COCA-COLA LEAGUE TWO
Friday February 12th, 7.45pm
Sixfields

MATCH SPONSOR
Starting Off

ASSOCIATE MATCH SPONSOR
Thomas Cook

MATCHBALL SPONSOR
Jackson Grundy

PROGRAMME SPONSOR
The Flowering Basket Company

Attendance: 4,718 (343 away fans)

Cobblers: Chris Dunn, John Johnson, Peter Gilbert (sub Paul Rodgers 57), Craig Hinton, Dean Beckwith, Luke Guttridge, Abdul Osman, Ryan Gilligan, Kevin Thornton, Billy McKay (sub Liam Davis 46), Adebayo Akinfenwa (sub Stephen O'Flynn 46). Subs not used: Billy Lumley, John Curtis, Alex Dyer, Courtney Herbert.

Aldershot: Stephen Henderson, Ben Herd, Anthony Straker, Chris Blackburn, Anthony Charles (sub David Winfield 78), Lewis Chalmers, Marvin Morgan (sub Danny Hylton 79), Scott Donnelly, Ben Harding, Oliver Bozanic (sub Kirk Hudson 63), Andy Sandell. Subs not used: Louie Soares, John Grant, Dean Howell, Mikhael Jaimez-Ruis.

Referee: Mr G Ward

Booked:
Cobblers: Adebayo Akinfenwa (19, 3rd of the season), Ryan Gilligan (56, 9th)
Aldershot: Scott Donnelly (19), Anthony Straker (19), Ben Herd (25), Anthony Charles (42)

10 cautions on or before 11 April; 2 match suspension
15 cautions at any time in season; 3 match suspension

Sent off:
Cobblers: Kevin Thornton (10, 3 match ban, misses Crewe, Hereford and Cheltenham)
Aldershot: 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.

Billy McKay and Adebayo Akinfenwa shook off fitness concerns as Northampton Town welcomed Aldershot to Sixfields for this Friday night game, allowing Ian Sampson to name an unchanged side.

The Cobblers were reduced to ten men in the first meaningful action of the game, Kevin Thornton being shown a red card for what the referee ruled was a dangerous challenge. The punishment was made even harsher when Marvin Morgan headed home the resulting free kick. Morgan celebrated provocatively in front of both the Dave Bowen and West Stands but escaped censure.

The Shots somehow remained with a full complement of players on 19 minutes when Scott Donnelly and Anthony Straker were booked along with Adebayo Akinfenwa. Straker's ugly challenge sparked a melee but the referee decided that yellow cards were punishment enough.

Dunn saved well from Donnelly on 23 minutes, before Ben Herd was cautioned for catching Dean Beckwith with a high arm. Anthony Charles was the next player to see yellow for being late on Guttridge but Aldershot had a man and a goal advantage at the end of a tempestuous first half.

The Cobblers made a double change at half time with Liam Davis and Stephen O'Flynn replacing Akinfenwa and Billy McKay.

Guttridge had a shot tipped around the post by Stephen Henderson as play resumed, before Ryan Gilligan became the latest name in the referee's book. Paul Rodgers replaced Peter Gilbert in the Cobblers final change.

Liam Davis provided a teasing 62 minute cross that Guttridge headed wide. The Shots then made a change, Kirk Hudson came on for Oliver Bozanic.

The visitors lead was doubled when Kirk Hudson broke from a Cobblers spell of pressure and beat Chris Dunn with a shot that went in off the post.

The advantage was extended further when Chris Dunn slipped as he went to clear Dean Beckwith's back pass and Marvin Morgan pounced to run the ball into an empty net.

Anthony Charles was replaced by David Winfield before the final substitution saw Danny Hylton come on for Morgan.

Davis and Osman fired shots off target but the game was effectively over as a contest as the visitors brought the Cobblers long unbeaten run to an end.

COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (0) 2
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (1) 6
CORNERS: (3) 9
FOULS: (7) 14
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (0) 0

ALDERSHOT MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (2) 5
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (2) 4
CORNERS: (1) 1
FOULS: (9) 12
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (0) 3

The above stats are recorded by club staff. The stats shown elsewhere on this page are recorded by the Press Association.

Advertisement
The Northampton Chronicle & Echo, which prints Cobblers in the Community every Friday, can be delivered to your home for half price with no delivery charge! Please email direct.delivery@jpress.co.uk quoting reference DDHP01 for more details. Please phone 01604 467074 for full terms and conditions.