SKY BET LEAGUE 1
Tuesday September 19th, 7.45pm
DW Stadium

WIGAN ATHLETIC 1
Michael Jacobs 56

NORTHAMPTON TOWN 0

Attendance: 7,777 (292 Cobblers fans)

Wigan: Jamie Jones, Nathan Byrne, Sam Morsy, Lee Evans, Will Grigg (sub Ivan Toney 74), Gavin Massey (sub Ryan Colclough 75), Michael Jacobs, Gary Roberts (sub Max Power 84), Chey Dunkley, Reece James, Dan Burn
Subs not used: Matija Sarkic, Callum Elder, David Perkins, Alex Bruce

Cobblers: Matt Ingram, Brendan Moloney, David Buchanan, Ash Taylor, Leon Barnett, Regan Poole, Yaser Kasim (sub Chris Long 62), Matt Grimes, Daniel Powell, Marc Richards (sub Alex Revell 68), Raheem Hanley (sub Dean Bowditch 75)
Subs not used: David Cornell, Aaron Pierre, Sam Foley, Billy Waters

Referee: Mr Anthony Backhouse

Booked:
Wigan: Sam Morsy (43), Michael Jacobs (57)
Cobblers: Dean Bowditch (78, 1st of the season)

5 cautions on or before 19 games; 1 match suspension
10 cautions on or before 32 games; 2 match suspension       
15 cautions at any time in season; 3 match suspension

Sent off:
Wigan: 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.

The Cobblers busy run of games in September continued with a midweek trip to one of the pre-season promotion favourites, Wigan Athletic.

With Matt Crooks serving a one-match ban and John-Joe O’Toole (groin), Aaron Phillips (thigh), Shaun McWilliams (foot), George Smith (hip) and Sam Hoskins (knee) all still unavailable boss Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink made three changes to the side, Marc Richards, Regan Poole and Raheem Hanley replacing Crooks, Alex Revell and Chris Long. Sam Foley was named on the bench after recovering from an ankle injury picked up in pre-season. Former Cobblers midfielder Michael Jacobs started for the Latics while Ivan Toney was among the home side’s substitutes.

Gavin Massey dragged an early shot wide for Wigan who started the game well, Will Grigg also seeing a goal correctly chalked off for off-side. Matt Grimes had a shot saved by Jamie Jones in the Cobblers first effort on goal.

The Cobblers were managing the game well and the first half ended goalless.

Wigan took the lead on 56 minutes through Michael Jacobs, a superb 25-yard strike from the former Cobbler to beat Matt Ingram.

Ingram made a good stop to keep out another long-range effort from Lee Evans before Hasselbaink made a change, Chris Long coming on for Yaser Kasim.

Revell replaced Richards before the Cobblers were somehow denied an equaliser, Jones making a fine save to deny a powerful Leon Barnett effort from close range.

The referee turned down the Cobblers appeals for a penalty when the ball seemingly struck the hand of a Wigan player inside the area on 85 minutes and although the Cobblers pressed hard for an equaliser in the closing stages it was Wigan who claimed the three points to move up to second in the table.

WIGAN MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (0) 4 
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (1) 5
CORNERS: (4) 8
FOULS: (6) 10 
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (3) 4

COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (0) 1
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (1) 4
CORNERS: (1) 3
FOULS: (8) 19
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (0) 0