SKY BET LEAGUE 2      
Monday April 18th, 3.00pm      
Sixfields

NORTHAMPTON TOWN 3
Sam Hoskins 28, 63
Louis Appere 59

HARROGATE TOWN 0

Attendance: 5,168 (93 away supporters)

Cobblers: Liam Roberts, Aaron McGowan, Fraser Horsfall, Jon Guthrie, Ali Koiki (sub Joseph Mills 86), Jack Sowerby, Shaun McWilliams, Mitch Pinnock, Sam Hoskins (sub Scott Pollock 86), Josh Eppiah (sub Chanka Zimba 77), Louis Appere
Subs not used: Jonny Maxted, Michael Harriman, Danny Rose, Idris Kanu
 
Harrogate: Joe Cracknell, Will Smith (sub Leon Legge 22), Warren Burrell, George Thomson, Nathan Sheron, Jack Muldoon (sub Aaron Martin 76), Josh Austerfield, Jack Diamond, Rory McArdle, Luke Armstrong, Simon Power
Subs not used: Mark Beck, Emmanuel Ilesanmi, Finn O’Boyle, Harvey Giles

Referee: Robert Lewis

Booked:
Cobblers: none 
Harrogate: Josh Austerfield (44), Warren Burrell (90)

15 cautions at any time in season; 3 match suspension

Sent off:
Cobblers: none      
Harrogate: 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.

Jon Brady named an unchanged side for the visit of Harrogate Town on Easter Monday.

The Cobblers, looking to make it back-to-back wins over the Easter weekend, went close early on when Fraser Horsfall headed Sam Hoskins corner on to the cross bar.

Harrogate were forced into a change midway through the first half with the experienced Leon Legge coming on for the injured Will Smith.

Sam Hoskins broke the deadlock on 28 minutes, his calm finish from Louis Appere’s lay-off capping off a fine move involving Ali Koiki and Josh Eppiah.

Having scored his tenth goal of the season and his 50th for the club, Hoskins then made a good block along with Jon Guthrie to deny Luke Armstrong a clear strike on goal.

Appere had a chance to double the Cobblers lead late in the first half but his snap volley from Aaron McGowan’s nod down went over the bar.

Joe Cracknell saved from Appere at the start of the second half but the Harrogate keeper couldn’t prevent the striker getting on the scoresheet just before the hour-mark, Appere with a composed finish after capitalising on a defensive error and rounding Cracknell.

The Cobblers looked hungry for more goals and Hoskins soon made it 3-0 after latching onto a perfect through-ball from fellow goalscorer Appere.

A drone in the sky over Sixfields caused a temporary pause in play but it didn’t disrupt the Cobblers flow and it needed a good block from George Thomson to deny Mitch Pinnock.

Liam Roberts made a smart save from Josh Austerfield to preserve another clean sheet as the Cobblers put themselves firmly back in the hunt for automatic promotion.


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

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

GOLDEN GOAL PEEL & REVEAL TIMES: 27:28, 58:06, 62:18