SKY BET LEAGUE 2      
Saturday October 22nd, 3.00pm      
Lamex Stadium

STEVENAGE 2
Danny Rose 35
Alex Gilbey 86

NORTHAMPTON TOWN 3
Louis Appere 1 pen
Kieron Bowie 82
Shaun McWilliams 87

Attendance: 4,941 (Cobblers fans not confirmed)

Stevenage: Taye Ashby-Hammond, Carl Piergianni, Dan Sweeney, Jake Taylor (sub David Amoo 88), Kane Smith, Terence Vancooten, Alex Gilbey, Michael Bostwick, Jamie Reid (sub Luke Norris 65), Saxon Earley (sub Max Clark 50), Danny Rose
Subs not used: Aaron Chapman, Jake Reeves, Dean Campbell, Arthur Read
 
Cobblers: Lee Burge, Akin Odimayo (sub Max Dyche 65) Harvey Lintott, Sam Sherring (sub Marc Leonard 77), Jon Guthrie, Ali Koiki (sub Danny Hylton 71), Shaun McWilliams, Jack Sowerby, Mitch Pinnock, Kieron Bowie, Louis Appere
Subs not used: James Dadge, Aaron McGowan, Ryan Haynes, Peter Abimbola

Referee: Geoff Eltringham

Booked:
Stevenage: Terence Vancooten (1), Steve Evans (26)
Cobblers: Ali Koiki (45, 2nd of the season), Kieron Bowie (56, 1st), Marc Leonard (90,3rd)

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:
Stevenage: Steve Evans (28)   
Cobblers: Danny Hylton (90)

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.

Shaun McWilliams and Akin Odimayo came into the Cobblers side for the trip to top of the table Stevenage as Jon Brady switched to a central back three. Ben Fox missed the game through suspension while top goalscorer Sam Hoskins, Tyler Magloire and Josh Eppiah remained sidelined through injury. Former Cobblers striker Danny Rose started for Stevenage.

In a dramatic start to the game, the Cobblers were awarded a penalty with only 30 seconds played when Louis Appere was brought down in the area by Terence Vancooten. Appere dusted himself down to take the penalty which he dispatched with aplomb.

Mitch Pinnock drove a shot just wide from the edge of the area and Taye Ashby-Hammond made a good save from Sam Sherring as the Cobblers, who were showing no signs of letting up, had an appeal for a second penalty turned down by referee Geoff Eltringham.

Stevenage manager Steve Evans was sent to the stands after being shown two yellow cards in rapid succession but the home side were back on level terms on 35 minutes, Danny Rose equalising against the run of play.

The home side then had a chance to go in front just before half-time but Dan Sweeney headed over from Alex Gilbey’s free kick.

Jamie Reid shot straight at Lee Burge and also had a goal ruled out for off-side in the opening stages of the second half while for the Cobblers Ali Koiki shot wide and Kieron Bowie had an effort deflected behind following a good counter attack and flick on by Appere.

Max Dyche replaced Odimayo in the Cobblers first change of the afternoon with Stevenage bringing on one time Cobblers loanee Luke Norris for fellow frontman Reid.

Kieron Bowie restored the Cobblers lead on 82 minutes, the Fulham loanee scoring on the half-volley after being played in by substitute Danny Hylton.

Stevenage weren’t behind for long though and it was soon 2-2, Alex Gilbey getting the final touch from a corner.

The drama wasn’t over though and less than two minutes later the Cobblers were ahead for a third time, Shaun McWilliams volleying home after some good work by Pinnock and Hylton in the build-up.

Hylton had a chance to make it 4-2 in stoppage time but slid his shot wide and the Cobblers striker wasn’t to see the game out after being shown a straight red card for a push on a Stevenage defender.

The ten men managed to see the final few minutes of injury time out however to seal an impressive victory for the Cobblers and end league leaders Stevenage’s 13-match winning home run.

STEVENAGE MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)     
SHOTS ON TARGET: (1) 3
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (2) 4
CORNERS: (1) 4       
FOULS: (6) 11       
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (4) 6

COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)      
SHOTS ON TARGET: (2)  7
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (5) 8
CORNERS: (8) 10
FOULS: (6) 13
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (0) 1