Northampton Town v Exeter City
NPOWER LEAGUE TWO
Saturday October 13th, 3.00pm
Sixfields
NORTHAMPTON TOWN 3
Adebayo Akinfenwa 24
Kelvin Langmead 38
Alex Nicholls 84
EXETER CITY 0
Attendance: 4,607 (370 away fans)
Cobblers: Lee Nicholls, Chris Hackett, Kelvin Langmead, Anthony Charles, Joe Widdowson, Ishmel Demontagnac (sub Kemar Roofe 65), Ben Tozer, Emyr Huws, Alex Nicholls, Clive Platt (sub Louis Moult 90), Adebayo Akinfenwa (sub Lewis Hornby 79).
Subs not used: Dean Snedker, Lewis Wilson, Henoc Mukendi
Exeter: Rhys Evans, Steve Tully, Craig Woodman, Scot Bennett, Pat Baldwin (sub Tommy Doherty 77), Danny Coles, Matt Oakley, Arron Davies, Jamie Cureton, Kevin Amankwaah (sub Alan Gow 46), John O'Flynn (sub Liam Sercombe 65).
Subs not used: Artur Krysiak, Guillem Bauza, Jimmy Keohane, Jordan Moore-Taylor
Referee: Mr D Bond
Booked:
Cobblers: Ishmel Demontagnac (48, 2nd of the season), Joe Widdowson (50, 2nd), Kelvin Langmead (68, 1st), Clive Platt (71, 2nd)
Exeter: Arron Davies (37), Scot Bennett (78), Danny Coles (84), Liam Sercombe (90)
5 cautions on or before 31 December; 1 match suspension
10 cautions on or before 11 April; 2 match suspension
15 cautions at any time in season; 3 match suspension
Sent off:
Cobblers: none
Exeter: none
Sending offs: 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.
Lee Nicholls, Anthony Charles, Clive Platt and new loan signing from Manchester City Emyr Huws all came into the side with David Artell (calf) unavailable for selection. Former Cobblers midfielder Arron Davies started for Exeter while Guillem Bauza was named among the Grecians substitutes.
The Cobblers started the game on the front foot, Alex Nicholls seeing a shot blocked by the Exeter defence. Ishmel Demontagnac screwed a shot wide while Exeter did well to clear a goalbound effort from Adebayo Akinfenwa. John O’Flynn then went close to opening the scoring on 20 minutes but his shot went just the wrong side of Lee Nicholls post.
Adebayo Akinfenwa put the Cobblers in front on 24 minutes with a terrific volley from the edge of the penalty area.
Kelvin Langmead doubled Town’s lead on 38 minutes, converting a superbly delivered cross from Emyr Huws after the City loanee had beaten two men.
Davies found himself in front of goal towards the end of the first half but his shot was straight at Nicholls.
Exeter made a change at the break with Alan Gow coming on for Kevin Amankwaah. Lee Nicholls made a good save to deny Jamie Cureton as the Grecians looked for a way back into the game.
On 59 minutes, Akinfenwa couldn’t quite direct his header on target from an Ishmel Demontagnac cross. Alex Nicholls then went close with a rasping effort from distance before Kemar Roofe replaced Demontagnac.
Grecians substitute Liam Sercombe could only find the side netting from a tight angle as the clock ticked just past the 70-minute mark.
Lewis Hornby replaced Akinfenwa in the Cobblers second change. Then another great save from Nicholls again thwarted Cureton as the game became stretched.
Alex Nicholls then increased the Cobblers lead, his 7th goal of the season a cute finish after Langmead had headed back a pin-point Chris Hackett free-kick.
The game fizzled out after that as the Cobblers returned to winning ways in the league with an impressive 3-0 victory.
COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (6) 9
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (1) 3
CORNERS: (2) 2
FOULS: (5) 14
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (1) 2
EXETER MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (1) 7
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (1) 4
CORNERS: (1) 3
FOULS: (5) 11
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (1) 4
The above stats are recorded by club staff. The stats shown elsewhere on this page are recorded by the Press Association.