Bolton Wanderers v Northampton Town
SKY BET LEAGUE 1
Saturday March 18th, 3.00pm
Macron Stadium
BOLTON WANDERERS 2
Adam Le Fondre 76 pen
Filipe Morais 82
NORTHAMPTON TOWN 1
Michael Smith 57
Attendance: 14,255 (872 Cobblers fans)
Bolton: Ben Alnwick, Dorian Dervite, Mark Beevers, Josh Vela, Gary Madine, Derik Osede (sub Jay Spearing 79), Andrew Taylor, Darren Pratley, Filipe Morais, David Wheater, Adam Le Fondre
Subs not used: Mark Howard, Dean Moxey, Jem Karacan, Chris Long, Max Clayton, James Henry
Cobblers: Adam Smith, Aaron Phillips (sub Brendan Moloney 87), David Buchanan, Zander Diamond, Lewin Nyatanga, Matt Taylor, John-Joe O’Toole, Luke Williams, Jak McCourt (sub Paul Anderson 77), Marc Richards, Michael Smith (sub Keshi Anderson 83)
Subs not used: Rod McDonald, Gregg Wylde, Harry Beautyman, David Cornell
Referee: Richard Clark
Booked:
Bolton: none
Cobblers: Marc Richards (18, 5th of the season), David Buchanan (50, 7th)
15 cautions at any time in season; 3 match suspension
Sent off:
Bolton: 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.
Jak McCourt replaced Keshi Anderson in the Cobblers side to take on Bolton at the Macron Stadium. Bolton started the afternoon third in the table while the Cobblers were on the back of three successive victories.
After a quiet start it was the Cobblers who went agonisingly close to taking the lead on 19 minutes, Zander Diamond’s looping header beating Ben Alnwick but not the cross bar.
Adam Smith saved from Gary Madine while David Wheater did well to deny Michael Smith from close range following a good delivery from David Buchanan and flick on from Marc Richards.
Bolton ended the first half strongly but some good defending and a Matt Taylor goalline clearance ensured the scores were level at the break.
Wheater had a chance to open the scoring from a Filipe Morais free-kick early in the second half only to toe-poke his shot from 8-yards straight at Smith.
The Cobblers made the breakthrough on 57 minutes, Matt Taylor’s free-kick setting up Michael Smith to score with a neat close range volley into the corner of the net.
Dorian Dervite headed just over as the home side looked for an immediate response. Smith made a superb finger-tip save to deny Adam Le Fondre before Zander Diamond made a vital interception to thwart Darren Pratley.
Bolton were enjoying a spell of pressure and Adam Le Fondre made it 1-1 from the penalty spot with 15 minutes remaining, the penalty awarded for a handball decision.
The home side were in the ascendancy at this point and Filipe Morais completed the turn around, his shot from a ball in across the box appearing to take a deflection leaving Smith with no chance.
Brendan Moloney made his return to first-team action late on, the right-back having been out since undergoing knee surgery in early December.
A delightful cross from Taylor nearly lead to an own goal and a Cobblers equaliser in stoppage time and there was late agony for the Cobblers when John-Joe O’Toole had the ball in the back of the net with the last kick of the game, only to be denied by a late off-side flag.
BOLTON MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (3) 12
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (2) 5
CORNERS: (4) 9
FOULS: (5) 13
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (0) 0
COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (1) 2
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (1) 1
CORNERS: (4) 6
FOULS: (8) 19
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (0) 1
The above stats are recorded by club staff. The stats shown elsewhere on this page are recorded by Opta