SKY BET LEAGUE 2      
Saturday August 6th, 3.00pm
Blundell Park

GRIMSBY TOWN 1
Jordan Maguire-Drew 88

NORTHAMPTON TOWN 1
Sam Hoskins 74

Attendance: 7,154 (495 Cobblers fans)

Grimsby: Max Crocombe, Michee Efete, Luke Waterfall, Andy Smith, Anthony Glennon, Brendan Kiernan, Harry Clifton (sub Jordan Maguire-Drew 86), Kieran Green (sub Stephen Wearne 75), Gavan Holohan, Bryn Morris, Ryan Taylor.
Subs not used: Ollie Battersby, Danny Amos, Shaun Pearson, Jordan Cropper, Evan Khouri.

Cobblers: Lee Burge, Tyler Magloire, Jack Sowerby, Jon Gurthrie, Sam Sherring, Sam Hoskins, Louis Appéré (sub Kieron Bowie 46), Danny Hylton (sub Ryan Haynes 67), Mitch Pinnock (sub Marc Leonard 84), Ali Koiki, Shaun McWilliams.
Subs not used: Ben Fox, Harvey Lintott, Jonny Maxted, Max Dyche.

Referee: Thomas Parsons

Booked:
Grimsby: none
Cobblers: Ryan Haynes (90, 1st of the season)

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:
Grimsby: 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.

Northampton Town’s first away trip of the new season was to Grimsby Town, back in the EFL after winning promotion from the National League via the play-offs.

Jon Brady named an unchanged starting XI with on-loan Fulham striker Kieron Bowie and former Mariners midfielder Ben Fox both named on the bench after missing the opening day win over Colchester through injury. Bryn Morris, who spent the second half of the 2020/21 season on-loan at the Cobblers from Portsmouth, started for Grimsby.

There was a raucous atmosphere at a packed out Blundell Park as the game got underway but it took ten minutes for the first real chance of the afternoon, Gavan Holohan with a low strike just wide.

Sam Hoskins had a shot blocked and Tyler Magloire saw his deflected effort saved by Max Crocombe in a first half where Mitch Pinnock came closest to breaking the deadlock from a cleverly worked free kick with his shot on the turn saved by Crocombe.

Kieron Bowie came on for the second half to make his competitive debut for the Cobblers, replacing Louis Appere.

Lee Burge pulled off a fine save as Brendan Kiernan took aim from distance in a spell of pressure from the home side before Hoskins had a shot blocked at close range after linking up nicely with half-time substitute Bowie.

Ryan Haynes, who scored the late winner against Colchester on the opening day of the season, came on for Danny Hylton in the Cobblers second change with Hoskins moving up front.

Burge saved an Andy Smith header from a Anthony Glennon free kick but moments later the Cobblers were in front, Sam Hoskins finishing into the bottom corner after being played through superbly by Bowie.

Grimsby responded with Burge saving from Holohan, Stephen Wearne and Harry Clifton, Jon Guthrie and Bowie also making important blocks to preserve the Cobblers lead.

The home side weren’t to be denied though and the Mariners were back on level terms on 88 minutes, substitute Jordan Maguire-Drew finishing from close range after a good initial save from Burge.

Bowie was denied by a good save from Crocombe at his near post and Cobblers substitute Marc Leonard headed off the line deep in stoppage time as both sides went for the win but in the end it was a point apiece with the game finishing 1-1.

GRIMSBY MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)     
SHOTS ON TARGET: (0) 7
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (3) 5
CORNERS: (2) 5       
FOULS: (10) 16       
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (2) 3

COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)      
SHOTS ON TARGET: (1)  4
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (0) 0
CORNERS: (0) 1
FOULS: (8) 16
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (0) 0