CARLING CUP FIRST ROUND
Tuesday August 10th, 7.45pm
Sixfields

NORTHAMPTON TOWN 2
Michael Jacobs 13, Billy McKay 18

BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION 0

Attendance: 2,431 (537 away fans)

Cobblers: Oscar Jansson, John Johnson, Dean Beckwith, Andy Holt, Marcus Hall, Ryan Gilligan (sub Kevin Thornton 61), Abdul Osman, Nathaniel Wedderburn, Michael Jacobs, Steve Guinan (sub Tadhg Purcell 71), Billy McKay (sub Courtney Herbert 79). Subs not used: Paul Walker, Paul Rodgers, Seb Harris, Alex Konstantinou.

Brighton: Michael Poke, Andrew Whing, Tommy Elphick, Augustin Battipiedi, Adam El-Abd, Matt Sparrow, Cristian Baz (sub Elliott Bennett 46), Gary Hart, Gary Dicker, Chris Holroyd (sub Alan Navarro 46, sub Jamie Smith 56), Marcos Painter. Subs not used: Ashley Barnes, Mitch Walker, Steve Cook, Ryan Thomson

Referee: Mr C Pawson

Booked:
Cobblers: Ryan Gilligan (16, 1st of the season)
Brighton: Augustin Battipiedi (45), Tommy Elphick (53), Gary Dicker (70) 

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
Brighton: Matt Sparrow (35) 

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.

Ian Sampson made two changes to his Northampton Town side to face Brighton & Hove Albion in the Carling Cup at Sixfields. Michael Jacobs and Nathaniel Wedderburn, who was making his Cobblers debut, came in for Paul Rodgers and Liam Davis, the latter sidelined with an ankle injury.

The Cobblers took the lead in the 13th minute, and it was a goal from the man everyone is talking about, Michael Jacobs. He controlled a half cleared cross and made his way to the corner of the penalty area before sending in a shot that went through the body of former Cobblers loan keeper Michael Poke, the Brighton stopper seemingly put off by one of his central defenders moving towards the line of the ball.

Ryan Gilligan was booked for a foul on Adam El-Abd on 16 minutes, collecting the Cobblers first caution of the season. Moments later though, Gilligan was involved in action of a far more positive nature, intercepting a stray pass and delivering a superb deep cross from the right that was inch perfect for Billy McKay to head past Poke.

Those two teamed up again a minute or so later, another Gilligan cross and another McKay header, but this time the ball was inches wide with Poke again beaten.

Augustin Battipiedi tested Oscar Jansson with a header from a 23rd minute corner but the Cobblers keeper was in the right place to make the save.

The visitors were reduced to ten men on 35 minutes when Matt Sparrow was sent off for violent conduct for throwing an arm at Abdul Osman.

Cristian Baz drove powerfully at goal but Jansson made the save while Battipiedi was booked for a foul on Johnson in the centre circle in the final action of the first half.

Visiting manager Gus Poyet made a double change at half time with Alan Navarro and Elliott Bennett replacing Cristian Baz and Chris Holroyd.

A Michael Jacobs cross-shot dropped just beyond the far post as the Cobblers started the second half on the attack. Tommy Elphick was then fortunate to escape with just a yellow card for going through the back of Ryan Gilligan on the edge of the area, while Navarro, who had only just joined the action, had to leave the field on a stretcher after falling awkwardly having twice been turned inside out by Jacobs. Jamie Smith was his replacement.

The Cobblers continued to press, and Nathaniel Wedderburn's cross was headed just wide by Holt who had remained upfield after a corner, while Kevin Thornton made his seasonal bow as a substitute for Gilligan.

Gary Dicker was booked for a petulant kick on John Johnson, while the third goal the Cobblers deserved somehow didn't arrive when a Jacobs and Osman induced scramble was headed just wide from close range by Wedderburn.

The hard working Steve Guinan was replaced by Tadhg Purcell on 71 minutes, and the new arrival's first touch was to head a Jacobs corner just wide. The Cobblers final change was Courtney Herbert on for McKay.

Hall played Herbert through but he was denied by Poke in the closing stages, but the game was all but won for the Cobblers by now, and they claimed their place in the second round of the Carling Cup.

COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (2) 9
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (3) 10
CORNERS: (2) 7
FOULS: (8) 15
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (0) 2

BRIGHTON MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (2) 4
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (2) 5
CORNERS: (2) 4
FOULS: (7) 15
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.