Port Vale v Northampton Town
SKY BET LEAGUE 1
Saturday December 10th, 3.00pm
Vale Park
PORT VALE 2
Ryan Taylor 51
Rigino Cicilia 90
NORTHAMPTON TOWN 3
Gabriel Zakuani 22
Sam Hoskins 78
Paul Anderson 90
Attendance: 4,379 (451 Cobblers fans)
Port Vale: Jak Alnwick, Ryan Taylor, Nathan Smith, Remie Streete, Kiko, Sebastien Amoros, Anthony De Freitas, Sam Kelly (sub Gezim Shalaj 63), Paulo Tavares (sub Martin Paterson 81), Alex Jones, Rigino Cicilia
Subs not used: Miguel Santos, Kjell Knops, Sam Hart, Christopher Mbamba, Dan Turner
Cobblers: David Cornell, Aaron Phillips, David Buchanan, Gabriel Zakuani, Lewin Nyatanga, Jak McCourt, Matt Taylor, Paul Anderson, Sam Hoskins, Marc Richards, Alex Revell
Subs not used: Adam Smith, Lawson D'Ath, Harry Beautyman, Rod McDonald, Raheem Hanley, Joel Byrom, Kenji Gorre
Referee: Graham Salisbury
Booked:
Port Vale: Paulo Tavares (70)
Cobblers: Jak McCourt (39, 4th of the season), Aaron Phillips (44, 3rd of the season), David Buchanan (68, 4th)
10 cautions on or before 11 April; 2 match suspension
15 cautions at any time in season; 3 match suspension
Sent off:
Port Vale: 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.
After an enforced two week break due to a postponement in the Emirates FA Cup, the Cobblers returned to action with a trip to Port Vale in Sky Bet League 1.
Former Vale boss Rob Page made one change to the side that started the previous game against Bolton, Marc Richards, who spent five years at Vale Park between 2007 and 2012, replacing Kenji Gorre. Zander Diamond, Brendan Moloney, John-Joe O’Toole and JJ Hooper were all unavailable for selection.
Alex Revell and Lewin Nyatanga both had chances to put the Cobblers in front inside the opening 15 minutes on a gloomy December afternoon at Vale Park.
Having started brightly the Cobblers took the lead midway through the first half, Gabriel Zakuani with a bullet header from a Matt Taylor corner.
A goal line headed clearance from David Buchanan kept the Cobblers lead intact while Jak Alnwick saved with his legs to deny Sam Hoskins from an acute angle.
A close range block from Vale defender Remie Streete denied Marc Richards as the Cobblers looked to double their lead at the start of the second half
Port Vale equalised on 52 minutes, Ryan Taylor somewhat fortunate that his initial mis-hit shot fell kindly for him to finish at the second attempt.
Revell spurned a good chance to put the Cobblers back in front, the striker heading wide from five-yards. Alnwick then denied Richards one-on-one as Rob Page’s side continued to create chances.
The Cobblers were enjoying a good spell of pressure and re-took the lead through Sam Hoskins, the goal coming from another Taylor corner that was headed down by Zakuani.
Vale pressed as the game entered the last few minutes, Rigino Cicilia seeing a shot saved by David Cornell.
Paul Anderson seemingly settled some nerves by doubling the Cobblers lead in the 90th minute, scoring from close range after Alnwick had denied Richards and Revell.
Rigino Cicilia headed home in stoppage time to make it 2-3 but Rob Page’s side saw out the remaining three minutes of injury time to return to winning ways.
PORT VALE MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (7) 14
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (6) 9
CORNERS: (6) 15
FOULS: (2) 7
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (0) 0
COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (5) 12
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (6) 8
CORNERS: (2) 3
FOULS: (6) 13
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (0) 0
The above stats are recorded by club staff. The stats shown elsewhere on this page are recorded by Opta