Bristol Rovers v Northampton Town
SKY BET LEAGUE 1
Saturday January 7th, 3.00pm
Memorial Stadium
BRISTOL ROVERS 5
Billy Bodin 8
Ellis Harrison 18, 21, 25, 55
NORTHAMPTON TOWN 0
Attendance: 8,424 (321 Cobblers fans)
Bristol Rovers: Will Puddy, Ollie Clarke, Tom Lockyer, Mark McChrystal, Lee Brown, Billy Bodin (sub Liam Lawrence 80), Chris Lines, James Clarke, Cristian Montano (sub Byron Moore 60), Ellis Harrison, Matt Taylor (sub Jermaine Easter 71)
Subs not used: Kelle Roos, Lee Mansell, Stuart Sinclair, Rory Gaffney
Cobblers: Adam Smith, David Buchanan, Zander Diamond, Rod McDonald, Hiram Boateng, Matt Taylor, Harry Beautyman (sub John-Joe O'Toole 28), Paul Anderson (sub JJ Hooper 46), Sam Hoskins, Alex Revell, Gregg Wylde (sub Marc Richards 28)
Subs not used: David Cornell, Alfie Potter, Jak McCourt, Raheem Hanley
Referee: Gavin Ward
Booked:
Bristol Rovers: Mark McChrystal (45)
Cobblers: Sam Hoskins (67, 1st of the season)
10 cautions on or before 11 April; 2 match suspension
15 cautions at any time in season; 3 match suspension
Sent off:
Bristol Rovers: 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.
Rob Page was forced into making a trio of changes to his defence for the trip to Bristol Rovers with Lewin Nyatanga (ill), Gabriel Zakuani (international duty) and Aaron Phillips (hamstring) all unavailable for selection. Rod McDonald partnered Zander Diamond at centre-half while Paul Anderson began the game at right-back with Brendan Moloney also still sidelined. Further forward January arrivals Gregg Wylde and Hiram Boateng both made their first starts for the club after joining on loan from Crystal Palace and Millwall respectively.
Bristol Rovers' Billy Bodin broke the deadlock in the 8th minute at the Memorial Stadium, firing a shot past Adam Smith from 25 yards.
Ellis Harrison doubled Rovers lead with a neat flick at the near post, referee Gavin Ward giving the goal despite an initial off-side flag from the linesman.
Striker Harrison quickly made it 3-0, finishing from close range after Mark McChrystal’s header was cleared off the line.
Lee Brown then set up Harrison to complete a quickfire hat-trick, 4-0.
In a bid to stem the tide and turn things around, Marc Richards and John-Joe O’Toole came on in a double change, Gregg Wylde and Harry Beautyman replaced.
A good interception from McChrystal denied Sam Hoskins while Richards went close from a Matt Taylor free-kick as the Cobblers looked to get themselves back into the game with a goal before half-time.
BRISTOL ROVERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (5) 8
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (3) 8
CORNERS: (2) 4
FOULS: (3) 11
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (1) 2
COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (0) 1
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (2) 6
CORNERS: (1) 2
FOULS: (3) 6
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (0) 1
The above stats are recorded by club staff. The stats shown elsewhere on this page are recorded by Opta