SKY BET LEAGUE 2     
Saturday December 3rd, 3.00pm
Sixfields

NORTHAMPTON TOWN 0

TRANMERE ROVERS 0

Attendance: 5,601 (363 away supporters)

Cobblers: Lee Burge, Aaron McGowan, Sam Sherring (sub Max Dyche 67), Jon Guthrie, Akin Odimayo, Ben Fox (sub Louis Appere 63), Jack Sowerby, Shaun McWilliams (sub Josh Eppiah 82), Mitch Pinnock (sub Marc Leonard 82), Sam Hoskins, Kieron Bowie (sub Danny Hylton 63)
Subs not used: Jonny Maxted, Ryan Haynes
 
Tranmere: Ross Doohan, Josh Dacres-Cogley, Ethan Bristow, Lee O’Connor, Tom Davies, Chris Merrie, Kieron Morris, Kane Hemmings, Josh Hawkes, Neill Byrne, Paul Lewis (sub Elliott Nevitt 53)
Subs not used: Rhys Hughes, Kyle Jameson, Mateusz Hewelt, Jake Burton, Sam Taylor

Referee: Will Finnie

Booked:
Cobblers: Shaun McWilliams (52)
Tranmere: Ethan Bristow (25), Kane Hemmings (70), Ross Doohan (79)

Sent off:
Cobblers: none      
Tranmere: none

Northampton Town were back in action following a two week break with Tranmere Rovers providing the opposition for the Cobblers first home game for five weeks and boss Jon Brady’s 100th game in charge.

Top goalscorer Sam Hoskins was back in the side following a one-match ban for accumulated bookings while Brady was still without injured duo Tyler Magloire and Ali Koiki. Tranmere included former Cobblers midfielder Paul Lewis in their starting eleven but were without another ex-Cobbler, Jordan Turnbull, due to suspension.

On a cold early December afternoon at Sixfields, the Cobblers started the game at a high tempo with Sam Hoskins whistling a shot from 20-yards just wide. Lee Burge turned behind a shot from Josh Hawkes in the first chance of the afternoon for Rovers who were denied the opening goal by a superb double save from Burge to thwart first Kane Hemmings and then Paul Lewis on the follow-up.

Hoskins curled a shot just wide of the far post towards the end of the first half which ended goalless.

Danny Hylton and Louis Appere came on in a double change from Jon Brady just after the hour mark before a chance for Tranmere saw Kane Hemmings shoot wide after combining with Rovers substitute Elliott Nevitt. Brady made another change after Sam Sherring was replaced with Max Dyche called into action.

In a tight second half, Rovers keeper Ross Doohan was maybe slightly fortunate to only receive a yellow card after bringing down the onrushing Appere 40-yards out. Another double change from Brady then saw the introduction of Marc Leonard and Josh Eppiah for the closing stages.

As eight minutes of stoppage time were signalled by the fourth official, Sam Hoskins shot wide and that proved to be the last chance of the afternoon with neither side able to conjure up a late winner.

COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)     
SHOTS ON TARGET: (4) 8
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (1) 4
CORNERS: (4) 7         
FOULS: (3) 4       
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (0) 1

TRANMERE MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)      
SHOTS ON TARGET: (5) 7
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (1) 5 
CORNERS: (2) 3
FOULS: (6) 12
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (1) 1