Gillingham v Northampton Town - the match report
SKY BET LEAGUE 1
Saturday November 12th, 3.00pm
Priestfield Stadium
GILLINGHAM 2
Max Ehmer 48
Jay Emmanuel-Thomas 90
NORTHAMPTON TOWN 1
John-Joe O'Toole 36
Attendance: 5,790 (637 Cobblers fans)
Gillingham: Stuart Nelson, Ryan Jackson, Max Ehmer, Jake Hessenthaler, Cody McDonald, Billy Knott, Paul Konchesky, Baily Cargill, Josh Wright, Frank Nouble (sub Bradley Dack 65), Jay Emmanuel-Thomas
Subs not used: Tom Hadler, Deji Oshilaja, Bradley Garmston, Emmanuel Osadebe, Scott Wagstaff, Rory Donnelly
Cobblers: Adam Smith, Brendan Moloney, David Buchanan, Zander Diamond, Lewin Nyatanga, John-Joe O’Toole, Matt Taylor, Paul Anderson, Sam Hoskins, JJ Hooper (sub Kenji Gorre 78), Marc Richards (sub Alex Revell 58)
Subs not used: David Cornell, Joel Byrom, Harry Beautyman, Alfie Potter, Raheem Hanley
Referee: Lee Probert
Booked:
Gillingham: none
Cobblers: none
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:
Gillingham: 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 a two week break from league action the Cobblers travelled to Gillingham. Lewin Nyatanga started at centre-half alongside Zander Diamond with Gabriel Zakuani away on international duty while John-Joe O’Toole replaced the injured Jak McCourt in midfield.
Prior to kick-off there was an impeccably observed minute’s silence ahead of Remembrance Sunday.
Gillingham created a couple of early openings, Adam Smith saving from Jay Emmanuel-Thomas and Brendan Moloney with a near goal-line clearance.
Stuart Nelson denied Sam Hoskins from an acute angle before in the same passage of play John-Joe O’Toole just failed to connect with the subsequent cross.
The Cobblers took the lead on 36 minutes, O’Toole with a close range finish after the home side failed to clear a Matt Taylor corner.
Baily Cargill fired a shot just wide as the Gills looked for a quick leveller before JJ Hooper went close to doubling the Cobblers lead with a terrific strike from 25-yards that flew just over the bar. Hooper was then denied by the post in first half stoppage time as Rob Page’s side ended the first half strongly.
Max Ehmer equalised for Gillingham at the start of the second half, the defender, up for a corner, sliding in at the far post to poke the ball past Smith.
O’Toole headed wide from a Taylor corner as the Cobblers looked to almost immediately restore their lead.
The Cobblers first change of the afternoon came just before the hour mark with Alex Revell replacing Marc Richards in attack. Their second change was enforced after JJ Hooper pulled up abruptly with what looked like a thigh muscle injury. Kenji Gorre, back from international duty with Curacao, came on in his place.
A shot from Brendan Moloney was saved by Nelson on 81 minutes as both sides pushed for a late winner on a cold and wet afternoon in Kent.
Jay Emmanuel-Thomas won it for the Gills with a goal in stoppage time, his driven shot into the bottom corner proving decisive.
GILLINGHAM MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (2) 6
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (7) 9
CORNERS: (4) 7
FOULS: (2) 9
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (2) 5
COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (4) 6
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (1) 5
CORNERS: (2) 3
FOULS: (2) 6
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (1) 2
The above stats are recorded by club staff. The stats shown elsewhere on this page are recorded by Opta