Barnet 2 Northampton Town 0 - the match report
SKY BET LEAGUE 2
Tuesday August 18th, 7.45pm
The Hive
BARNET 2
John Akinde 64 pen, 90
NORTHAMPTON TOWN 0
Attendance: 2,466 (922 Cobblers fans)
Barnet: Graham Stack, Gavin Hoyte, Elliot Johnson, Bira Dembele, Bondz N'Gala, Andy Yiadom, Curtis Weston (sub Sam Muggleton 90), Sam Togwell, Ben Tomlinson (sub Luke Gambin 58), John Akinde (sub Michael Nelson 90), Michael Gash
Subs not used: Mauro Vilhete, Tom Champion, Shaun Batt, Jamie Stephens.
Cobblers: Adam Smith, Josh Lelan, David Buchanan, Jason Taylor, Rod McDonald, Ryan Cresswell, Sam Hoskins (sub Marc Richards 68), Joel Byrom, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Chris Hackett (sub Nicky Adams 58), Lawson D'Ath
Subs not used: Ryan Clarke, Alfie Potter, Paul Corry, John-Joe O’Toole
Referee: Mr L Swabey
Booked:
Barnet: none
Cobblers: Joel Byrom (84, 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:
Barnet: none
Cobblers: Jason Taylor (63, one match ban)
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.
Northampton Town made their first ever trip to The Hive on the back of three consecutive victories but without Zander Diamond due to a minor groin injury.
Rod McDonald replaced Diamond at centre half while, Chris Hackett, Sam Hoskins and Dominic Calvert-Lewin also all came into the side. Ricky Holmes was also named in the starting eleven but was withdrawn prior to kick off.
Both keepers were called into action in the first 20 minutes, Graham Stack making a good double save to deny Hoskins and Calvert-Lewin while Adam Smith was alert to thwart John Akinde at close range.
An audacious overhead kick from Calvert-Lewin went just wide while Stack spilt a speculative effort from Hoskins with Lawson D’Ath failing to get his shot away on the rebound.
Barnet survived a goalmouth melay at the start of the second half, twice clearing the ball off the goal line from D'Ath and Hackett.
A big moment in the game then came on 63 minutes with Barnet awarded a penalty and the Cobblers reduced to ten men. Jason Taylor was shown a straight red card for bringing down John Akinde in the penalty area; Akinde then stepping up to give Barnet the lead from the spot.
Marc Richards came on for Sam Hoskins before Adam Smith made a terrific double save to prevent Andy Yiadom from doubling the home side’s lead.
With the Cobblers pressing they were caught at the back late on, John Akinde scoring his and Barnet’s second of the night after getting in behind the Town defence and sliding the ball home into an empty net.
That was that for ten men Town as they suffered their first defeat of the new season.
BARNET MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (2) 8
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (2) 7
CORNERS: (2) 6
FOULS: (4) 10
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (1) 1
COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (6) 12
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (4) 7
CORNERS: (3) 5
FOULS: (6) 13
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (1) 2
The above stats are recorded by club staff. The stats shown elsewhere on this page are recorded by Opta