SKY BET LEAGUE 1
Saturday September 16th, 3.00pm
Vale Park

PORT VALE 1
Ben Garrity 84

NORTHAMPTON TOWN 0

Attendance: 7,532 (640 Cobblers fans)

Port Vale: Connor Ripley, Tom Sang, Kofi Balmer (sub Lewis Cass 75), Nathan Smith, Ethan Chislett (sub Ben Garrity 75), Alfie Devine (sub Gavin Massey 75), Funso Ojo, Alex Iacovitti, Ollie Arblaster, James Plant (sub Conor Grant 62), James Wilson (sub Ryan Loft 62)
Subs not used: Jayson Leutwiler, Jason Lowe

Cobblers: Lee Burge, Akin Odimayo (sub Manny Monthe 46), Sam Sherring (sub Harvey Lintott 86), Jon Guthrie, Patrick Brough, Marc Leonard, Jack Sowerby (sub Shaun McWilliams 81), Mitch Pinnock, Sam Hoskins, Kieron Bowie (sub Aaron McGowan 46), Louis Appere (sub Tyreece Simpson 46)
Subs not used: Max Thompson, Ben Fox

Referee: Scott Oldham

Booked:
Port Vale: Ethan Chislett (52)
Cobblers: Colin Calderwood (71)

Sent off:
Port Vale: none
Cobblers: none

Lee Burge, out since the first game of the season with a groin injury, was back in goal and Ben Fox, also back from injury, was named on the bench as the Cobblers returned to league action with a trip to in-form Port Vale. As a mark of respect the match was preceded by a minutes' silence following the recent tragedies in Libya and Morocco.

James Wilson headed over and Burge made a terrific diving save to turn behind a 20-yard strike from Ethan Chislett in a good start from the home side.

Having weathered some early Port Vale pressure, Kieron Bowie drew a good low save from Connor Ripley midway through the first half as the Cobblers grew into the contest with Jon Brady switching to a back three to counter Vale’s wing-backs.

Brady made a triple change at half-time with Tyreece Simpson, Aaron McGowan and Manny Monthe on for the second half in place of Louis Appere, Kieron Bowie and Akin Odimayo.

Simpson volleyed over after some good build up play from Mitch Pinnock and Patrick Brough while at the other end Jon Guthrie made a vital block to prevent Tom Sang opening the scoring. The Cobblers skipper then made another vital interception to deflect behind a shot from James Plant in a good spell from Vale.

Sam Hoskins, on the stretch, couldn’t convert a cross in from Brough in perhaps the Cobblers best chance of the afternoon and with just over five minutes to play Port Vale made the breakthrough, substitute Ben Garrity cutting inside before drilling a shot into the bottom corner.

Despite the Cobblers best efforts Garrity’s goal proved decisive as Vale continued their good run of form.

PORT VALE MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (4) 5
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (3) 3
CORNERS: (3) 5
FOULS: (2) 6
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (1) 1

COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (1) 1
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (1) 3
CORNERS: (2) 3
FOULS: (2) 6
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (0) 1