and it was an emotional moment for Northampton born Courtney Herbert. After winning the ball back in midfield he exchanged passes with Steve Guinan and held off a couple of challenges before lofting a shot over Andy Warrington from just inside the area. The ball hit the underside of the bar and bounced down, but the assistant referee ruled it had crossed the line and Herbert ran half the length of the pitch to embrace Ian Sampson before being joined by his team mates.

He was forced the leave the field injured soon afterwards though, with Billy McKay his replacement.

The Cobblers made it 3-0 when a deep cross from John Johnson found Luke Guttridge at the far post and his powerful volley was headed beyond his own keeper by Rotherham captain Ian Sharps.

Dunn saved well from Le Fondre on 64 minutes, while he produced an even better stop moments later, twisting in mid air to tip a deflected effort over the bar.

Mickey Cummins came on for Pablo Mills in the Millers second change, before Dean Beckwith was replaced by Chris McCready for the Cobblers.

The referee awarded the Millers a penalty on 77 minutes when Andy Holt was penalised for holding back Le Fondre. The foul appeared to be outside the box but the spot kick was awarded. Holt was cautioned for the foul and Luke Guttridge was also shown a yellow card before the kick was taken. After everything had been sorted out Adam Le Fondre scored from 12 yards.

Nicky Law was the first Rotherham player booked after catching Craig Hinton with an arm. Adebayo Akinfenwa then came on for Steve Guinan.

Ian Sampson's side saw out the rest of the game in relative comfort to record a vital victory, much to the delight of the Sixfields crowd.

COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (2) 3
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (0) 2
CORNERS: (0) 0
FOULS: (5) 15
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (3) 4

ROTHERHAM MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (3) 6
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (2) 3
CORNERS: (3) 5
FOULS: (4) 12
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (0) 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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