Rochdale v Northampton Town
SKY BET LEAGUE 1
Saturday April 1st, 3.00pm
Crown Oil Arena
ROCHDALE 1
Nathaniel Mendez-Laing 58
NORTHAMPTON TOWN 1
Paul Anderson 90
Attendance: 2,939 (number of Cobblers fans not confirmed)
Rochdale: Conrad Logan, Joseph Rafferty, Jimmy McNulty, Harrison McGahey, Matthew Lund, Calvin Andrew, Callum Camps (sub Oliver Rathbone 75), Nathaniel Mendez-Laing, Steven Davies (sub Peter Vincenti 59), Jamie Allen, Ian Henderson
Subs not used: Donal McDermott, Ben Wilson, Aaron Morley, Mark Kitching, Matthew Gillam
Cobblers: Adam Smith, Aaron Phillips (sub Brendan Moloney 69), David Buchanan, Zander Diamond, Lewin Nyatanga, Jak McCourt (sub Hiram Boateng 61), Matt Taylor, Paul Anderson, John-Joe O’Toole (sub Shaun McWilliams 66), Marc Richards, Michael Smith
Subs not used: Rod McDonald, Keshi Anderson, Harry Beautyman, David Cornell
Referee: Ross Joyce
Booked:
Rochdale: Peter Vincenti (72)
Cobblers: Jak McCourt (44, 7th of the season)
15 cautions at any time in season; 3 match suspension
Sent off:
Rochdale: 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.
John-Joe O’Toole came straight back into the Cobblers side after missing the previous week’s fixture against Oxford with a groin strain. Keshi Anderson dropped to the bench while Luke Williams (hamstring) remained sidelined.
Neither goalkeeper was troubled in a somewhat scrappy opening half hour at the Crown Oil Arena although it took some good defending from Aaron Phillips to deny former Cobblers striker Ian Henderson.
Marc Richards chipped a shot just over from a Phillips cross in what was possibly the Cobblers best chance of a goalless first half.
Rochdale started the second half in the ascendancy and it was the home side who broke the deadlock on 58 minutes, Nathaniel Mendez-Laing curling a shot inside the far post.
Hiram Boateng replaced Jak McCourt in the Cobblers first change before Shaun McWilliams came on for John-Joe O’Toole, 18-year old McWilliams making his debut for the club after coming up through the academy.
A shot from Paul Anderson clipped the post as the Cobblers built up some momentum with the winger again denied by the woodwork when his header came back off the upright.
Justin Edinburgh’s side continued to press for an equaliser and deep into stoppage time they got it. The Cobblers caught Rochdale asleep and Adam Smith's goal kick released Paul Anderson who lofted a delightful lob over Dale goalkeeper Conrad Logan. The goal was no more than the Cobblers and Paul Anderson deserved and there was hardly time for the game to re-start before the referee blew for full-time.
ROCHDALE MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (1) 4
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (10) 13
CORNERS: (2) 5
FOULS: (6) 11
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (2) 3
COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (1) 4
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (3) 8
CORNERS: (1) 2
FOULS: (5) 7
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (1) 2
The above stats are recorded by club staff. The stats shown elsewhere on this page are recorded by Opta