SKY BET LEAGUE 2     
Saturday February 4th, 3.00pm
Sixfields

NORTHAMPTON TOWN 0

WALSALL 0

Attendance: 6,500 (1,039 away supporters)

Cobblers: Tom King, Akin Odimayo (sub Ben Fox 70), Sam Sherring, Jon Guthrie, Tyler Magloire, Ali Koiki, Shaun McWilliams (sub D'Margio Wright-Phillips 70), Jack Sowerby, Mitch Pinnock (sub Josh Eppiah 65), Sam Hoskins, Louis Appere (sub Tete Yengi 62)
Subs not used: Jonny Maxted, Max Dyche, Marc Leonard
 
Walsall: Owen Evans, Hayden White, Liam Gordon, Donervon Daniels, Manny Monthe, Tom Knowles, Brandon Comley, Jacob Maddox, Jamille Matt (sub Conor Wilkinson 59), Matty Stevens (sub Andy Williams 76), Isaac Hutchinson (sub Robbie Willmott 76)
Subs not used: Jackson Smith, Taylor Allen, Joe Low, Yann Songo’o

Referee: Bobby Madley

Booked:
Cobblers: Shaun McWilliams (40), Ali Koiki (72)
Walsall: Donervon Daniels (45), Brandon Comley (61), Conor Wilkinson (90)

Sent off:
Cobblers: Ali Koiki (90)     
Walsall: none

Shaun McWilliams and Tyler Magloire replaced Marc Leonard and Ben Fox for the visit of Walsall with new loan signings, Tete Yengi (Ipswich) and D’Margio Wright-Phillips (Stoke) named on the bench. Former Cobblers striker Andy Williams and young defender Joe Low, son of ex-Cobblers winger Josh Low, were amongst the substitutes for Walsall.

Mitch Pinnock was the first to test Walsall keeper Owen Evans with his shot from the edge of the area on the quarter of an hour mark seemingly heading for the top corner before being turned behind by Evans.

McWilliams couldn’t quite find the finish after getting on the end of a pin-point ball to the back post from Ali Koiki and Sam Hoskins saw a shot blocked in a tight first half while Liam Gordon went close for Walsall in a  foray forward from the visitors.

Tom Knowles spurned a good chance for Walsall early in the second half while Matty Stevens drew a comfortable save from Tom King.

Tete Yengi came on to make his Cobblers debut just after the hour mark with Josh Eppiah also coming on shortly after. Already without a number of players, boss Jon Brady was then dealt a further injury blow when Akin Odimayo had to be substituted. Ben Fox came on for Odimayo with D’Margio Wright-Phillips also on for his debut.

Eppiah was denied by Evans with the 90 minutes nearly up and the game was to end goalless, the Cobblers finishing the contest with ten men after Koiki was shown a second yellow card deep in stoppage time.

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

WALSALL MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)      
SHOTS ON TARGET: (1) 2
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (2) 4 
CORNERS: (2) 4
FOULS: (3) 16
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (2) 2