SKY BET LEAGUE 1      
Tuesday December 15th , 7.45pm      
Kassam Stadium

OXFORD UNITED 4
Matty Taylor 49, 88
Olamide Shodipo 65
Dan Agyei 90

NORTHAMPTON TOWN 0

Attendance: 2,000

Oxford: Jack Stevens, Josh Ruffels, Elliott Moore, Alex Gorrin, Matty Taylor, Sam Long, John Mousinho (sub Sean Clare 46), James Henry (sub Rob Hall 90), Marcus McGuane (sub Dan Agyei 86), Olamide Shodipo (sub Jordan Obita 86), Liam Kelly (sub Jamie Hanson 76)
Subs not used: Simon Eastwood, Anthony Forde
 
Cobblers: Steve Arnold, Michael Harriman, Max Dyche, Fraser Horsfall, Jack Sowerby (sub Christopher Missilou 69), Ryan Watson, Sam Hoskins, Chris Lines (sub Nicky Adams 61), Ricky Holmes, Danny Rose (sub Caleb Chukwuemeka 55), Harry Smith
Subs not used: Jonathan Mitchell, Benny Ashley-Seal, Mark Marshall, Ricky Korboa

Referee: Declan Bourne

Booked:
Oxford: Liam Kelly (72), Matty Taylor (90)
Cobblers: Ricky Holmes (44, 1st of the season)

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:
Oxford: 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.

Max Dyche made his first senior start for Northampton Town as boss Keith Curle made four changes for the midweek trip to Oxford United. Danny Rose, Ryan Watson and Chris Lines also came into the side with a number of players unavailable for selection due to injury and suspension in the case of Cian Bolger, Joe Martin and Shaun McWilliams. Dyche partnered Fraser Horsfall in central defence as Sam Hoskins filled in at right-back.

As part of the Justice for Harry campaign, both sets of players wore green armbands to remember Northampton Town season ticket holder Harry Dunn who lived halfway between the two clubs.

Jack Sowerby had an early shot blocked while Matty Taylor headed wide for Oxford in the opening exchanges.

A Josh Ruffels shot against the outside of the post on 36 minutes was the closest either side came to breaking the deadlock in a cagey first half.

Oxford upped the tempo at the start of the second half and took the lead when a looping cross in from half-time substitute Sean Clare was headed home by Matty Taylor at the far post.

Some good defending from Dyche prevented Taylor doubling his tally as Oxford sensed a quick second goal before Caleb Chukwuemeka replaced Danny Rose in the Cobblers' first change.

Chukwuemeka almost made an immediate impact but the young striker couldn’t keep his shot down inside the area.

It was a difficult chance but not long after that Oxford doubled their lead on the counter-attack, Olamide Shodipo finding the bottom corner via a deflection.

Horsfall headed wide from a Nicky Adams corner as the Cobblers looked to pull a goal back but their recent injury woes were further compounded when Sowerby was forced off with just over twenty minutes to play.

Matty Taylor headed in from close range as Oxford made it 3-0 with the 90 minutes nearly up, Dan Agyei having just come on providing the assist.

Dan Agyei then added a fourth himself in injury time, his curled finish into the top corner completing the scoring.

OXFORD MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)     
SHOTS ON TARGET: (0) 9
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (3) 8
CORNERS: (5) 7       
FOULS: (9) 13       
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (0) 0

COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)      
SHOTS ON TARGET: (1) 2
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (0) 2
CORNERS: (0) 2
FOULS: (11) 19
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (0) 2