Northampton Town 2 West Bromwich Albion 2 - the match report
EFL CUP
Tuesday August 23rd, 7.45pm
Sixfields
NORTHAMPTON TOWN 2
Zander Diamond 35
Alex Revell 81
WEST BROMWICH ALBION 2
James McClean 45
Gareth McAuley 47
Attendance: 5,516 (1,549 away fans)
Cobblers: Adam Smith, Brendan Moloney (sub Aaron Phillips 90), Zander Diamond, Lewin Nyatanga, David Buchanan, John-Joe O’Toole, Matt Taylor, Jak McCourt (sub Sam Hoskins 75), Kenji Gorre, Harry Beautyman (sub Alfie Potter 75), Alex Revell
Subs not used: David Cornell, Rod McDonald, Lawson D’Ath, Marc Richards
WBA: Boaz Myhill, Jonas Olsson, James Morrison, Matt Phillips, James McClean (sub Darren Fletcher 62), Rickie Lambert (sub Salomon Rondon 85), Saido Berahino, Brendan Galloway (sub Kane Wilson 70), Gareth McAuley, Craig Dawson, Sam Field
Subs not used: Claudio Yacob, Craig Gardner, Alex Palmer, Jonathan Leko
Referee: Mr Darren Bond
Booked:
Cobblers: John-Joe O'Toole (13, 4th of the season), Kenji Gorre (78, 2nd), Adam Smith (90, 1st)
WBA: James McClean (13), James Morrison (101)
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
WBA: 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.
Premier League side West Bromwich Albion were the visitors at Sixfields for the Cobblers EFL Cup second round tie.
Lewin Nyatanga made his debut as Rob Page made four changes with Brendan Moloney, Jak McCourt and Harry Beautyman all included from the start. Tony Pulis meanwhile named a strong side that included former Cobblers loanee Saido Berahino in attack alongside Rickie Lambert.
On a very warm evening in Northampton the game got underway with a fervent atmosphere all around Sixfields. The Cobblers started off playing some nice possession football and Nyatanga headed just wide of the far post from an early Matt Taylor free-kick.
Kenji Gorre fired a shot just over the bar on 17 minutes while Moloney drew a save from Baggies keeper Boaz Myhill. Adam Smith meanwhile made a good save to tip a Berahino drive round the post in what was the visitors first real attempt on goal.
The Cobblers took a deserved lead on 35 minutes, Zander Diamond’s bullet header from a Moloney cross giving Myhill no chance in the West Brom goal. The goal came shortly after Brendan Galloway’s goal line clearance had somehow denied Beautyman the opening goal.
Somewhat against the run of play James McClean equalised for the Premier League side just before half-time, his shot from 25-yards squirming under Smith with Matt Taylor appleaing that he had been fouled in the build up.
West Brom turned the game on its head with a goal at the start of the second half, Gareth McAuley heading in a Matt Phillips free kick to put the away side in front.
Responding well to falling behind, the Cobblers gathered themselves to force a flurry of corners.
Former Manchester United midfielder Darren Fletcher came on for the final half hour, replacing the already booked McClean. Alex Revell just failed to get on the end of a Moloney cross as the Cobblers continued to look a threat going forward while Jonas Olsson headed narrowly wide for Albion.
Alfie Potter and Sam Hoskins came on in a double change for the home side before Smith pulled off a good save to deny Berahino.
Alex Revell equalised for the Cobblers on 81 minutes, finishing from six-yards after Myhill couldn’t hold a shot from Hoskins.
Diamond blocked a shot from Berahino while another smart stop from Smith denied the former Cobblers loanee. Aaron Phillips came on for Moloney in injury time as the game ended 2-2, forcing extra-time.
Salomon Rondon saw a shot saved comfortably by Smith at the start of extra-time while Matt Taylor fired just wide from an acute angle.
Revell tested Myhill in the second period of extra-time before Berahino just failed to connect with a whipped cross from Phillips. Gorre then went agonisingly close with a shot that was tipped onto the post by Myhill.
Kane Wilson flashed a shot just wide of the far post but there was to be no extra-time winner as the game went to penalties.
PENALTIES
Salomon Rondon – scored 0-1
Sam Hoskins – scored 1-1
Saido Berahino – missed 1-1
Matt Taylor – scored 2-1
Darren Fletcher – scored 2-2
John-Joe O’Toole – saved 2-2
Matt Phillips – scored 2-3
Alex Revell – scored 3-3
James Morrison – saved 3-3
Kenji Gorre – scored 4-3
Cobblers win 4-3 on penalties
SHOTS ON TARGET: (3) 8
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (2) 6
CORNERS: (2) 9
FOULS: (2) 9
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (1) 1
WBA MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (2) 10
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (4) 11
CORNERS: (4) 6
FOULS: (2) 12
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (0) 5
The above stats are recorded by club staff. The stats shown elsewhere on this page are recorded by Opta