SKY BET LEAGUE 2      
Tuesday February 8th, 7.45pm      
Sixfields

NORTHAMPTON TOWN 1
Fraser Horsfall 82

NEWPORT COUNTY 0

Attendance: 4,255 (228 away supporters)

Cobblers: Liam Roberts, Tyler Magloire, Fraser Horsfall, Jon Guthrie, Ali Koiki (sub Joseph Mills 87), Paul Lewis, Shaun McWilliams, Sam Hoskins (sub Josh Eppiah 80), Beryly Lubala (sub Idris Kanu 59), Mitch Pinnock, Louis Appere
Subs not used: Jonny Maxted, Michael Harriman, Danny Rose, Scott Pollock
 
Newport: Nick Townsend, Cameron Norman, Ryan Haynes, Josh Pask, Robbie Willmott (sub Robert Street 84), Courtney Baker-Richardson, Scot Bennett, Finn Azaz, Dominic Telford, Jake Cain (sub Oliver Cooper 63), Mickey Demetriou
Subs not used: Joe Day, James Clarke, Matthew Dolan, Aaron Lewis, James Waite

Referee: Benjamin Speedie

Booked:
Cobblers: Mitch Pinnock (25, 3rd of the season), Tyler Magloire (78, 1st), Jon Brady (78)
Newport: Oliver Cooper (68), Cameron Norman (73)

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

Sent off:
Cobblers: none      
Newport: 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.

Beryly Lubala and Paul Lewis replaced Aaron McGowan (hamstring) and Jack Sowerby (knee) for the visit of Newport County who went into the game at Sixfields fifth in Sky Bet League 2, one place and one point behind the Cobblers. Lubala was making his first start for the club since joining on-loan from Blackpool while Louis Appere made his home debut, fresh from scoring the winner at Walsall. Sam Hoskins started at right-wing back with Jon Brady sticking with three centre-halves.

Fraser Horsfall flicked a header wide from a Mitch Pinnock long throw while Liam Roberts pulled off a terrific save from an acute angle in a fairly cagey opening fifteen minutes.

Roberts made another good save at his near post to keep out a sharp volley from League 2’s top goalscorer Dominic Telford before an important interception from Exiles defender Cameron Norman denied Ali Koiki a clear strike on goal.

A goal line clearance from Scot Bennett prevented Hoskins putting the Cobblers in front but there was to be no breakthrough for either side as a keenly fought first 45 minutes ended goalless.

Appere fired over in a strong start to the second half from the Cobblers but with just under an hour played and the game still deadlocked at 0-0 Jon Brady made his first change of the night with Idris Kanu coming on for Lubala.

Telford had a chance to add to his 20 league goals when he was sent through one-on-one only for Roberts to pull off another terrific save to keep the scores level. Koiki then had a chance to open the scoring but after doing superbly to get on the end of a Pinnock cross his volley from inside the six-yard box was off-target.

The Cobblers took the lead on 82 minutes and it came from another pin-point Pinnock delivery, Fraser Horsfall forcing home from a corner.

Newport mounted an immediate response to falling behind and it needed another superb save from Roberts who tipped over a header from Courtney Baker-Richardson to preserve the Cobblers lead.

Substitute Josh Eppiah couldn’t quite find a finish to match his storming run before Joseph Mills returned to action, coming on for the closing stages in place of Koiki.

Ryan Haynes had a header saved by Roberts in stoppage time but that proved to be the last chance for Newport as the Cobblers claimed all three points.

COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)     
SHOTS ON TARGET: (1) 4
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (2) 6 
CORNERS: (3) 6          
FOULS: (4) 7       
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (0) 0

NEWPORT MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)      
SHOTS ON TARGET: (5) 10
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (2) 2
CORNERS: (3) 4
FOULS: (5) 13
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (0) 1

GOLDEN GOAL PEEL & REVEAL TIME: 81:58