SKY BET LEAGUE 1
Tuesday September 12th, 7.45pm
Sixfields
NORTHAMPTON TOWN 3
Chris Long 18, 70
Matt Crooks 32
PORTSMOUTH 1
Matty Kennedy 49
Attendance: 5,855 (1,153 away fans)
Cobblers: Matt Ingram, Brendan Moloney, David Buchanan, Ash Taylor, Aaron Pierre, Matt Crooks, Shaun McWilliams (sub Yaser Kasim 29), Matt Grimes, George Smith (sub Daniel Powell 56), Chris Long, Alex Revell (sub Marc Richards 77)
Subs not used: David Cornell, Leon Barnett, Regan Poole, Billy Waters
Portsmouth: Luke McGee, Damien McCrory, Matt Clarke, Christian Burgess, Stuart O’Keefe, Brett Pitman, Matty Kennedy, Jamal Lowe, Conor Chaplin, Nathan Thompson, Adam May (sub Ben Close 58)
Subs not used: Curtis Main, Dion Donohue, Kal Naismith, Kyle Bennett, Drew Talbot, Alex Bass
Referee: Darren Drysdale
Booked:
Cobblers: Matt Crooks (90, 3rd of the season)
Portsmouth: Nathan Thompson (11), Matt Clarke (42), Jamal Lowe (62)
5 cautions on or before 19 games; 1 match suspension
10 cautions on or before 32 games; 2 match suspension
15 cautions at any time in season; 3 match suspension
Sent off:
Cobblers: none
Portsmouth: 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.
Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink named an unchanged side for his second game in charge as the Cobblers welcomed Portsmouth to Sixfields on a wet and windy night in Northampton.
Matty Kennedy curled a shot just over from distance and a Matt Grimes free-kick somehow evaded everybody in a fairly quiet opening fifteen minutes.
The Cobblers made the breakthrough on 18 minutes, Burnley loanee Chris Long with a neat side-foot finish having been played in by academy graduate Shaun McWilliams.
McWilliams' night was prematurely ended minutes later when he had to leave the field on a stretcher after picking up a serious looking injury. Yaser Kasim his replacement.
Matt Crooks doubled the Cobblers lead from close range on 35 minutes, Matt Grimes free-kick causing all sorts of problems for Luke McGee and the Pompey defence.
Portsmouth tried to rally and almost halved the deficit when a header back from Ash Taylor, under pressure from Brett Pitman, struck the post. Stuart O’Keefe was then denied by a finger-tip save from Matt Ingram deep into first half stoppage time.
Kenny Jackett’s side pulled a goal back early in the second half, Matty Kennedy scoring from the edge of the area.
Daniel Powell came on for George Smith in the Cobblers second change of the night before Jamal Lowe went close for Pompey.
Chris Long restored the Cobblers two goal lead on 70 minutes, his second goal of the game a confident finish at the back post following a ball in from Brendan Moloney.
Ingram made a superb point-blank save to deny Pompey centre-back Christian Burgess and the Cobblers keeper soon followed that up with a tremendous diving stop to keep out a shot from Stuart O’Keefe.
There was no way back for the visitors though as the Cobblers recorded back-to-back victories, making it the perfect first week in charge for new boss Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink.
COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (2) 3
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (1) 1
CORNERS: (1) 3
FOULS: (2) 10
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (1) 4
PORTSMOUTH MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (2) 10
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (3) 8
CORNERS: (2) 7
FOULS: (10) 14
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (2) 4