SKY BET LEAGUE 2      
Saturday April 9th, 3.00pm      
Sixfields

NORTHAMPTON TOWN 0

BRADFORD CITY 0

Attendance: 5,548 (557 away supporters)

Cobblers: Liam Roberts, Aaron McGowan, Fraser Horsfall, Jon Guthrie, Joseph Mills (sub Ali Koiki 73), Jack Sowerby, Scott Pollock, Mitch Pinnock, Sam Hoskins, Josh Eppiah (sub Chanka Zimba 73), Louis Appere (sub Beryly Lubala 77)
Subs not used: Jonny Maxted, Michael Harriman, Danny Rose, Shaun McWilliams
 
Bradford: Alex Bass, Liam Ridehalgh, Paudie O’Connor, Yann Songo’o, Andy Cook (sub Lee Angol 63), Jamie Walker, Alex Gilliead (sub Callum Cooke 81), Gareth Evans (sub Charles Vernam 62), Elliot Watt, Luke Hendrie, Dion Pereira
Subs not used: Richard O’Donnell, Matthew Foulds, Fiacre Kelleher, Caolan Lavery

Referee: David Rock

Booked:
Cobblers: Beryly Lubala (90, 4th of the season)
Bradford: Luke Hendrie (90)

 
15 cautions at any time in season; 3 match suspension

Sent off:
Cobblers: none      
Bradford: 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.

Scott Pollock made his first league start of the season and Josh Eppiah also came into the side as boss Jon Brady, without the suspended Paul Lewis, made two changes for the visit of Bradford City. Ali Koiki (hamstring) and Shaun McWilliams (knee) were named on the bench after recovering from injury.

Louis Appere dragged his shot just wide from an acute angle after being played through by Mitch Pinnock and Alex Bass saved a long-range effort from Sam Hoskins at the second attempt in a bright opening twenty minutes from the Cobblers.

Joseph Mills made a terrific tackle to deny Andy Cook a clear strike on goal in a rare foray forward from Bradford while Jon Guthrie headed over from a Pinnock free-kick and Pollock saw a volley well blocked at close range by Yann Songo’o as the Cobblers continued to make most of the running in the first half.

The Cobblers had strong penalty appeals for handball turned away before Bass was a full-stretch as Pinnock curled a strike just wide and Eppiah also went close after combining well with Appere but the game remained goalless going in at half-time.

Appere was through one-on-one with Bass at the start of the second half but his shot was comfortably saved by the Bantams keeper. The Cobblers were knocking on the door and Hoskins hit the cross bar from close range after Appere was denied by a block on the goal-line.

Chanka Zimba replaced Eppiah in the Cobblers first change with Koiki on for Mills. Beryly Lubala then came on for Appere soon after.

Aaron McGowan and Jack Sowerby both fired over from range and Hoskins was denied by a good save from Bass as the Cobblers pressed for a late winner.

There was a moment of danger for the Cobblers when Bradford substitute Lee Angol headed wide and Liam Roberts made a terrific save to tip a shot from another substitute, Callum Cooke, onto the cross bar as the game entered stoppage time.

Neither side could make the breakthrough though and the points were shared with Fraser Horsfall heading over from a Pinnock free-kick in the last chance of the afternoon for the Cobblers.


COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)     
SHOTS ON TARGET: (3) 6
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (5) 9
CORNERS: (6) 6         
FOULS: (9) 16        
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (1) 1

BRADFORD MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)      
SHOTS ON TARGET: (0) 2
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (1) 6
CORNERS: (0) 1
FOULS: (5) 13
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (4) 6

GOLDEN GOAL PEEL & REVEAL TIME: NOGOL