Northampton Town v Plymouth Argyle
SKY BET LEAGUE 2
Saturday December 13th, 3.00pm
Sixfields
NORTHAMPTON TOWN 2
Ivan Toney 79
Stewart Murdoch 89
PLYMOUTH ARGYLE 3
Peter Hartley 3
Andy Kellett 40
Lewis Alessandra 63
Attendance: 4,318 (565 away fans)
Cobblers: Matt Duke, Ben Tozer, Gregor Robertson, Kelvin Langmead, Lee Collins, Chris Hackett (sub Ivan Toney 46), Stewart Murdoch, Darren Carter, Kaid Mohamed (sub Emile Sinclair 46), Ollie Banks (sub Lawson D'Ath 56), Marc Richards.
Subs not used: Daniel Alfei, Evan Horwood, Zander Diamond, Ricky Ravenhill.
Plymouth: Luke McCormick, Kelvin Mellor, Lee Cox, Curtis Nelson, Lewis Alessandra (sub Jason Banton 70), Reuben Reid (sub Tyler Harvey 76), Dominic Blizzard (sub Oliver Norburn 39), Andy Kellett, Bobby Reid, Anthony O'Connor, Peter Hartley
Subs not used: James Bittner, Ben Purrington, River Allen, Aaron Bentley
Referee: Mr F Graham
Booked:
Cobblers: Darren Carter (81, 2nd of the season)
Plymouth: Peter Hartley (24)
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
Sendings off: 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.
After two weeks without a game Northampton Town returned to action against Plymouth Argyle, who started the afternoon 6th in Sky Bet League 2. Matt Duke came in for the suspended Jordan Archer while Chesterfield loanee Ollie Banks made his home debut.
Plymouth had the lead inside 2 minutes, Bobby Reid’s corner met by the powerful head of Peter Hartley.
A half-volley from Marc Richards went over the bar on 19 minutes following a Kaid Mohamed cross, Darren Carter doing some good work in the build-up. Carter himself then went close with a shot from distance as the first half reached the midway point.
Reuben Reid had a chance to make it 2-0 when he was through on goal only for Duke to save with his legs.
Plymouth did double their lead on 40 minutes, Andy Kellett cutting in from the left and driving between a number of players before finding the corner of the net with his finish.
With the Cobblers 2-0 down at half-time boss Chris Wilder made a double change, bringing on Ivan Toney and Emile Sinclair for Kaid Mohamed and Chris Hackett. Lawson D’Ath then replaced Ollie Banks ten minutes into the second half.
Lewis Alessandra extended Plymouth’s lead just after the hour mark, the goal coming from a long ball knocked on by Reuben Reid.
As the Cobblers looked for a goal to get them back into the game, Toney headed just wide from a Gregor Robertson cross while Toney was denied a penalty despite appearing to be brought down in the area.
Ivan Toney then did pull a goal back on 79 minutes, the striker scoring from close range after being set up by Emile Sinclair.
Stewart Murdoch made it 2-3 with a terrific long range strike on 88 minutes as the Cobblers set up a tense Sixfields finale.
Town pressed hard in stoppage time but despite forcing a couple of corners and one almighty goalmouth scramble they couldn’t quite force the equaliser as Plymouth just about held on to claim the points.
COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (2) 8
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (4) 8
CORNERS: (2) 4
FOULS: (3) 10
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (1) 1
PLYMOUTH MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (3) 6
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (2) 3
CORNERS: (3) 5
FOULS: (4) 7
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (2) 4
The above stats are recorded by club staff. The stats shown elsewhere on this page are recorded by Opta