Cheltenham Town 0 Northampton Town 1 - the match report
NPOWER LEAGUE 2, PLAY OFF SEMI FINAL
Sunday May 5th
Abbey Business Stadium
CHELTENHAM TOWN 0
NORTHAMPTON TOWN 1
Luke Guttridge 28
Attendance: 5,955 (1,546 away fans)
Cheltenham: Scott Brown, Keith Lowe, Steve Elliott, Michael Hector, Sido Jombati, Jermaine McGlashan (sub Kaid Mohamed 73), Marlon Pack, Russell Penn (sub Byron Harrison 88), Sam Deering, Paul Benson, Darryl Duffy (sub Shaun Harrad 62)
Subs not used: Billy Jones, Darren Carter, Connor Roberts, Jason Taylor
Cobblers: Lee Nicholls, John Johnson, Clarke Carlisle, Nathan Cameron, Lee Collins, Chris Hackett, Luke Guttridge (sub Lewis Hornby 75), Ben Harding, Ben Tozer, Roy O’Donovan, Adebayo Akinfenwa (sub Kelvin Langmead 72)
Subs not used: Dean Snedker, Ishmel Demontagnac, Clive Platt, Jake Robinson, Louis Moult
Referee: Mr A Madley
Booked:
Cheltenham: none
Cobblers: Ben Tozer (14, 5th of the season), Luke Guttridge (35, 8th), Lee Nicholls (48, 3rd)
15 cautions at any time in season; 3 match suspension
Sent off:
Cheltenham: none
Cobblers: 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.
Aidy Boothroyd made one change to the side that started the first leg, John Johnson coming in for Ishmel Demontagnac.
The first attempt on goal came on 5 minutes, Lee Nicholls saving comfortably from Paul Benson. With play quickly switching to the other end Roy O'Donovan was denied by a terrific stop from the legs of Scott Brown.
Cheltenham were awarded a penalty on 13 minutes, Ben Tozer adjudged to have fouled Russell Penn although there was a suggestion the foul was outside the area. Marlon Pack stepped up to take the spot kick only to be denied by a fantastic save from Nicholls.
Nicholls denied Pack again on 21 minutes, tipping away a fiercely driven free-kick from fully 30-yards. From the subsequent corner, Steve Elliott headed straight at the Cobblers keeper.
The Cobblers took the lead on 28 minutes, Luke Guttridge with a blockbuster of a dipping volley from outside the box into the roof of the net.
The remainder of the first half passed without major incident and the Cobblers led 1-0 at the break, 2-0 on aggregate.
Lee Nicholls picked up a harsh looking booking at the start of the second half for apparent time wasting.
Cheltenham made a change just after the hour mark, former Cobblers striker Shaun Harrad replacing Darryl Duffy.
A dipping free-kick from Pack went over the crossbar for the home side.
Kelvin Langmead entered the fray on 70 minutes, Akinfenwa the player to make way. The ball broke in space for Chris Hackett whose shot deflected behind off Sido Jombati. Lewis Hornby then came on for Guttridge.
Robins substitute Kaid Mohamed saw a thumping header crash against the crossbar while Nicholls made a good save from Sam Deering.
Nicholls saved well from Harrad late on and although Cheltenham applied some pressure, they could not find a way through as the Cobblers progressed to Wembley with a 2-0 aggregate victory.
CHELTENHAM MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (7) 12
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (2) 6
CORNERS: (3) 4
FOULS: (6) 10
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (2) 3
COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (4) 6
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (1) 1
CORNERS: (3) 4
FOULS: (9) 17
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (1) 1
The above stats are recorded by club staff. The stats shown elsewhere on this page are recorded by the Press Association.