Northampton Town v Morecambe
SKY BET LEAGUE 2
Saturday January 23rd, 3.00pm
Sixfields
NORTHAMPTON TOWN 3
James Collins 30
John-Joe O'Toole 39
Rod McDonald 51
MORECAMBE 1
Paul Mullin 72
Attendance: 4,652 (96 away fans)
Cobblers: Adam Smith, Brendan Moloney, Zander Diamond, Rod McDonald, David Buchanan, John-Joe O’Toole, Joel Byrom, Ricky Holmes, Lee Martin (sub Nicky Adams 84), Marc Richards (sub Jason Taylor 80), James Collins (sub Sam Hoskins 89)
Subs not used: Ryan Clarke, Evan Horwood, Josh Lelan, Ryan Cresswell
Morecambe: Kieran O'Hara, Shaun Beeley, Alex Kenyon, Adam Dugdale, Jamie Devitt (sub Lee Molyneux 64), Tom Barkhuizen (sub Luke Conlan 85), Kevin Ellison, Shaun Miller (sub Paul Mullin 65), Andy Fleming, Laurence Wilson, Andy Parrish
Subs not used: Ryan Edwards, Alan Goodall, Chris Doyle, Jack Kelleher
Referee: Mr G Ward
Booked:
Cobblers: Marc Richards (26, 2nd of the season), David Buchanan (90, 1st)
Morecambe: Andy Fleming (26), Laurence Wilson (56), Kevin Ellison (57), Adam Dugdale (90)
10 cautions on or before 11 April; 2 match suspension
15 cautions at any time in season; 3 match suspension
Sent off:
Cobblers: none
Morecambe: 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.
Making their home debuts, James Collins and Lee Martin both came back into the Cobblers side for the visit of Morecambe, replacing Nicky Adams and Sam Hoskins.
Martin had a couple of chances in the opening ten minutes, testing rookie keeper Kieran O'Hara with a shot and putting a half-volley over the bar. As the Cobblers continued to press, a shot from Ricky Holmes deflected just out of the reach of Collins.
The Cobblers pressure told on the half hour and it was James Collins who opened the scoring, cooly slotting home after being played in by Joel Byrom from a smartly taken free kick.
Adam Smith was alert to deny Andy Fleming as Morecambe looked for an immediate reply but it wasn’t long before John-Joe O’Toole made it 2-0, O’Toole in the right place at the right time to turn in Holmes' initial shot.
The second half began in the same manner as the first had ended and on 51 minutes the Cobblers increased their lead, Rod McDonald heading in Lee Martin’s corner to make it 3-0.
Alex Kenyon looked primed to pull a goal back for Morecambe but the chance was wasted as he blazed over. That chance was a rare one for the away side and as the Cobblers continued to press, Marc Richards saw a shot saved by O’Hara.
Morecambe pulled a goal back on 72 minutes, substitute Paul Mullin on hand to tuck home the rebound after Smith saved from Kevin Ellison.
Jason Taylor, Nicky Adams and Sam Hoskins all came on in the closing stages but the game was to finish 3-1, a result that lifted the Cobblers back top of the table.
COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (5) 8
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (3) 3
CORNERS: (3) 7
FOULS: (2) 6
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (1) 2
MORECAMBE MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (0) 4
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (1) 4
CORNERS: (1) 2
FOULS: (5) 15
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (2) 3
The above stats are recorded by club staff. The stats shown elsewhere on this page are recorded by Opta