SKY BET LEAGUE 1
Tuesday October 3rd, 7.45pm
Sixfields

NORTHAMPTON TOWN 3
Sam Hoskins 10
Louis Appere 37
Mitch Pinnock 90

READING 1
Dom Ballard 66

Attendance: 6,550 (1,285 away supporters)

Cobblers: Lee Burge, Akin Odimayo (sub Aaron McGowan 72), Patrick Brough, Sam Sherring, Jon Guthrie (sub Manny Monthe 52), Marc Leonard, Shaun McWilliams (sub Ben Fox 82), Mitch Pinnock, Sam Hoskins, Louis Appere (sub Harvey Lintott 72), Kieron Bowie (sub Tyreece Simpson 82)
Subs not used: Max Thompson, Ryan Haynes

Reading: David Button, Harlee Dean, Charlie Savage (sub Sam Hutchinson 46), Femi Azeez, Paul Mukairu (sub Harvey Knibbs 46), Kelvin Ehibhationham (sub Ben Elliott 82), Tyler Bindon, Lewis Wing, Nelson Abbey, Caylan Vickers (sub Dom Ballard 61), Matthew Carson (sub Clinton Mola 72)
Subs not used: Andy Yiadom, Coniah Boyce-Clarke

Referee: Matt Corlett

Booked:
Cobblers: Shaun McWilliams (80)
Reading: Charlie Savage (11), Kelvin Ehibhationham (15), Clinton Mola (78)

Sent off:
Cobblers: none
Reading: Andy Yiadom (90)

Jon Brady named an unchanged side as the Cobblers kicked off a busy month by taking on Reading under the lights at Sixfields. Injured quintet Jack Sowerby, Will Hondermarck, Ali Koiki, Danny Hylton and Tyler Magloire remained unavailable for selection.

The Cobblers started the game firmly on the front foot and took the lead on 10 minutes, a Sam Hoskins shot squirming through the Reading keeper David Button into the bottom corner. Louis Appere then headed over from a Marc Leonard free-kick as Brady’s side looked for a quick second.

Sam Sherring made a vital defensive header to clear a Matthew Carson free-kick as Reading started to play their way into the game but with half an hour played the Royals survived a strong shout for a Cobblers penalty when Appere went down in the area.

Lee Burge made a terrific save to deny Caylan Vickers an equaliser and less than a minute later Louis Appere doubled the Cobblers lead after a terrific break away lead by Kieron Bowie.

Burge made another good save from Kelvin Ehibhationham as Reading looked to pull a goal back almost immediately while Button saved from Sherring and Appere shot just wide in the last action of the first half.

Harvey Knibbs and Sam Hutchinson came on in a double half-time change for Reading and the Cobblers were forced into a change themselves early in the second half, Manny Monthe coming on for Jon Guthrie with the skipper unable to continue after receiving treatment.

Reading pulled a goal back midway through the second half, substitute Dom Ballard scoring from 25-yards after a spell of Royals pressure.

Bowie dragged a shot wide as the Cobblers looked to restore their two goal lead but with just over a quarter of an hour to play Brady brought on Harvey Lintott and Aaron McGowan, switching formation to a central back three. Ben Fox and Tyreece Simpson then replaced Shaun McWilliams and Kieron Bowie, McWilliams having just picked up a yellow card.

Femi Azeez spurned a decent chance to make it 2-2 and Patrick Brough made a terrific last-ditch challenge as Reading pressed for a late equaliser.

Button made a good save to deny Simpson in stoppage time but he couldn’t keep out Mitch Pinnock who sealed the three points with a goal in the 96th minute. Reading thought they were going to end the game with ten men when Clinton Mola was initially shown a red card before the referee changed his mind, bringing the substitute back on.

COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (4) 7
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (4) 5
CORNERS: (3) 3
FOULS: (3) 5
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (0) 2

READING MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (2) 4
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (0) 1
CORNERS: (0) 1
FOULS: (5) 15
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (0) 1