SKY BET LEAGUE 2      
Tuesday October 22nd, 7.45pm      
Brunton Park

CARLISLE UNITED 0

NORTHAMPTON TOWN2
Scott Pollock 51
Sam Hoskins 90

Attendance: 3,324 (176 Cobblers fans)

Carlisle: Adam Collin, Christie Elliott, Jon Mellish, Nathan Thomas (sub Olufela Olomola 80), Mike Jones (sub Harry McKirdy 71), Hallam Hope (sub Ryan Loft 63), Stefan Scougall, Gethin Jones, Byron Webster, Jack Bridge, Jarrad Branthwaite
Subs not used: Louis Gray, Nathaniel Knight-Percival, Mo Sagaf, Elias Sorensen
 
Cobblers: David Cornell, Michael Harriman (sub Harry Smith 46), Charlie Goode, Scott Wharton, Jordan Turnbull, Scott Pollock, Shaun McWilliams, Nicky Adams, Sam Hoskins, Billy Waters (sub Chris Lines 63), Andy Williams (sub Vadaine Oliver 72)
Subs not used: Andrew Fisher, Reece Hall-Johnson, Camron McWilliams, Paul Anderson

Referee: Scott Oldham

Booked:
Carlisle: none
Cobblers: Billy Waters (58, 2nd of the season), Shaun McWilliams (76, 3rd)

5 cautions on or before 19 games; 1 match suspension
10 cautions on or before 37 games; 2 match suspension       
15 cautions at any time in season; 3 match suspension

Sent off:
Carlisle: 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.

Alan McCormack was missing through illness as the Cobblers made the long midweek trek up to Carlisle United. Scott Pollock and Shaun McWilliams came into the midfield with Chris Lines dropping to the bench. Jack Bridge was one of three former Cobblers players in the Carlisle side with Byron Webster and Hallam Hope also included from the start. It was a first return to Brunton Park for Keith Curle who managed the Cumbrians between 2014 and 2018.

Nathan Thomas found the side netting with a speculative early effort for the hosts while Andy Williams went close with a snapshot from distance although the off-side flag was already up against the Cobblers front man. David Cornell made a good save to parry away a shot from Thomas with Hope unable to find the target with his header on the follow-up.

A fumble from Adam Collin nearly let in Williams for the opening goal but the Cumbrians keeper recovered just in time to snuff out the danger. Thomas looked a threat for the home side and Cornell was a full stretch to tip his shot around the post before the break.

Keith Curle shuffled his pack at half-time with Harry Smith introduced at the expense of Michael Harriman and it was the Cobblers who made the breakthrough on 51 minutes, Scott Pollock with a fine strike in off the cross bar for his first ever goal in professional football.

Collin could only parry a shot from Smith before Vadaine Oliver, on for Andy Williams, saw an overhead kick deflected behind. It was almost 2-0 from the subsequent corner, Collin unable to hold on to Charlie Goode’s header but no one could quite pick up the scraps.

Cumbrians substitute Harry McKirdy whistled a shot just wide before Collin was called into action again, saving from Oliver after a neat set-up from goalscorer Pollock.

Scott Wharton made an important clearance inside the six-yard box as the game entered stoppage time but there were to be no more nervy late moments for the Cobblers as Sam Hoskins sealed the three points with a drilled shot to double the Cobblers lead

CARLISLE MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)     
SHOTS ON TARGET: (5) 7
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (1) 3
CORNERS: (7) 10        
FOULS: (5)  8       
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (0) 0

COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)      
SHOTS ON TARGET: (0) 7 
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (0) 3 
CORNERS: (1) 5
FOULS: (7) 13
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (1) 1