Shrewsbury Town v Northampton Town
SKY BET LEAGUE 2
Saturday February 28th, 3.00pm
Greenhaus Meadow
SHREWSBURY TOWN 1
Mickey Demetriou 83
NORTHAMPTON TOWN 2
Chris Hackett 20
Joel Byrom 47
Attendance: 5,310 (643 Cobblers fans)
Shrewsbury: Jayson Leutwiler, Jermaine Grandison, Mickey Demetriou, Ryan Woods, Mark Ellis, Connor Goldson, James Collins, Scott Vernon (sub Bobby Grant 46), Keith Southern (sub Aaron Wildig 72), Jordan Clark (sub Jean-Louis Akpa Akpro 46), Tyrone Barnett
Subs not used: Mark Halstead, Ashley Vincent, Cameron Gayle, Mikael Mandron.
Cobblers: Matt Duke, Brendon Moloney, Ryan Cresswell, Lee Collins, Evan Horwood, Jason Taylor, Joel Byrom, Lawson D’Ath (sub Zander Diamond 89), Ivan Toney, Ricky Holmes, Chris Hackett (sub Darren Carter 68)
Subs not used: Shwan Jalal, Billy Bodin, Tom Newey, Danny Clifton, Sam Warburton
Referee: Mr C Kavanagh
Booked:
Shrewsbury: none
Cobblers: Brendon Moloney (81, 3rd of the season), Ivan Toney (87, 6th)
10 cautions on or before 11 April; 2 match suspension
15 cautions at any time in season; 3 match suspension
Sent off:
Shrewsbury: 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.
The Cobblers were without leading goalscorer Marc Richards (achilles) for the trip to Shrewsbury, Ivan Toney coming into the side.
Lawson D’Ath had a shot deflected behind in the opening ten minutes before former Cobblers loanee Scott Vernon volleyed just over for the home side.
Shrewsbury may be unbeaten at home in the league this season but it was the Cobblers who deservedly got themselves in front, Chris Hackett with a terrific first-time strike from 18-yards from a D'Ath pass.
Vernon was denied at close range by Lee Collins as the Shrews tried to build up some momentum. James Collins then had a chance in first half stoppage time but couldn’t connect with Vernon’s ball across the face of goal.
Joel Byrom doubled the Cobblers lead at the start of the second half, the midfielder scoring from fully 20-yards following a well-worked training ground free-kick routine.
Matt Duke made a good save to deny half-time substitute Bobby Grant on 55 minutes before Mark Ellis headed wide from a corner.
Jean-Louis Akpa Akpro then spurned a good chance to make it 1-2 before Ivan Toney went close for the Cobblers, shooting just wide after being played in by Ricky Holmes. Chris Wilder was then forced into making a change when goalscorer Hackett picked up a knock, Darren Carter the player to come on.
Shrewsbury’s deficit was halved on 84 minutes by a Mickey Demetriou header from a set-piece.
Ricky Holmes then almost immediately restored the Cobblers two goal lead and would have done but for a terrific save from Jayson Leutwiler.
Tyrone Barnett headed wide for Shrewsbury in stoppage time, of which there were five minutes, but the Cobblers deservedly held on to claim the three points and inflict a first home defeat of the season against a side who started the day second In Sky Bet League 2.
SHREWSBURY MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (1) 5
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (4) 13
CORNERS: (0) 5
FOULS: (4) 8
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (2) 5
COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (2) 5
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (3) 7
CORNERS: (1) 5
FOULS: (6) 12
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (0) 0
The above stats are recorded by club staff. The stats shown elsewhere on this page are recorded by Opta