Northampton Town v Plymouth Argyle
NPOWER LEAGUE 2
Saturday February 23rd
Sixfields
NORTHAMPTON TOWN 1
Clive Platt 70
PLYMOUTH ARGYLE 0
Attendance: 5,382 (615 away fans)
Cobblers: Lee Nicholls, John Johnson (sub Adebayo Akinfenwa 59), Kelvin Langmead, Clarke Carlisle, Lee Collins, Chris Hackett, Ben Tozer, Lewis Hornby, Ben Harding, Roy O’Donovan, Clive Platt (sub Jake Robinson 86)
Subs not used: Dean Snedker, Ishmel Demontagnac, Manny Oyeleke, David Artell, Luke Guttridge
Plymouth: Jake Cole, Maxime Blanchard, Guy Branston, Conor Hourihane, Paris Cowan-Hall (sub Gozie Ugwu 74), Lee Cox, Onismor Bhasera, Paul Wotton (sub Andres Gurrieri 77), Jason Banton, Reuben Reid (sub Ronan Murray 81), Anthony Charles.
Subs not used: Luke Young, Ollie Chenoweth, Jamie Richards
Referee: Mr D Phillips
Booked:
Cobblers: none
Plymouth: Onismor Bhasera (34), Paul Wotton (71)
10 cautions on or before 11 April; 2 match suspension
15 cautions at any time in season; 3 match suspension
Sent off:
Cobblers: none
Plymouth: 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.
Chris Hackett, Ben Harding and Clive Platt all came into the side with Joe Widdowson missing through suspension and Adebayo Akinfenwa and Ishmel Demontagnac dropping to the bench. Former Cobblers defenders Anthony Charles and Guy Branston both lined up for Plymouth.
After some early Plymouth pressure Branston spurned a good heading opportunity in front of goal following a well-taken free-kick. An acrobatic effort from Roy O’Donovan was deflected behind while Ben Harding saw a shot blocked.
Hackett curled over just before the half hour mark after some neat patient build-up play. At the other end Kelvin Langmead did well to get in the way of a goalbound shot from Jason Banton.
O’Donovan headed just wide at the start of the second half while Jake Cole made a comfortable save to deny Hackett. Conor Hourihane fired in a shot for Plymouth but Nicholls made a good stop diving to his right.
Aidy Boothroyd made his first change on 59 minutes with Akinfenwa replacing John Johnson. Ben Tozer moved to right-back and O’Donovan to left-wing.
Bayo powered his way through the Pilgrims defence on 69 minutes before seeing his header saved brilliantly by Jake Cole.
From the resultant corner however the Cobblers took the lead, Ben Harding’s in-swinger turned in by a combination of Clive Platt and the Plymouth goalkeeper.
Akinfenwa had a good chance to make it 2-0 on 81 minutes but the Cobblers leading goalscorer volleyed over from 8-yards. Jake Robinson then replaced Platt who received a warm reception as he left the field.
A slip from Branston let in Robinson on 89 minutes but he couldn’t find the finish. It mattered not though as the Cobblers saw the game out to claim all three points and continue their impressive home form.
COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (4) 8
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (2) 7
CORNERS: (1) 4
FOULS: (6) 12
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (0) 1
PLYMOUTH MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (3) 4
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (2) 3
CORNERS: (2) 4
FOULS: (6) 17
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (2) 6
The above stats are recorded by club staff. The stats shown elsewhere on this page are recorded by the Press Association.