Oxford United v Northampton Town

Oxford United v Northampton Town

SKY BET LEAGUE 1
Monday December 26th, 3.00pm
Kassam Stadium

OXFORD UNITED 0

NORTHAMPTON TOWN 1

Marc Richards 90

Attendance: 11,790 (1,128 Cobblers fans)

Oxford: Simon Eastwood, John Lundstram, Curtis Nelson, Chris Maguire, Alex MacDonald, Kane Hemmings (sub Ryan Taylor 68), Phil Edwards, Rob Hall (sub Tyler Roberts 83), Ryan Ledson, Marvin Johnson, Chey Dunkley

Subs not used: Benji Buchel, Joe Skarz, Josh Ruffels, Joe Rothwell, Charlie Raglan

Cobblers: Adam Smith, Aaron Phillips, David Buchanan, Gabriel Zakuani, Lewin Nyatanga, John-Joe O’Toole, Matt Taylor, Paul Anderson, Alfie Potter (sub Harry Beautyman 86), Marc Richards, Alex Revell

Subs not used: David Cornell, Emmanuel Sonupe, Kenji Gorre, Zander Diamond, Joe Iaciofano, Jak McCourt

Referee: John Brooks

Booked:
Oxford: none
Cobblers: John-Joe O'Toole (36, 12th of the season), Alex Revell (44, 6th), Matthew Taylor (75, 4th), Aaron Phillips (79, 4th), Paul Anderson (87, 2nd)

10 cautions on or before 11 April; 2 match suspension

15 cautions at any time in season; 3 match suspension

Sent off:
Oxford: 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.

Adam Smith returned in goal for the Cobblers Boxing Day trip to Oxford United while Alfie Potter replaced Sam Hoskins (hamstring). Zander Diamond was named on the bench after missing the previous few weeks with a fractured cheekbone while injury continued to sideline Brendan Moloney and JJ Hooper.

Simon Eastwood fumbled a Matt Taylor shot on 15 minutes with a couple of lurking Cobblers players just unable to snaffle up the rebound.

Marc Richards and Paul Anderson both saw efforts deflected behind as Rob Page’s side pressed for the opening goal while Lewin Nyatanga headed on to the top of the bar from 10-yards.

Smith saved a Chris Maguire free-kick after John-Joe O’Toole had been booked, his 12th yellow card of the campaign.

The Cobblers continued to look dangerous going forward at the start of the second half but Alfie Potter couldn’t quite get his shot off when in on goal. Paul Anderson then had a chance to break the deadlock but the winger couldn’t convert from close range after a header back across goal from Richards.

Zakuani made a good block to deny Chris Maguire as the game entered the last 15 minutes still delicately poised.

Alfie Potter made way for Harry Beautyman as Rob Page made a change, the former Oxford winger leaving the field to warm applause from both sets of supporters.

Beautyman had a chance to put the Cobblers in front late on but couldn’t keep his shot down. The game wasn’t done though and the Cobblers won it in stoppage time, Marc Richards with a neat back-heel from close range to Beautyman's shot to clinch the three points.

OXFORD MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)

SHOTS ON TARGET: (4) 8
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (1) 8
CORNERS: (2) 4
FOULS: (5) 11
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (0) 0

COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (2) 4

SHOTS OFF TARGET: (3) 8
CORNERS: (3) 4
FOULS: (8) 20
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (2) 3

The above stats are recorded by club staff. The stats shown elsewhere on this page are recorded by Opta

Match Reports