COCA-COLA LEAGUE TWO
Saturday October 10th, 3pm
Gigg Lane

BURY 2
David Worrall 29, Ryan Lowe 33

NORTHAMPTON TOWN 2
Courtney Herbert 66, Adebayo Akinfenwa 73

Attendance: 2,863 (289 Cobblers fans)

Bury: Wayne Brown, David Buchanan, Ryan Cresswell, Stephen Dawson, Brian Barry-Murphy, Michael Jones, Ryan Lowe, Efe Sodje, David Worrall, Tom Elliott, Tom Newey. Subs not used: Paul Scott, Ben Futcher, Richie Baker, Danny Racchi, Cameron Belford, Krishnan Patel.

Cobblers: Chris Dunn, John Johnson, Paul Rodgers, Craig Hinton, Chris McCready, Ben Marshall (sub Billy McKay 72), John Curtis, Luke Guttridge, Andy Holt (sub Abdul Osman 54), Steve Guinan (sub Adebayo Akinfenwa 64), Courtney Herbert. Subs not used: Simon Brown, Seb Harris, Alex Dyer, Gary Mulligan.

Referee: Mr P Quinn

Booked:
Bury: Tom Elliott (33), David Worrall (86)
Cobblers: Craig Hinton (25, 1st of the season), John Curtis (37, 3rd), Steve Guinan (45, 2nd), Chris McCready (80, 1st) 

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:
Bury: 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.

A number of players returned from injury as Northampton Town travelled to Gigg Lane to meet Bury. Luke Guttridge, Andy Holt and John Curtis all returned to the starting XI having missed the midweek win over Bournemouth, while Adebayo Akinfenwa was among the substitutes. Ryan Gilligan missed the game through suspension.

In the first action of the match, a 5th minute free kick from Luke Guttridge, awarded 20 yards from goal after a foul on Courtney Herbert, was blocked by the Bury wall.

A long 13th minute clearance from Chris McCready was brilliantly taken down by Herbert. The Cobblers striker's control gave him space away from keeper Wayne Brown and a couple of defenders but his finish was agonisingly inches wide of the post.

McCready blocked well from Michael Jones on 17 minutes, before Chris Dunn did well to tip away a drive from David Worrall at full stretch on 19 minutes. The resulting corner was headed just wide by Ryan Lowe. Dunn again saved well again moments later, tipping over from Jones.

Craig Hinton was booked for what the assistant referee judged to be a foul on Tom Elliott on 25 minutes right on the edge of the penalty area. The Cobblers skipper certainly seemed to make contact with the ball as he tackled the on-loan forward but the free kick was awarded. Chris Dunn beat the shot from Brian Barry-Murphy away.

Bury took the lead as they broke from a Cobblers corner. The first time shot from David Worrall was blocked by John Curtis but the rebound fell kindly for Worrall to score at the second attempt.

That lead was doubled minutes later in the simplest of fashions. A long clearance downfield by Efe Sodje was latched on to and lobbed home by Ryan Lowe.

Tom Elliott was booked for a foul on John Curtis, before Curtis was himself cautioned for a trip on Stephen Dawson. Steve Guinan was the latest player booked when he protested against a couple of decisions to go against the Cobblers.

A 53rd minute header from Ryan Cresswell from a right wing corner was cleared off the line by Chris McCready before Ian Sampson made a change by bringing Abdul Osman on for Andy Holt.

A further substitution followed on 63 minutes with Adebayo Akinfenwa on for Guinan. Courtney Herbert then pulled a goal back with a fantastic solo strike, holding off a number of defenders on a run into the area before slotting past Wayne Brown.

Billy McKay was introduced for Ben Marshall in the Cobblers final change, and seconds later Ian Sampson's side were level, a bullet header from Adebayo Akinfenwa as he met Luke Guttridge's corner went in off the far post.

Chris McCready was booked for a foul on Stephen Dawson. Chris Dunn then tipped a drive from Dawson round the post - goal kick the decision. Dunn then made another good save, pushing a header from Elliott away.

David Worrall was booked for a foul on John Johnson. Akinfenwa then headed over from a Guttridge corner.

That was the final chance of an entertaining match, a game where the Cobblers had come from 2-0 down to claim a point for the second week in succession.

BURY MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (9) 11
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (2) 3
CORNERS: (7) 12
FOULS: (6) 11
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (1) 2

COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (1) 3
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (4) 5
CORNERS: (2) 6
FOULS: (7) 11
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (1) 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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