Stevenage 2 Northampton Town 1 - the match report
SKY BET LEAGUE 2
Saturday April 11th, 3.00pm
The Lamex Stadium
STEVENAGE 2
Chris Whelpdale 65
Simon Walton 90
NORTHAMPTON TOWN 1
Zander Diamond 39
Attendance: 3,378 (Cobblers fans not confirmed)
Stevenage: Chris Day, Andy Bond, Dean Wells, Bira Dembele, Jerome Okimo, Tom Pett (sub Bruno Andrade 78), Dean Parrett, Tom Conlon, Chris Whelpdale, Charlie Lee (sub Simon Walton 87), Chris Beardsley.
Subs not used: Sam Beasant, David McAllister, Louis-Michel Yamfam, Afolabi Akinyemi
Cobblers: Matt Duke, Brendon Moloney, Ryan Cresswell, Lee Collins, Zander Diamond (sub John-Joe O'Toole 71), Evan Horwood (sub Ben Tozer 50), Jason Taylor, Joel Byrom, James Gray (sub Lawson D'Ath 50), Diego De Girolamo, Ivan Toney
Subs not used: Shwan Jalal, Darren Carter, Ross Perry, Chris Hackett
Referee: Mr P Bankes
Booked:
Stevenage: Tom Pett (41), Charlie Lee (81), Dean Wells (90)
Cobblers: Jason Taylor (29, 10th of the season, 2 match suspension), Ryan Cresswell (60, 9th), Brendon Moloney (79, 6th), Ivan Toney (82, 8th)
10 cautions on or before 11 April; 2 match suspension
15 cautions at any time in season; 3 match suspension
Sent off:
Stevenage: none
Cobblers: Ryan Cresswell (90, 2 yellow cards)
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.
The Cobblers were without Ricky Holmes (knee) for the trip to Stevenage, the winger left out as a precaution. Lawson D’Ath and Chris Hackett dropped to the bench as Zander Diamond, Diego De Girolamo and Ivan Toney came into the side. Stevenage started the day sixth in Sky Bet League 2 with the Cobblers in eleventh, five points outside the play-offs.
Bira Dembele spurned a good chance to put the home side in front on 9 minutes, heading wide from a free-kick. Jason Taylor then picked up his 10th booking of the season just before the half hour mark, incurring a two-match ban for the midfielder.
Matt Duke made a terrific save to keep out a Chris Beardsley half-volley before the Cobblers took the lead on 39 minutes, Zander Diamond driving the ball home from 15-yards after Stevenage failed to clear a Joel Byrom free-kick.
Boss Chris Wilder made a double change five minutes into the second half, Lawson D’Ath and the fit again Ben Tozer on for James Gray and Evan Horwood, who had picked up an injury.
Chris Day saved a low shot from Ivan Toney just before the hour mark but Stevenage were back on level terms on 65 minutes, Chris Whelpdale with a far post header.
John-Joe O’Toole replaced Zander Diamond in the Cobblers final change while Stevenage substitute Bruno Andrade clipped a free-kick just over the bar.
With the Cobblers pushing forward and gambling as they had to do, the game becoming stretched. Andrade fired over while O’Toole failed to connect cleanly with a shot that was parried by Day.
After having a goal ruled out for the tightest of offside calls, the Cobblers were then stung on the counter-attack in the 90th minute, Simon Walton scoring what proved to be the winning goal for Stevenage. Town’s day was then further compounded in stoppage time when Ryan Cresswell sent off for a second booking.
STEVENAGE MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (2) 5
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (4) 6
CORNERS: (4) 6
FOULS: (6) 12
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (0) 5
COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (2) 5
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (2) 3
CORNERS: (1) 1
FOULS: (9) 16
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (1) 3
The above stats are recorded by club staff. The stats shown elsewhere on this page are recorded by Opta