SKY BET LEAGUE 1      
Tuesday December 1st, 7.45pm      
PTS Academy Stadium

NORTHAMPTON TOWN 1
Cian Bolger 47

FLEETWOOD TOWN 0

Cobblers: Steve Arnold, Michael Harriman, Fraser Horsfall, Cian Bolger, Alan Sheehan, Shaun McWilliams, Jack Sowerby, Sam Hoskins, Nicky Adams (sub Christopher Missilou 76), Benny Ashley-Seal (sub Mark Marshall 68), Harry Smith (sub Danny Rose 82)
Subs not used: Jonathan Mitchell, Ryan Watson, Ricky Holmes, Chris Lines
 
Fleetwood: Jayson Leutwiler, Tom Edwards (sub Wes Burns 75), Danny Andrew, Callum Connolly (sub Jordan Rossiter 85), Glenn Whelan, Ched Evans, Callum Camps (sub Mark Duffy 75), Charlie Mulgrew, Paul Coutts (sub Barrie McKay 68), Paddy Madden, Sam Finley (sub Josh Morris 84)
Subs not used: Alex Cairns, James Hill

Referee: Trevor Kettle 

Booked:
Cobblers: Jack Sowerby (13, 4th of the season), Shaun McWilliams (43, 1st), Michael Harriman (60, 2nd), Steve Arnold (90, 1st)
Fleetwood: Paul Coutts (8), Callum Camps (35), Glenn Whelan (66)

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:
Cobblers: none      
Fleetwood: 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.

There was a change in goal as Steve Arnold replaced Jonathan Mitchell for the midweek visit of Fleetwood Town, who went into the game on the fringes of the play-offs. Nicky Adams and Benny Ashley-Seal also came into the Cobblers side with boss Keith Curle switching formation to 4-4-2.

The Cobblers appealed for an early penalty when Fraser Horsfall went down in the area while trying to get on the end of an enticing cross from Sam Hoskins but referee Trevor Kettle was unmoved.

Callum Camps volleyed just wide from the edge of the area and Sam Finley saw a shot deflected behind for a corner as Fleetwood started to grow into the contest, Ched Evans also posing a threat and finding the side netting via a deflection.

Evans went close again before half-time when he curled a free-kick which looked destined for the bottom corner until Arnold pulled off a fine save.

The deadlock was broken early in the second half and it was the Cobblers who took the lead through Cian Bolger, the centre-half scoring against his former club as he headed home from a Nicky Adams corner.

Bolger was involved again from another Adams corner, appealing for a penalty after going down under a challenge but as was the case earlier in the evening the referee wasn’t convinced.

Mark Marshall replaced Ashley-Seal midway through the second half in Keith Curle’s first change with Barrie McKay on for Fleetwood. Wes Burns and Mark Duffy also came on for the visitors who were enjoying a concerted spell of pressure with around fifteen minutes to play, Alan Sheehan and Bolger both making important interceptions to snuff out Fleetwood forays into the Cobblers area.

Finley was a whisker wide from the edge of the area before a chance for the Cobblers at the other end, Marshall feeding fellow substitute Danny Rose who was denied by Jayson Leutwiler.

Sheehan made another important block as Fleetwood continued to press for a late equaliser but the Cobblers defended heroically, seeing out five minutes of stoppage time to claim the victory.

COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)     
SHOTS ON TARGET: (1) 3
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (1) 2
CORNERS: (0) 4         
FOULS: (9) 13       
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (0) 2

FLEETWOOD MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)      
SHOTS ON TARGET: (3) 5
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (4) 5
CORNERS: (4) 4
FOULS: (5) 9
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (0) 1