Northampton Town v Shrewsbury Town
SKY BET LEAGUE 1
Monday April 17th, 3.00pm
Sixfields
NORTHAMPTON TOWN 1
Marc Richards 21
SHREWSBURY TOWN 1
Mat Sadler 66
Attendance: 6,211 (676 away supporters)
Cobblers: Adam Smith, Brendan Moloney, David Buchanan, Zander Diamond, Lewin Nyatanga, Matt Taylor (sub Shaun McWilliams 72), Paul Anderson, Hiram Boateng (sub Aaron Phillips 60), John-Joe O’Toole, Marc Richards, Alex Revell (sub Rod McDonald 90)
Subs not used: Harry Beautyman, Jak McCourt, Keshi Anderson, David Cornell
Shrewsbury: Jayson Leutwiler, Mat Sadler, Shaun Whalley, Abu Ogogo, Louis Dodds, Junior Brown, Jack Grimmer, Ryan Yates, Aristote Nsiala, Alex Rodman (sub Stephen Humphrys 62), Stefan Payne (sub AJ Leitch-Smith 88)
Subs not used: Ryan McGivern, Bryn Morris, Gary Deegan, Adam El-Abd, Mark Halstead
Referee: Charles Breakspear
Booked:
Cobblers: David Buchanan (51, 8th of the season), John-Joe O'Toole (80, 14th)
Shrewsbury: Aristote Nsiala (75)
15 cautions at any time in season; 3 match suspension
Sent off:
Cobblers: David Buchanan (56, 2nd booking, one match ban), John-Joe O'Toole (90, 2nd booking, one match ban)
Shrewsbury: 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.
John-Joe O’Toole, Brendan Moloney, Hiram Boateng and Alex Revell all came into the Cobblers side for the Easter Monday clash with Shrewsbury at Sixfields. Luke Williams (hamstring) and Michael Smith (leg) were both unavailable for selection while Aaron Phillips and Keshi Anderson dropped to the bench.
Matt Taylor saw an early free-kick deflected behind as both sides looked to settle. Alex Rodman then had a header saved for the visitors who started the afternoon three places and four points behind the Cobblers in the table.
The breakthrough came on 21 minutes, Marc Richards heading in from close range after Boateng had initially been denied by Jayson Leutwiler in the Shrews goal.
To their credit Shrewsbury responded well to falling behind and it took a good low save from Adam Smith to keep out a shot from Shaun Whalley.
A goal line clearance prevented Alex Revell doubling the Cobblers lead before Louis Dodds had a shot blocked by Taylor in a frantic start to the second half.
Shrewsbury were pressing and the Cobblers found themselves down to ten men when the ever-present David Buchanan was shown a second yellow card for an adjudged foul on Whalley. Taylor slotted in at left-back temporarily before Aaron Phillips came on for Boateng.
Mat Sadler equalised for the Shrews on 66 minutes, the one-time Cobblers loanee touching in a Whalley free-kick at the far post.
Shaun McWilliams replaced Matt Taylor in the Cobblers second change, with just over fifteen minutes to play.
Revell headed wide from a Paul Anderson corner late on but with the game entering stoppage time the referee produced a second red card of the afternoon, John-Joe O’Toole sent off, the Cobblers down to nine men.
It was a nervy end to a scrappy second half but the Cobblers showed character to claim a point, edging nearer to securing their League One survival.
COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (5) 6
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (0) 1
CORNERS: (3) 5
FOULS: (6) 14
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (0) 1
SHREWSBURY MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (4) 10
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (2) 6
CORNERS: (5) 13
FOULS: (6) 14
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (0) 1
The above stats are recorded by club staff. The stats shown elsewhere on this page are recorded by Opta