SKY BET LEAGUE 1
Tuesday March 12th, 7.45pm
Sixfields

NORTHAMPTON TOWN 0

BLACKPOOL 1
Matt Pennington 55

Attendance: 5,472 (323 away fans)

Cobblers: Louie Moulden, Harvey Lintott, Liam Moore (sub Manny Monthe 66), Sam Sherring, Jon Guthrie, Patrick Brough (sub Mitch Pinnock 46), Shaun McWilliams, Marc Leonard, Jack Sowerby (sub Ben Fox 74), Kieron Bowie (sub Tyreece Simpson 66), Louis Appere (sub Sam Hoskins 76)
Subs not used: James Dadge, Will Hondermarck

Blackpool: Dan Grimshaw, Jordan Gabriel, Matt Pennington, Ollie Norburn (sub Matty Virtue 74), George Byers, Karamoko Dembele (sub CJ Hamilton 83), Hayden Coulson, Jordan Rhodes (sub Shayne Lavery 90), Jake Beesley, (sub Kyle Joseph 83) Olly Casey, Marvin Ekpiteta
Subs not used: Richard O’Donnell, Callum Connolly, Sonny Carey

Referee: James Bell

Booked:
Cobblers: Jack Sowerby (5)
Blackpool: none

Sent off:
Cobblers: none
Blackpool: none

Northampton Town took on promotion chasing Blackpool under the Sixfields lights in the last scheduled midweek fixture of the season.

Sam Sherring was back from injury as one of three changes to the Cobblers starting XI with Shaun McWilliams and Louis Appere also in the side. Mitch Pinnock was named on the bench having missed the weekend game at Cambridge through illness.

With not too many clear openings for either side in the opening half an hour, Kieron Bowie saw a shot from just outside the area saved by Dan Grimshaw while Louie Moulden made an excellent stop to prevent Blackpool taking the lead from a corner, somehow tipping the ball onto the bar from six-yards out. Jake Beesley was the player denied on that occasion with Matt Pennington then heading over from another set piece later in the half.

Jon Brady made a change at half-time with Mitch Pinnock coming on for Patrick Brough.

Blackpool’s leading goalscorer Jordan Rhodes fired into the side netting as the Tangerines started to up the tempo in the second half and the visitors made the breakthrough on 55 minutes, Matt Pennington getting the final touch to a set piece scramble in the box.

Manny Monthe and Tyreece Simpson replaced Liam Moore and Kieron Bowie midway through the second half as half-time substitute Mitch Pinnock saw a shot deflected behind by Blackpool goalscorer Pennington. Jack Sowerby then made way for Ben Fox before Sam Hoskins came on for Appere in the Cobblers fifth and final change of the evening.

Harvey Lintott had a shot blocked behind, Pinnock fired just over the bar and Hoskins drew a save from Grimshaw deep into stoppage time as the Cobblers pressed for an equaliser but Blackpool held on for the win.

COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (1) 3
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (0) 3
CORNERS: (4) 9
FOULS: (6) 12
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (0) 0

BLACKPOOL MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (1) 4
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (1) 2
CORNERS: (2) 2
FOULS: (5) 7
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (3) 5