NPOWER LEAGUE TWO
Saturday August 21st, 3pm
Gigg Lane

BURY 1
David Worrall 69

NORTHAMPTON TOWN 1
Steve Guinan 32 pen

Attendance: 2,845 (240 Cobblers fans)

Bury: Cameron Belford, Phil Picken, Joe Skarz, Tom Lees, Peter Sweeney, Steven Schumacher, Andy Bishop (sub Lenell John-Lewis 64), Andy Haworth, Michael Jones (sub David Worrall 64), Ryan Lowe, Efe Sodje (sub Ben Futcher 85). Subs not used: Danny Carlton, Kyle Bennett, Damien Mozika, Richie Branagan.

Cobblers: Oscar Jansson, Paul Rodgers (sub Kevin Thornton 85), Dean Beckwith, Andy Holt, Marcus Hall, Ryan Gilligan, Abdul Osman, Nathaniel Wedderburn, Michael Jacobs (sub Tadhg Purcell 62), Steve Guinan (sub Seb Harris 77), Billy McKay. Subs not used: Paul Walker, John Johnson, Charlie Death, Alex Konstantinou.

Referee: Mr A Bates

Booked:
Bury: none
Cobblers: Ryan Gilligan (71, 2nd of the season)

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:
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.

Northampton Town travelled to Bury for their latest npower League 2 fixture. Ian Sampson made a change to his team, with John Johnson, who had been suffering from a bad back, replaced by Paul Rodgers. Courtney Herbert, who was ill, did not travel, and his place on the bench went to 17 year old defender Charlie Death. Injury still ruled out Chris Dunn, Craig Hinton and Liam Davis.

The home side began the game by putting the Cobblers under pressure, but a rising shot from Andy Bishop that went over the bar was the closest they came in the opening ten minutes. After a dozen minutes had been played, Ryan Lowe tested Oscar Jansson with a drive that was held by the on loan keeper.

The first effort from the Cobblers came on twenty minutes. Billy McKay reacted quickest after Shakers keeper Cameron Belford had kept a header back in play, and McKay's cross was volleyed towards goal by strike partner Steve Guinan, but his effort hit the stanchion behind the goal.

The Cobblers were even closer on 23 minutes. A move inspired by Ryan Gilligan saw the midfielder thread a ball through to Guinan, finding the striker one on one with Belford, but the keeper made a fine save from close range to block Guinan's well struck shot.

Michael Jones fired wide from 20 yards for the home side, before the Cobblers were awarded a penalty just after the half hour. Steve Guinan latched on to Dean Beckwith's long through ball and was pushed over in the corner of the box by Joe Skarz, the referee pointing to the spot on advice from his assistant. Guinan scored with an emphatic finish from 12 yards.

Jansson was smartly off his line to deny Lowe on 35 minutes to preserve the Cobblers lead at the interval.

Andy Bishop missed a good chance for Bury on 57 minutes. Ryan Lowe provided a cross from the right that Bishop met with his head, but he could not direct his effort on target.

The first substitution of the game came from the Cobblers, with Tadhg Purcell introduced for Michael Jacobs. The substitute was involved in the action straight away, heading a deep Gilligan cross back for Andy Holt to volley over the bar.

David Worrall and Lenell John-Lewis replaced Michael Jones and Bishop for the Shakers, and a few minutes later they were level. Ryan Lowe rounded Jansson and somehow managed to hit the post from 8 yards, but the rebound fell kindly to substitute Worrall who made no mistake.

Ryan Gilligan was booked for delaying a free kick, before Peter Sweeney was fortunate to escape any form of punishment for kicking Wedderburn off the ball behind the referee.

Seb Harris replaced Guinan who had left the field with a head injury, while further changes were made on 85 minutes. For Bury, Ben Futcher came on for Efe Sodje, while for the Cobblers, Kevin Thornton was introduced for Rodgers.

Neither side could conjure up a winner in the final stages, and the two teams - as they had done on the final day of last season - shared the points in a 1-1 draw.

BURY MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (2) 3
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (3) 9
CORNERS: (0) 3
FOULS: (7) 10
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (3) 7

COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (2) 3
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (3) 4
CORNERS: (0) 2
FOULS: (4) 10
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (2) 3

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