SKY BET LEAGUE 1
Saturday December 9th, 3.00pm
SportsDirect.com Park
OLDHAM ATHLETIC 5
Jack Byrne 5, 45
Tope Obadeyi 27
Gevaro Nepomuceno 60
Craig Davies 90
NORTHAMPTON TOWN 1
Sam Foley 48
Attendance: 3,532 (332 Cobblers fans)
Oldham: Johnny Placide, Cameron Dummigan, Anthony Gerrard, Dan Gardner, Eoin Doyle, Rob Hunt, Ousmane Fane, Gevaro Nepomuceno (sub Craig Davies 87), Jack Byrne (sub Aaron Amadi-Holloway 88) Tope Obadeyi (sub Ryan Flynn 77), Kean Byran
Subs not used: Ben Wilson, Brian Wilson, Queensy Menig, Paul Green
Cobblers: David Cornell, Brendan Moloney, David Buchanan, Ash Taylor, Leon Barnett, Regan Poole (sub John-Joe O'Toole 46), Matt Grimes, Billy Waters (sub George Smith 66), Matt Crooks, Sam Foley, Chris Long
Subs not used: Luke Coddington, Ryan McGivern, Marc Richards, Aaron Pierre, Lewis McGugan
Referee: Mr Graham Salisbury
Booked:
Oldham: Gevaro Nepomuceno (42), Ousmane Fane (84)
Cobblers: David Buchanan (37, 2nd of the season), Ash Taylor (45, 2nd)
10 cautions on or before 37 games; 2 match suspension
15 cautions at any time in season; 3 match suspension
Sent off:
Oldham: 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.
Matt Ingram (shoulder) and Sam Hoskins (ankle) were both ruled out for the Cobblers trip to Oldham but John-Joe O’Toole returned on the bench. Referee Graham Salisbury gave the game the go ahead following two pitch inspections, with snow starting to fall again as the match got underway.
The home side took the lead inside five minutes, Jack Byrne curling a shot into the top corner from fully 30-yards.
With the snow easing, Regan Poole and Matt Crooks both shot wide and Ash Taylor tested Johnny Placide from distance as the Cobblers looked to level things up on an extremely chilly afternoon in Greater Manchester.
Tope Obadeyi doubled Oldham’s lead on 26 minutes, heading in from a corner.
With the snow starting to come down again, Matt Grimes flashed a shot wide from distance and an un-marked Leon Barnett failed to connect with a Sam Foley cross at the back post. Ash Taylor headed narrowly over from a corner in first half stoppage time before Jack Byrne’s deflected effort sent Oldham into the break 3-0 up.
John-Joe O’Toole replaced Regan Poole for the second half and the Cobblers quickly pulled a goal back, Chris Long capitalising on a mistake from the Oldham goalkeeper before playing in Sam Foley to score.
Oldham restored their three goal lead on the hour mark, Gevaro Nepomuceno following-up after David Cornell had parried Eoin Doyle’s initial effort.
A finger-tip save from Placide denied Matt Crooks while at the other end Doyle volleyed wide when well-placed in front of goal. Chris Long and George Smith both had efforts saved but it was Oldham who scored again in stoppage time, Craig Davies converting from close range to make it 5-1 to the hosts.
OLDHAM MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (4) 11
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (0) 3
CORNERS: (2) 4
FOULS: (4) 8
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (2) 2
COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (1) 7
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (4) 6
CORNERS: (1) 5
FOULS: (4) 6
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (1) 4