Newport County v Northampton Town
SKY BET LEAGUE 2
Saturday September 13th, 3.00pm
Rodney Parade
NEWPORT COUNTY 3
Chris Zebroski 18
Darren Jones 33
Lee Minshull 53
NORTHAMPTON TOWN 2
Lawson D'Ath 76
Marc Richards 85
Attendance: 2,875 (Cobblers fans not confirmed)
Newport: Joe Day, Ryan Jackson (sub Andy Sandell 68), Kevin Feely, Darren Jones, Adam Chapman (sub Yan Klukowski 76), Lee Minshull, Aaron O'Connor (sub Joe Pigott 64), Chris Zebroski, Robbie Willmott, Andrew Hughes, Mark Byrne.
Subs not used: Lenny Pidgeley, Joe Parker, Michael Flynn, Christian Jolley
Cobblers: Jordan Archer, Ben Tozer (sub Daniel Alfei 46), Zander Diamond, Ryan Cresswell, Gregor Robertson (sub John-Joe O'Toole 46), Chris Hackett, Ryan Watson (sub Lawson D'Ath 70), Joel Byrom, Darren Carter, Ivan Toney, Marc Richards
Subs not used: Matt Duke, Lee Collins, Ricky Ravenhill, David Moyo
Referee: Mr C Sarginson
Booked:
Newport: Kevin Feely (40), Joe Pigott (90)
Cobblers: Ryan Watson (53, 1st of the season)
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:
Newport: none
Cobblers: 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.
Injuries to Matt Duke (thigh) and Kaid Mohamed (foot) meant there were two changes to the Northampton Town side for the trip to Newport. Jordan Archer replaced Duke in goal with Darren Carter coming into the midfield.
Newport started the game brightly and Mark Byrne had a good chance to put the home side ahead on 11 minutes but put his shot wide from 12-yards following a neat cut-back from Robbie Willmott.
The home side then did take the lead a few minutes later, Chris Zebroski finding the back of the net after the Cobblers defence failed to clear.
As the Cobblers tried to work their way back into the game, Joe Day made a terrific save to keep out an Ivan Toney volley.
Darren Jones doubled Newport’s lead on 33 minutes, his powerful strike taking a deflection off Ryan Cresswell to beat Archer.
With the Cobblers trailing 2-0 at half-time boss Chris Wilder made a double change, John-Joe O’Toole and Daniel Alfei coming on for Gregor Robertson and Ben Tozer.
The home side extended their lead seven minutes into the second half, Lee Minshull heading home from a free-kick.
Ryan Cresswell had the ball in the back of the net on 68 minutes but the linesman flagged for an apparent handball and the goal was disallowed.
Lawson D’Ath did pull a goal back for the Cobblers on 76 minutes, the substitute travelling well before scoring with a superb left-footed strike from 20-yards.
The Cobblers deficit was then halved on 85 minutes, Marc Richards getting on the end of a Daniel Alfei cross to make it 3-2 and set up a tense finale at Rodney Parade.
O’Toole was denied by Day in stoppage time as Town pressed for an equaliser but they couldn’t quite pull off what would have been a remarkable comeback and Newport held on to claim the points.
NEWPORT MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (4) 7
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (2) 8
CORNERS: (3) 6
FOULS: (7) 13
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (4) 4
COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (2) 5
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (2) 3
CORNERS: (2) 3
FOULS: (4) 12
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (0) 1
The above stats are recorded by club staff. The stats shown elsewhere on this page are recorded by Opta