Northampton Town v Exeter City
SKY BET LEAGUE 2
Saturday August 15th, 3.00pm
Sixfields
NORTHAMPTON TOWN 3
Jason Taylor 24
Ryan Cresswell 38
Marc Richards 90
EXETER CITY 0
Attendance: 4,313 (316 away fans)
Cobblers: Adam Smith, Josh Lelan, David Buchanan, Jason Taylor, Zander Diamond (sub Rod McDonald 46), Ryan Cresswell, Lawson D’Ath (sub Ricky Holmes 54), Joel Byrom, Marc Richards, Nicky Adams (sub Sam Hoskins 79), Alfie Potter
Subs not used: Ryan Clarke, Paul Corry, John-Joe O’Toole, Dominic Calvert-Lewins
Exeter: Bobby Olejnik, Jamie McAllister (sub Craig Woodman 73), Christian Ribeiro, Ryan Harley, Matt Oakley, Arron Davies, Alex Nicholls (sub Will Hoskins 57), Tom Nichols, David Wheeler, Jordan Tillson (sub Lee Holmes 46), Troy Brown
Subs not used: Danny Butterfield, Clinton Morrison, Manny Oyeleke, James Hamon
Referee: Mr R Joyce
Booked:
Cobblers: Josh Lelan (35, 1st of the season), Rod McDonald (76, 1st)
Exeter: Matt Oakley (48), Lee Holmes (50)
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
Exeter: 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.
Northampton Town took on Exeter City in their first home league game of the season with Lawson D’Ath for John-Joe O’Toole the only change to the side that started against Bristol Rovers on the opening day. Exeter meanwhile named two former Cobblers in their starting XI, Alex Nicholls and Arron Davies.
In a tight start to the game, Adam Smith made a good save to deny Tom Nichols while for the Cobblers Nicky Adams tested Bobby Olejnik in the Grecians goal.
The deadlock was broken on 25 minutes and it was the Cobblers who took the lead thanks to Jason Taylor’s terrific 20-yard volley into the top corner. The goal might have come from nothing but it was an unbelievable strike from Taylor to open the scoring.
Marc Richards spurned a chance to make it 2-0 on 33 minutes, skewing his shot from a tight-angle having been played in by Adams.
Town did double their lead just five minutes later though, Ryan Cresswell scoring with a header from an Adams free-kick. Olejnik got a touch but couldn’t quite prevent Cresswell’s header from crossing the line, the linesman flagging to confirm the goal.
Both sides made a change at half-time, Rod McDonald on for his Cobblers debut in place of Zander Diamond while for Exeter Lee Holmes replaced Jordan Tillson.
Olejnik parried a shot from Lawson D’Ath who had raced clear on 49 minutes, the ball then falling nicely for Alfie Potter on the rebound but the former Oxford man couldn't keep his shot down.
As the second half neared the midway point Adam Smith made a superb save to keep the Cobblers two goal lead intact, Exeter substitute Will Hoskins the player denied.
Troy Brown headed inches wide from an Arron Davies cross as Exeter went close to pulling a goal back before Sam Hoskins came on for Nicky Adams in the Cobblers final change, Ricky Holmes having replaced Lawson D'Ath earlier in the half.
It had been a good afternoon for the Cobblers and the icing on the cake for them came in the shape of a Marc Richards goal in the 90th minute, the striker getting on the end of a perfectly delivered Ricky Holmes cross to seal a 3-0 victory.
COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (4) 7
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (4) 6
CORNERS: (4) 4
FOULS: (6) 13
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (0) 0
EXETER MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (3) 5
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (0) 3
CORNERS: (2) 3
FOULS: (3) 10
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (2) 3
The above stats are recorded by club staff. The stats shown elsewhere on this page are recorded by Opta