SKY BET LEAGUE 2      
Tuesday October 4th, 7.45pm      
Poundland Bescot Stadium

WALSALL 1
Danny Johnson 37

NORTHAMPTON TOWN 0

Attendance: 4,845 (740 Cobblers fans)

Walsall: Owen Evans, Hayden White, Donervon Daniels, Manny Monthe, Liam Kinsella, Brandon Comley, Douglas James-Taylor (sub Tom Knowles 76), Taylor Allen, Isaac Hutchinson (sub Peter Clarke 89), Liam Bennett, Danny Johnson (sub Andy Williams 68)
Subs not used: Liam Gordon, Jacob Maddox, Danny Cashman, Ronan Maher
 
Cobblers: Lee Burge, Harvey Lintott, Ryan Haynes (sub Max Dyche 64), Sam Sherring, Jon Guthrie, Jack Sowerby, Marc Leonard, Ben Fox (sub Liam Cross 81), Mitch Pinnock, Danny Hylton (sub Josh Eppiah 77), Kieron Bowie (sub Louis Appere 64)
Subs not used: Jonny Maxted, Peter Abimbola, Josh Tomlinson

Referee: Samuel Barrott

Booked:
Walsall: Isaac Hutchinson (44), Hayden White (63), Douglas James-Taylor (65), Owen Evans (90)
Cobblers: Danny Hylton (21, 3rd of the season), Jon Guthrie (45, 4th)

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:
Walsall: none      
Cobblers: none

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.

Danny Hylton and Ben Fox came into the Cobblers side for the re-arranged midweek trip to Walsall as Jon Brady’s in-form side aimed for a sixth successive victory in Sky Bet League 2. Ali Koiki missed out through injury with top goalscorer Sam Hoskins also still unavailable for selection through illness. Josh Eppiah and Max Dyche were however both back on the bench after missing the win at Swindon.

Prior to kick off there was a minute's silence following the tragic events at a football match in Indonesia over the weekend.

In a fairly contained opening quarter of an hour, Taylor Allen failed to find the target from range for the home side while Sam Sherring, on the stretch, was unable to convert a Mitch Pinnock cross.

Kieron Bowie fired over from 30-yards after making a good forward run midway through the first half while Lee Burge’s first save of the night was a comfortable one from Isaac Hutchinson.

The referee turned down the Cobblers appeals for a penalty when Bowie went down in the area under a challenge from Manny Monthe and having survived that appeal Walsall took the lead soon after, Danny Johnson scoring from close range. The goal came from a free kick awarded for offside following a misplaced defensive Walsall header.

Boosted by the goal, the home side looked to double their lead almost immediately with Liam Bennett heading over.

Burge made a good save from Allen and Liam Kinsella saw a shot deflected behind in a strong start to the second half from Walsall.

A well worked Cobblers free kick lead to Marc Leonard having a shot blocked behind but with his side still trailing Jon Brady made a double change just after the hour mark, Louis Appere and Max Dyche coming on for Kieron Bowie and Ryan Haynes. Walsall meanwhile brought on former Cobblers striker Andy Williams in place of goalscorer Johnson.

Josh Eppiah came on for Hylton before Burge pulled off a terrific one-on-one save to prevent Walsall substitute Tom Knowles doubling his side’s lead. Leonard had a shot blocked at close range as the Cobblers pushed for an equaliser with Liam Cross replacing Ben Fox for the final ten minutes.

Having come from behind on a number of occasions already in the season it wasn’t to be for the Cobblers on this occasion as Walsall held on to claim the three points.

WALSALL MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)     
SHOTS ON TARGET: (3) 5
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (2) 5
CORNERS: (1) 4       
FOULS: (3) 8      
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (1) 1

COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)      
SHOTS ON TARGET: (0)  2
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (2) 3
CORNERS: (3) 9
FOULS: (4) 4
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (2) 4