COCA-COLA LEAGUE TWO
Saturday August 14th, 3pm
Sixfields

NORTHAMPTON TOWN 0

Attendance: 4,042 (115 away fans)

Cobblers: Oscar Jansson, John Johnson, Dean Beckwith, Andy Holt, Marcus Hall, Ryan Gilligan, Abdul Osman, Nathaniel Wedderburn, Michael Jacobs (sub Kevin Thornton 61), Steve Guinan (sub Tadhg Purcell 75), Billy McKay (sub Courtney Herbert 83). Subs not used: Paul Walker, Seb Harris, Paul Rodgers, Alex Konstantinou.

Accrington: Ian Dunbavin, Jonathan Bateson, Dean Winnard, Sean Hessey, Andrew Procter, Jimmy Ryan, Charlie Barnett (sub Luke Joyce 87), Craig Lindfield, Ray Putterill (sub Andy Parkinson 64), Sean McConville (sub Chris Turner 64), Phil Edwards. Subs not used: Alex Cisak, Peter Murphy, Michael Hall, Zak Riley.

Referee: Mr P Crossley

Booked:
Cobblers: none
Accrington: Andrew Procter (37), Charlie Barnett (54) 

5 cautions on or before 31 December; 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
Accrington: 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.

Unsurprisingly after the midweek win over Brighton in the Carling Cup, Ian Sampson named an unchanged team for this npower League 2 visit from Accrington Stanley. Injury again ruled out Chris Dunn, Craig Hinton and Liam Davis.

With the Cobblers attacking the Dave Bowen Stand in the first half, the opening effort at goal came from Michael Jacobs on four minutes, but his left footed volley was wide of the near post.

A Ray Putterill drive was held by Oscar Jansson on nine minutes as Stanley registered their first attempt, but moments later Billy McKay shot wide for the Cobblers after cutting in from the right.

Jimmy Ryan and Charlie Barnett both had long range shots blocked from a 12th minute corner for Stanley, and as the end to end nature of the game continued, Ian Dunbavin tipped away a McKay curler at full stretch.

John Johnson came to the rescue of the Cobblers on 18 minutes. Ray Putterill linked up well with strike partner Craig Lindfield and rounded Jansson but Johnson was in the right place to hammer the ball clear.

Dunbavin was at full stretch again on the half hour mark, backpedalling to touch a Ryan Gilligan chip over the bar, Andy Holt heading the resulting corner wide.

Visiting skipper Andrew Procter was booked on 37 minutes, the Stanley man cautioned for going through the back of Abdul Osman.

Jacobs curled just wide of the post after good build up work from McKay and Steve Guinan in the final action of the opening forty five minutes.

Charlie Barnett was booked for being very late on Osman on 54 minutes, while the Cobblers first change came on 61 minutes, Kevin Thornton for Jacobs. Stanley responded with a double substitution, Chris Turner and Andy Parkinson on for Ray Putterill and Sean McConville.

Ryan Gilligan's drive was blocked in a scramble that ensued following a 66th minute Thornton corner, before a neat 74th minute move involving Gilligan and Thornton ended with the former squaring the ball to McKay but he was denied by Dunbavin from close range.

Tadhg Purcell replaced Guinan on 75 minutes, while the final change was Courtney Herbert on for McKay. The final change of the game came from Accrington, Luke Joyce on for Barnett.

Herbert was played clear down the left by Marcus Hall on 89 minutes, but a covering defender cleared the danger in what was to be the last action of the opening home league fixture of the season.

COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (3) 8
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (6) 6
CORNERS: (5) 7
FOULS: (3) 6
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (3) 3

ACCRINGTON MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (3) 4
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (2) 3
CORNERS: (3) 4
FOULS: (7) 13
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (0) 0

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