Northampton Town 0 Rochdale 3 - the match report
SKY BET LEAGUE 2
Tuesday March 18th, 7.45pm
Sixfields
NORTHAMPTON TOWN 0
ROCHDALE 3
Ian Henderson 5
Matthew Lund 54
Joe Bunney 64
Attendance: 3,695 (181 away fans)
Cobblers: Matt Duke, Leon McSweeney, Zander Diamond (sub Brennan Dickenson 46), Mathias Kouo-Doumbe, Gregor Robertson (sub Ivan Toney 78), Chris Hackett, Ricky Ravenhill, Darren Carter, Ian Morris, Emile Sinclair, Alan Connell (sub Cristian Lopez 62).
Subs not used: Dean Snedker, Ben Tozer, Gary Deegan, David Moyo
Rochdale: Josh Lillis, Joe Rafferty, Peter Cavanagh, Ashley Eastham, Peter Vincenti, Matthew Lund, Matt Done, Jack O'Connell, Jamie Allen, Joe Bunney (sub George Donnelly 77), Ian Henderson
Subs not used: Rhys Bennett, Jason Kennedy, George Porter, Scott Tanser, Robbie Thomson, Graham Cummins
Referee: Mr M Heywood
Booked:
Cobblers: Ricky Ravenhill (48, 6th of the season), Leon McSweeney (66, 1st)
Rochdale: Matthew Lund (45), George Donnelly (81)
10 cautions on or before 11 April; 2 match suspension
15 cautions at any time in season; 3 match suspension
Sent off:
Cobblers: none
Rochdale: Matthew Lund (55)
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.
Ian Morris replaced Brennan Dickenson in the only change to the Cobblers side for this re-arranged fixture against Rochdale, who started the night third in the Sky Bet League Two table.
Rochdale had the lead on 5 minutes, former Cobblers striker Ian Henderson finishing from close range following a free-kick.
Alan Connell flashed a shot over after being played in by Leon McSweeney in the first attacking opportunity of the night for the Cobblers.
Matt Duke saved a weak volley from Peter Vincenti on 34 minutes following a quick counter-attack from Dale.
Brennan Dickenson replaced Zander Diamond at half-time and almost immediately saw a shot saved by Josh Lillis. With Diamond’s night over Gregor Robertson moved across to centre-back with Ian Morris filling in at left-back.
A header from Matthew Lund doubled Rochdale’s lead on 54 minutes but the goalscorer was then sent off after being shown a second yellow card for his celebration.
Just after the hour mark Cristian Lopez came on for Alan Connell as Chris Wilder made a second change.
Joe Bunney increased Rochdale’s lead further on 64 minutes, firing the ball home past Duke following another quick break from the visitors.
Darren Carter whipped a shot just wide as Ivan Toney replaced Robertson for the final 13 minutes. Lopez then had a shot blocked at close range while for Dale, Henderson fired a shot wide.
Peter Vincenti struck the post in stoppage time as Rochdale left Sixfields as the new league leaders of Sky Bet League 2.
COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (0) 3
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (0) 6
CORNERS: (2) 2
FOULS: (5) 17
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (2) 4
ROCHDALE MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (3) 5
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (2) 4
CORNERS: (2) 3
FOULS: (5) 7
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (4) 7
The above stats are recorded by club staff. The stats shown elsewhere on this page are recorded by Opta.