SKY BET LEAGUE 1
Saturday December 30th, 3.00pm
Fratton Park

PORTSMOUTH 3
Matty Kennedy 41
Oliver Hawkins 45, 49

NORTHAMPTON TOWN 1
Chris Long 36

Attendance: 18,539 (538 Cobblers fans)

Portsmouth: Luke McGee, Nathan Thompson, Cameron Burgess, Matt Clarke, Dion Donohue, Danny Rose (sub Adam May 29), Ben Close, Gareth Evans (sub Jamal Lowe 46), Brett Pitman (sub Conor Chaplin 89), Matty Kennedy, Oliver Hawkins
Subs not used: Alex Bass, Matt Casey, Kyle Bennett, Curtis Main

Cobblers: Matt Ingram, Brendan Moloney, David Buchanan, Ash Taylor, Regan Poole, Sam Hoskins (sub Daniel Powell 64), Matt Crooks, Matt Grimes, John-Joe O’Toole (sub Sam Foley 59), Lewis McGugan, Chris Long (sub Marc Richards 72)
Subs not used: David Cornell, Billy Waters, George Smith, Shaun McWilliams

Referee: Mr Lee Swabey

Booked:
Portsmouth: Brett Pitman (41), Matty Kennedy (90)
Cobblers: Lewis McGugan (45, 1st of the season)

10 cautions on or before 37 games; 2 match suspension       
15 cautions at any time in season; 3 match suspension

Sent off:
Portsmouth: none
Cobblers: none

Sendings off: 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.

Lewis McGugan, Sam Hoskins and Matt Crooks (back from suspension) all came into the Cobblers side for their final game of 2017. Sam Foley, Shaun McWilliams and Marc Richards dropped to the bench where they were joined by the fit again Daniel Powell.

Oliver Hawkins had the first chance of the afternoon for Portsmouth but a covering Regan Poole got back well to clear. A back peddling Luke McGee got back just in time to claim Sam Hoskins' lobbed effort after a good run from the Cobblers forward while the Pompey goalkeeper later parried a Matt Grimes shot from distance.

The home side were forced into making a change when an injury to Danny Rose meant Adam May replaced the former Cobblers midfielder just before the half hour mark.

Chris Long fired the Cobblers in front on 36 minutes, the on-loan Burnley striker with a fine finish after latching onto a pin-point throughball from McGugan.

The Cobblers lead didn’t last long though, Matty Kennedy’s cross shot into the bottom corner beating Ingram to level the scores.

A powerful header from the edge of the area from Oliver Hawkins put Portsmouth in front before half-time.

Hawkins made it 3-1 at the start of the second half, bundling in a cross at close range. It was then almost four when the crossbar denied Ben Close.

Ingram saved a header from Cameron Burgess before Sam Foley came on for John-Joe O’Toole. Pompey substitute Jamal Lowe shot wide while Kennedy saw an effort parried by Ingram as the home side continued to press for a fourth goal.

Daniel Powell replaced Hoskins before Crooks saw a shot saved by McGee. Long then made way for Marc Richards as Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink played his third and final card.

The game then petered out towards the end with the points already in the bag for Portsmouth although there was time for Daniel Powell to go close with a drive from distance. 

PORTSMOUTH MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (3) 9 
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (5) 12
CORNERS: (2) 3
FOULS: (2) 7
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (0) 0

COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (4) 6
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (0) 1
CORNERS: (0) 0
FOULS: (4) 12
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (1) 2