Northampton Town 4 Accrington Stanley 5 - the match report
SKY BET LEAGUE 2
Saturday September 20th, 3.00pm
Sixfields
NORTHAMPTON TOWN 4
Marc Richards 26
Ivan Toney 77, 88
Darren Carter 90
ACCRINGTON STANLEY 5
Rob Atkinson 21, 37
John O'Sullivan 27, 75
Sean McGuire 84
Attendance: 4,731 (68 away fans)
Cobblers: Jordan Archer, Daniel Alfei (sub Ben Tozer 78), Ryan Cresswell, Lee Collins, Gregor Robertson (sub Darren Carter 78), Chris Hackett, Ryan Watson, Joel Byrom, Kaid Mohamed, Lawson D’Ath (sub Ivan Toney 56), Marc Richards.
Subs not used: Dean Snedker, John-Joe O’Toole, David Moyo, Ricky Ravenhill.
Accrington: Joe Lumley, Luke Joyce, Tom Aldred, Dean Winnard, Kai Naismith, Marcus Carver(sub Josh Windass 70), Nicky Hunt, John O'Sullivan (sub Will Hatfield 81), Sean McGuire (sub Seamus McCartan 90), Andy Procter, Rob Atkinson
Subs not used: Adam Buxton, Luke Simpson, Piero Mingoia, George Bowerman
Referee: Mr C Boyeson
Booked:
Cobblers: none
Accrington: Kai Naismith (90)
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
Accrington: 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.
Lee Collins replaced Zander Diamond (ankle) in the only change to the Northampton Town side for the visit of John Coleman’s Accrington Stanley to Sixfields.
After a quiet opening 20 minutes it was Accrington who took the lead, Rob Atkinson heading in a cross from Kai Naismith.
A Marc Richards header soon had the home side back on level terms, Richards heading home from a Joel Byrom corner.
As the goals continued to flow, John O’Sullivan then capitalised on a defensive mistake to quickly fire Stanley back in front.
Accrington extended their lead on 37 minutes, Rob Atkinson’s header coming back off the post before going in off the unfortunate Jordan Archer.
Joe Lumley comfortably saved a Marc Richards free-kick on 55 minutes before Ivan Toney entered the fray, replacing Lawson D’Ath.
Ryan Watson had a shot blocked after some neat work from Toney as the Cobblers continued to probe the Stanley defence. Chris Hackett had a shot cleared off the line following a cross from Byrom with Toney then volleying over.
Accrington increased their lead on 75 minutes, John O’Sullivan getting the final touch to Kai Naismith’s cross.
Ivan Toney then quickly pulled a goal back, scoring at the second attempt to make the scoreline read Cobblers 2 Accrington 4 with just over ten minutes to play.
Sean McGuire then got onto the end of a free-kick to make it 5-2 to Accrington before Ivan Toney made it 3-5, heading in a Kaid Mohamed cross.
Substitute Darren Carter then scored deep into stoppage time to make it 4-5 but the Cobblers couldn’t quite complete a remarkable comeback and Stanley left Sixfields with the three points.
COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (1) 9
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (3) 6
CORNERS: (5) 11
FOULS: (5) 10
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (0) 0
ACCRINGTON MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (3) 10
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (4) 8
CORNERS: (5) 5
FOULS: (6)
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (0)
The above stats are recorded by club staff. The stats shown elsewhere on this page are recorded by Opta