SKY BET LEAGUE 2      
Saturday August 20th, 3.00pm      
Mornflake Stadium

CREWE ALEXANDRA 2
Courtney Baker-Richardson 26, 41

NORTHAMPTON TOWN 2
Sam Hoskins 43, 90

Attendance: not announced

Crewe: Arthur Okonkwo, Kelvin Mellor, Zac Williams, Rod McDonald, Luke Offord, Conor Thomas, Courtney Baker-Richardson, Callum Ainley (sub Billy Sass-Davies 80), Dan Agyei, Lachlan Brook (sub Khanya Leshabela 55), Tariq Uwakwe
Subs not used: David Richards, Regan Griffiths, Oli Finney, Charlie Finney, Joel Tabiner
 
Cobblers: Lee Burge, Harvey Lintott, Tyler Magloire, Jon Guthrie, Ali Koiki (sub Ryan Haynes 85), Sam Hoskins, Shaun McWilliams (sub Ben Fox 85), Marc Leonard, Mitch Pinnock, Kieron Bowie, Danny Hylton (sub Louis Appere 64)
Subs not used: Jonny Maxted, Max Dyche, Akin Odimayo, Liam Cross

Referee: David Webb

Booked:
Crewe: Kelvin Mellor (63), Dan Agyei (90)
Cobblers: Sam Hoskins (41, 2nd of the season), Shaun McWilliams (83, 2nd), Lee Burge (90, 1st)

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:
Crewe: 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 Hylton and Kieron Bowie came into the Cobblers side for the trip to Crewe with boss Jon Brady making two changes to the side that started in midweek. Louis Appere and Ben Fox dropped to the bench where they were joined by Akin Odimayo on his return from a hamstring injury. Josh Eppiah, who re-joined the club on-loan from Leicester City on Friday, was not registered in time to feature.

Former Cobblers defender Rod McDonald started for Crewe who like the Cobblers had started the season well with three wins from their opening four games.

On a blustery afternoon the in-form Sam Hoskins went close to an early goal with a volley from the edge of the area while Lee Burge saved a deflected shot from Lachlan Brook.

It was proving to be a tight first half but on 26 minutes Crewe made the breakthrough, Courtney Baker-Richardson finding the top corner with a strike from 35-yards. The Cobblers players weren’t happy with the goal, protesting that there had been a foul in the build-up.

Baker-Richardson doubled the home side’s lead on 41 minutes but within 90 seconds the Cobblers were back to 2-1, Sam Hoskins sixth goal of the season a close range finish after some good work down the right by Bowie.

Mitch Pinnock then went agonisingly close to making it 2-2 before half-time but his drilled shot was deflected just wide.

Arthur Okonkwo saved a bullet header from Tyler Magloire and Jon Guthrie poked a shot just wide from a Hoskins free kick as the Cobblers looked to level things up in the second half, Bowie also going close after firing a shot off from range and Hoskins having an effort blocked following a scramble in the box.

The game looked set to end in a Crewe victory but deep, deep into six minutes of stoppage time the Cobblers equalised, Sam Hoskins scoring direct from a corner to snatch a point for Jon Brady’s side who maintained their unbeaten start to the league season.

CREWE MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)     
SHOTS ON TARGET: (3) 3
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (1) 1
CORNERS: (4) 5       
FOULS: (4) 7       
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (1) 1

COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)      
SHOTS ON TARGET: (3) 7
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (3) 4
CORNERS: (3) 9
FOULS: (3) 7
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (1) 3