Northampton Town v Stevenage

Northampton Town v Stevenage

SKY BET LEAGUE 2
Saturday November 22nd, 3.00pm
Sixfields

NORTHAMPTON TOWN 1

Marc Richards 20

STEVENAGE 0

Attendance: 4,431 (309 away fans)

Cobblers: Jordan Archer, Ben Tozer, Kelvin Langmead, Lee Collins, Gregor Robertson, Chris Hackett (sub Ricky Ravenhill 85), Stewart Murdoch, Darren Carter, Kaid Mohamed (sub Joel Byrom 85), Marc Richards, Alex Nicholls (sub Ivan Toney 57).

Subs not used: Matt Duke, Daniel Alfei, Emile Sinclair, David Moyo.

Stevenage: Chris Day, Bira Dembele, Jon Ashton, Darius Charles (sub Roarie Deacon 77), David McAllister, Dean Wells, Charlie Lee (sub Chris Whelpdale 83), Ronnie Henry, Lee Barnard, Jack Jebb (sub Dean Parrett 68), Charlie Adams.

Subs not used: Sam Beasant, Andy Bond, Simon Walton, Jerome Okimo.

Referee: Mr A D'Urso

Booked:
Cobblers: none
Stevenage: David McAllister (45), Jon Ashton (79)

5 cautions on or before 30 November; 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
Stevenage: 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.

Kelvin Langmead started a game for the first time since March 2013, replacing Ryan Cresswell (knee). Alex Nicholls partnered Marc Richards up front.

The Cobblers started brightly, showing some good attacking intent in the opening ten minutes without testing Chris Day in the Stevenage goal.

Town deservedly took the lead on 20 minutes following some good play by Stewart Murdoch in central midfield with Chris Hackett. Murdoch then provided the cross for Marc Richards to finish superbly.

Two minutes later and the lead was nearly doubled, only for Richards header at the far post to bounce back off the crossbar.

Hackett was causing Stevenage all sorts of problems down the right-hand side and on 38 minutes his cross found Gregor Robertson at the far post, his header saved by Day.

Stevenage started the second half in more of an offensive fashion and on 52 minutes it took a terrific save from Jordan Archer to keep out a shot from Charlie Lee.

Ivan Toney came on for Alex Nicholls in the Cobblers first change before former Cobblers loanee Lee Barnard failed to connect cleanly with a ball across the face of goal from Charlie Adams.

Boss Chris Wilder made a double change on 85 minutes, Ricky Ravenhill and Joel Byrom coming on for Kaid Mohamed and Chris Hackett.

Lee Barnard was denied by the top of the cross bar in stoppage time while substitute Chris Whelpdale fired wide. The Cobblers held on though to make it back-to-back league victories at Sixfields.

COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (4) 4
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (3) 4
CORNERS: (8) 10
FOULS: (3) 4
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (0) 0

STEVENAGE MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (2) 5
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (0) 3
CORNERS: (1) 1
FOULS: (7) 11
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (2) 4

The above stats are recorded by club staff. The stats shown elsewhere on this page are recorded by Opta

Match Reports