SKY BET LEAGUE 2      
Saturday February 12th, 3.00pm      
Vale Park

PORT VALE 0

NORTHAMPTON TOWN 0

Attendance: 5,979 (587 Cobblers fans)

Port Vale: Tomas Holy, Brad Walker (sub Harry Charlsey 60), Connor Hall, Nathan Smith, David Worrall, Ben Garrity, James Wilson (sub Kian Harratt 78), Chris Hussey, Aaron Martin, Tom Pett, Ryan Edmondson (sub Jamie Proctor 57)
Subs not used: Aidan Stone, Dan Jones, Joel Cooper, David Amoo
 
Cobblers: Liam Roberts, Tyler Magloire, Fraser Horsfall, Jon Guthrie, Ali Koiki (sub Joseph Mills 83), Paul Lewis, Shaun McWilliams, Sam Hoskins, Danny Rose (sub Michael Harriman 86), Mitch Pinnock, Louis Appere (sub Beryly Lubala 61)
Subs not used: Jonny Maxted, Scott Pollock, Peter Abimbola, Benny Ashley-Seal

Referee: Alan Young

Booked:
Port Vale: Aaron Martin (65)
Cobblers: Paul Lewis (52, 6th of the season), Shaun McWilliams (63, 10th), Beryly Lubala (82, 1st)

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

Sent off:
Port Vale: 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.

Danny Rose replaced Beryly Lubala in the only change made by Jon Brady for the trip to Port Vale. The game came too soon for Aaron McGowan (hamstring) and Jack Sowerby (knee) who were joined on the sidelines by Idris Kanu and Josh Eppiah. Kanu fractured his jaw in the win at Walsall while Eppiah missed out with a calf niggle. Ryan Edmondson, who had a loan spell at Sixfields in 2020/21, started up front for Vale.

The Cobblers started brightly, looking comfortable on the ball and quietening the home crowd. Paul Lewis drew the first save of the afternoon from Tomas Holy with the Vale keeper turning his shot behind after a neat bit of build up play involving Shaun McWilliams, Danny Rose and Louis Appere.

Vale, who went into the game just outside the play-off places, enjoyed a period of pressure before half-time without seriously testing Liam Roberts and a tight first half ended goalless.

A good ball in from Ali Koiki early in the second half almost saw the Cobblers take the lead when under pressure from Rose the ball was turned behind for what looked like a corner although the referee disagreed.

Mitch Pinnock, on the stretch, couldn’t quite connect with a whipped ball in from Rose as the Cobblers again went close before Bez Lubala came on for Appere.

With the game becoming a bit more fractious McWilliams picked up a booking before a chance for Vale saw Ben Garrity scuff his shot wide from the edge of the area.

Lubala shot wide from distance while Vale substitute Jamie Proctor had an effort comfortably saved by Roberts, the game still finely balanced with just over ten minutes to play.

Joseph Mills and Michael Harriman both came on for the closing stages which the Cobblers saw out to claim a creditable point and a third consecutive clean sheet.

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

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