SKY BET LEAGUE 1
Tuesday December 26th, 3.00pm
Lamex Stadium

STEVENAGE 3
Jamie Reid 2
Jordan Roberts 42
Elliott List 66

NORTHAMPTON TOWN 0

Attendance: 5,164 (895 Cobblers fans)

Stevenage: Taye Ashby-Hammond, Luther James-Wildin, Dan Butler, Carl Piergianni, Dan Sweeney, Elliott List (sub Kane Hemmings 90), Nick Freeman, Jordan Roberts (sub Alex MacDonald 90), Finley Burns (sub Jake Forster-Caskey 90), Jamie Reid (sub Aaron Pressley 90), Louis Thompson (sub Ben Thompson  90)
Subs not used: Krisztian Hegyi, Nathan Thompson

Cobblers: Max Thompson, Aaron McGowan, Sam Sherring (sub Tyreece Simpson 43), Jordan Willis (sub Akin Odimayo 57), Jon Guthrie (sub Manny Monthe 79), Patrick Brough, Jack Sowerby (sub  Will Hondermarck 57), Marc Leonard, Sam Hoskins, Kieron Bowie (sub Danny Hylton 79), Mitch Pinnock
Subs not used: James Dadge, Shaun McWilliams

Referee: Will Finnie

Booked:
Stevenage: none
Cobblers: Jack Sowerby (53)

Sent off:
Stevenage: none
Cobblers: none

Jon Guthrie came into the Cobblers side replacing Shaun McWilliams as Jon Brady switched to a central back three for the Boxing Day trip to Stevenage.

Jamie Reid opened the scoring with an early goal for Stevenage, poking the ball past Max Thompson after capitalising on an uncharacteristic defensive mix-up.

The Cobblers were forced into a change midway through the first half with Sam Sherring unable to continue after picking up a knock. Tyreece Simpson came on up front with Brady reverting to a back four.

Dan Sweeney headed just wide from a corner and Guthrie made an important block to prevent Elliott List getting a shot off before Stevenage doubled their lead on 42 minutes, a Jordan Roberts cross/shot beating Thompson, possibly via a deflection. It could have been 3-0 in first half stoppage time but List failed to find the target from 8 yards.

Will Hondermarck and Akin Odimayo came on in a double change ten minutes into the second half, replacing Jack Sowerby, who had been booked, and Jordan Willis.

Having spurned a good chance at the end of the first half, Elliott List made no mistake midway through the second half, beating Thompson with a good finish to make it 3-0.

Thompson made a good save one-on-one with Reid before a goal-line clearance from Aaron McGowan prevented Stevenage scoring a fourth but although there were no more goals it was defeat for the Cobblers on a rare off day for Jon Brady’ side.

STEVENAGE MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (4) 6
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (1) 3
CORNERS: (3) 6
FOULS: (7) 12
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (2) 4

COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (0) 0
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (0) 2
CORNERS: (0) 1
FOULS: (6) 14
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (0) 0