SKY BET LEAGUE 2      
Saturday March 11th, 3.00pm      
Suit Direct Stadium

HARTLEPOOL UNITED 1
Josh Umerah 37

NORTHAMPTON TOWN 1
Sam Hoskins 81

Attendance: 5,021 (363 Cobblers fans)

Hartlepool: Jakub Stolarczyk, Jamie Sterry, Taylor Foran, Euan Murray (sub Daniel Dodds 75), Edon Pruti, David Ferguson, Mohamad Sylla, Callum Cooke (sub Nicky Featherstone 63), Dan Kemp, Josh Umerah, Connor Jennings
Subs not used: Ben Killip, Matty Dolan, Ollie Finney, Brendan Kiernan, Wes McDonald
 
Cobblers: Lee Burge, Harvey Lintott, Sam Sherring, Jon Guthrie, Ryan Haynes (sub Tete Yengi 71), Marc Leonard, Jack Sowerby (sub Will Hondermarck 63), Mitch Pinnock, Sam Hoskins, Louis Appere (sub Kieron Bowie 71), Josh Eppiah (sub Max Dyche 46)
Subs not used: Tom King, Paul Osew, D’Margio Wright-Phillips

Referee: Thomas Kirk

Booked:
Hartlepool: Euan Murray (59)
Cobblers: none

Sent off:
Hartlepool: none      
Cobblers: none

Harvey Lintott and Ryan Haynes came into the Cobblers side for the trip to Hartlepool, replacing the suspended Aaron McGowan and injured Ali Koiki. New signing, full-back Paul Osew was named on the bench alongside the fit again Kieron Bowie.

In an entertaining start both goalkeepers made good early saves, Jakub Stolarczyk denying Mitch Pinnock while Lee Burge was down sharply to keep out a low strike from Mohamad Sylla.

Stolarczyk pulled off two further good saves, denying Louis Appere from an acute angle and saving a driven 25-yard strike from Marc Leonard while Burge again saved from Sylla as an entertaining first half continued.

Josh Umerah, having earlier seen a header superbly tipped over the bar by Burge, put Hartlepool in front on 37 minutes, with subsequent replays showing the goal was marginally off-side.

Jon Brady made a change at half-time with Josh Eppiah making way for Max Dyche in a change of formation, Eppiah also having picked up a knock late in the first half.

Sam Sherring briefly thought he had levelled the scores only to be denied by the off-side flag while Hartlepool’s Euan Murray was somewhat fortunate to only be shown a yellow card following a high challenge on Jack Sowerby, who was unable to continue.

Kieron Bowie, having come on in a double change with Tete Yengi, couldn’t keep his shot down after making a mazy run into the Pools area but not long after that the Cobblers were back level, Sam Hoskins scrambling home his 18th goal of the season after a corner from Marc Leonard caused problems for the home side’s defence.

Taylor Foran and Edon Pruti both went close to winning it late on for Hartlepool but their headers were both off target and the game ended with the spoils shared.

HARTLEPOOL MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)     
SHOTS ON TARGET: (4) 4
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (2) 4
CORNERS: (4) 6       
FOULS: (3) 9       
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (1) 2

COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)      
SHOTS ON TARGET: (6)  7
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (1) 4
CORNERS: (3) 4
FOULS: (3) 9
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (0) 1