SKY BET LEAGUE 2      
Saturday August 10th, 3.00pm      
Vale Park

PORT VALE 1
David Amoo 26

NORTHAMPTON TOWN 1
Ryan Watson 45

Attendance: 5,931 (500 Cobblers fans)

Port Vale: Scott Brown, James Gibbons. Adam Crookes, Luke Joyce, Leon Legge, David Worrall, Manny Oyeleke (sub Mark Cullen 71), Tom Pope, Tom Conlon, Nathan Smith, David Amoo
Subs not used: Kieran Kennedy, Cristian Montano, Callum Evans, Scott Burgess, Ritchie Bennett, Johnny Maddison
 
Cobblers: Steve Arnold (sub David Cornell 65), Reece Hall-Johnson, Charlie Goode, Scott Wharton, Joe Martin (sub Joe Bunney 65), Sam Hoskins, Ryan Watson, Chris Lines, Nicky Adams, Matt Warburton (sub Junior Morias 78), Harry Smith
Subs not used: Jordan Turnbull, Andy Williams, Scott Pollock, Shaun McWilliams

Referee: David Rock

Booked:
Port Vale: Luke Joyce (43)
Cobblers: Joe Martin (36, 1st of the season), Charlie Goode (45, 1st), Harry Smith (61, 1st), Joe Bunney (74, 1st), Sam Hoskins (90, 1st)

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:
Port Vale: 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.

Cobblers boss Keith Curle made two changes for Northampton Town’s first away game of the season. Steve Arnold replaced David Cornell in goal while Ryan Watson came in for the injured Alan McCormack.

On an unseasonably windy August afternoon in Staffordshire, it was former Cobblers loanee Manny Oyeleke who had the first opportunity of the game for the home side, firing wide from the edge of the area after 18 minutes.

Eight minutes later, Vale had the lead, David Amoo with a close range header from a corner and shortly afterwards James Gibbons went close, but his powerful shot was just wide of the near post.

The Cobblers gradually grew into the first half, and after Matt Warburton had found Sam Hoskins, the latter, on his 150th Northampton Town appearance, sent in a cross shot that keeper Scott Browne went down low to save.

Hoskins then saw his effort from a Harry Smith cross deflected over before the Cobblers levelled in first half stoppage time, Joe Martin’s corner was flicked on by Charlie Goode and Ryan Watson turned home a header at the far post.

There was still time for Steve Arnold to save a Tom Conlon free kick before the first half drew to a close.

Scott Wharton saw a 53rd minute header blocked on the line as a Chris Lines follow up shot was also blocked in early second half pressure for the Cobblers.

Keith Curle was forced in to a double change just after the hour mark when substitute keeper David Cornell replaced the injured Steve Arnold and Joe Bunney came on for Joe Martin who was on a yellow card.

Watson then saw a header blocked before Port Vale rattled the cross bar, Oyeleke turning a Pope header goalwards and against the woodwork.

Leon Legge headed wide from a David Worrall corner, while from another Worrall flag kick, Luke Joyce drove wide from the edge of the area.

Cornell went down low to save from Amoo during five minutes of stoppage time before Chris Lines made a terrific block from Tom Pope as the home side pressed. Cornell tipped the header from the resulting corner over the bar to ensure the points were shared.

PORT VALE MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)     
SHOTS ON TARGET: (2) 9
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (3) 6
CORNERS: (2) 7        
FOULS: (7) 10        
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (0) 1

COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)      
SHOTS ON TARGET: (3) 7 
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (1) 3
CORNERS: (5) 8
FOULS: (9) 20
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (0) 2