SKY BET LEAGUE 2      
Tuesday October 23rd, 7.45pm      
Moss Rose

MACCLESFIELD TOWN 0

NORTHAMPTON TOWN 5
Matt Crooks 23, 33, 43
Daniel Powell 34
Aaron Pierre 90

Attendance: 1,570 (339 Cobblers fans)

Macclesfield: Rhys Taylor, Jared Hodgkiss, David Fitzpatrick, Keith Lowe, Jamie Grimes, Tyrone Marsh, Nathan Blissett (sub Harry Smith 46), Malachi Napa (sub Ben Stephens 46) Callum Maycock, Peter Vincenti (sub Scott Wilson 73), Michael Rose
Subs not used: Keiran O'Hara, Fiacre Kelleher, Miles Welch-Hayes, James Pearson
 
Cobblers: David Cornell, Shaun McWilliams, Jordan Turnbull, Aaron Pierre, David Buchanan, Matt Crooks (sub Billy Waters 56), Sam Foley (sub Jay Williams 72), John-Joe O’Toole, Jack Bridge, Daniel Powell (sub Kevin van Veen 63), Andy Williams
Subs not used: Lewis Ward, Sean Whaler, Sam Hoskins, Hakeem Odoffin  

Referee: Seb Stockbridge

Booked:
Macclesfield: Ben Stephens (49)  
Cobblers: none

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:
Macclesfield: 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.

Shaun McWilliams, Daniel Powell, Jack Bridge and Matt Crooks, back after serving a one-match ban, all came into the side as boss Keith Curle made four changes for the midweek trip to Macclesfield, the Cobblers boss also switching to a 4-4-2 formation.

John-Joe O’Toole headed just over from an early David Buchanan free-kick on a wet night in Cheshire. Sam Foley went close with a header and Aaron Pierre fired over from close range as the Cobblers tried to prise an opening.

The breakthrough wasn’t too far away and Matt Crooks curled in from the edge of the area after some good work by Jack Bridge. Crooks and Bridge combined again to find O’Toole but Macclesfield managed to clear the danger before Andy Williams was then denied by a superb save from Rhys Taylor.

Matt Crooks bundled the ball home from close range to double the lead and it wasn’t long before Daniel Powell made it 3-0 with a cool finish.

Crooks completed his hat-trick before half-time, beating the home side’s defence before curling an unstoppable shot into the far corner. Pierre then made a good clearance from under his own cross bar to ensure an incredible first 45 minutes ended 4-0 to the Cobblers.

Half-time substitute Ben Stephens went down in the area under pressure from McWilliams but the referee said no penalty and David Cornell saved comfortably from Michael Rose as Macclesfield looked to pull a goal back.

Hat-trick hero Crooks made way for Billy Waters in the Cobblers first change with fans from both teams applauding the midfielder off the field. Kevin van Veen then came on for Powell with Bridge having just gone close with a deflected effort.

The Cobblers looked hungry for more goals and Van Veen’s cross-shot was almost turned in by Sam Foley but a covering Macclesfield defender managed to put the ball behind before Academy graduate Jay Williams came on to make his league debut, replacing Foley for the final fifteen minutes.

There was no let up from Keith Curle’s side and Andy Williams saw a shot saved by Taylor while O’Toole volleyed narrowly over the bar from 20 yards. Van Veen nearly added a fifth in stoppage time but it was another goal for Aaron Pierre from the subsequent corner to add some extra gloss to the already impressive scoreline.

MACCLESFIELD MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)     
SHOTS ON TARGET: (1) 2 
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (1) 3
CORNERS: (2) 3           
FOULS: (4) 8        
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (1) 3 

COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)      
SHOTS ON TARGET: (7) 12 
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (5) 10 
CORNERS: (2) 8 
FOULS: (2) 8
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (0) 0