SKY BET LEAGUE 2     
Saturday July 30th, 3.00pm
Sixfields

NORTHAMPTON TOWN 3
Sam Hoskins 27', 74' (P)
Ryan Haynes 89'

COLCHESTER UNITED 2
Freddie Sears 42' (P)
Noah Chilvers 79'

Attendance: 5,463 (494 away)

Cobblers: Lee Burge, Tyler Magloire (sub 86' Harvey Lintott), Jack Sowerby, Jon Guthrie, Sam Sherring, Sam Hoskins, Louis Appéré (sub 80'Ryan Haynes), Danny Hylton, Mitch Pinnock (sub 90' Marc Leonard), Ali Koiki, Shaun McWilliams.
Subs not used: Jonny Maxted, Peter Abimbola, Liam Cross, Max Dyche.
 
Colchester: Sam Hornby, Ryan Clampin (sub 69' Cameron Coxe) Luke Chambers, Luke Hannant (sub 90' Chay Cooper) Cole Skuse, Alan Judge (sub 90' Alex Newby), Freddie Sears, Noah Chilvers, Thomas Eastman, Junior Tchamadeu, John Akinde (sub 69' Frank Nouble).
Subs not used: Tom Dallison, Marley Miranda, Ted Collins.

Referee: Martin Woods

Booked:
Cobblers: Shaun McWilliams (55, 1st of the season)
Colchester: Cameron Coxe (72), Luke Hannant (72), Junior Tchamadeu (77), Noah Chilvers (83)

 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:
Cobblers: none      
Colchester: none

Northampton Town kicked off the new EFL season with a home game against Colchester United.

Three summer signings, goalkeeper Lee Burge, defender Sam Sherring and striker Danny Hylton made their competitive debut while Tyler Magloire was also named in the starting XI having re-joined the club on a permanent basis. Fellow summer arrivals Ryan Haynes, Marc Leonard and Harvey Lintott were named on the bench.

Jon Brady was however without new additions Ben Fox (hamstring), Kieron Bowie (ankle) and Akin Odimayo who was unavailable for selection after picking up a knock in training. New vice-captain Aaron McGowan, still recovering from a knee injury picked up towards the end of last season, remained sidelined.

Jon Guthrie, handed the captain’s armband for the 2022/23 season, had the first chance of the afternoon but his header from a Sam Hoskins corner was well saved by Sam Hornby. Colchester meanwhile went close when Luke Hannant, played in by John Akinde, saw a shot tipped over by Burge.

Sam Hoskins made the breakthrough with an emphatic finish on 27 minutes, Hylton’s inch-perfect forward pass the perfect set-up for Hoskins to score the opening goal.

Colchester were back on level terms against the run of play when Freddie Sears scored from the penalty spot. The penalty was awarded after Noah Chilvers went down in the area and although Burge got a hand to Sears spot-kick he was unable to keep it out.

Ali Koiki saw a shot blocked early in the second half before Shaun McWilliams picked up a yellow card following a challenge on Junior Tchamadeu.

With just over a quarter of an hour to play the Cobblers re-took the lead from the penalty spot, Hoskins firing his spot-kick into the bottom corner after the ball struck the arm of Tchamadeu  At close range.

Five minutes later though the U’s were back on level terms for a second time, substitute Frank Nouble playing in Noah Chilvers whose shot went in via the post.

Ryan Haynes, on for Louis Appere, made it 3-2 in the 89th minute, the Daventry born defender finishing from close range after some good work down the right by Hoskins.

It was a dramatic ending to the game and Haynes late goal ultimately proved decisive as the Cobblers league campaign got off to a winning start. It could have been different though had Burge not pulled off a superb save to deny Chilvers deep into six minutes of stoppage time.

COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)     
SHOTS ON TARGET: (5) 9
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (0) 0
CORNERS: (2) 3          
FOULS: (9) 15         
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (2) 3

COLCHESTER MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)      
SHOTS ON TARGET: (2) 4
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (0) 0
CORNERS: (1) 3
FOULS: (5) 12
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (1) 4