SKY BET LEAGUE 1
Saturday April 14th, 3.00pm
Gigg Lane
BURY 2
Peter Clarke 10
Danny Mayor 74
NORTHAMPTON TOWN 3
Ash Taylor 6, 87
Sam Hoskins 32
Attendance: 3,117 (437 Cobblers fans)
Bury: Joe Murphy, Adam Thompson (sub Joe Adams 72), Danny Mayor, Phil Edwards, Zeli Ismail (sub Tsun Dai 45), George Miller, Callum Styles, Ryan Cooney, Neil Danns, James Hanson (sub Harry Bunn 46), Peter Clarke
Subs not used: Connor Ripley, Andrew Tutte, Rohan Ince, Sam Shotton
Cobblers: Richard O’Donnell, Shay Facey, Leon Barnett, Ash Taylor, David Buchanan, Daniel Powell, Shaun McWilliams (sub Chris Long 82), Matt Grimes, Jack Bridge (sub Matt Crooks 67), John-Joe O’Toole, Kevin van Veen (sub Sam Hoskins 31)
Subs not used: David Cornell, Jordan Turnbull, Sam Foley, Sean Whaler
Referee: Mr Trevor Kettle
Booked:
Bury: Adam Thompson (61), Danny Mayor (82)
Cobblers: John-Joe O'Toole (75, 7th of the season)
15 cautions at any time in season; 3 match suspension
Sent off:
Bury: 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.
Ash Taylor returned from a one-match ban, Jack Bridge made his full debut and there were re-calls for Shaun McWilliams and Daniel Powell as Dean Austin made four changes for his second game in caretaker charge. Shay Facey (ankle) was passed fit but Regan Poole (sickness) was unavailable for selection.
Joe Murphy saved an early effort from Powell as the Cobblers started brightly and they took the lead on 6 minutes, Ash Taylor getting the final touch to a corner from Matt Grimes.
Bury equalised from a corner of their own five minutes later, centre-back Peter Clarke prodding the ball home from close range.
George Miller had a shot turned behind by Richard O’Donnell and Danny Mayor’s deflected effort went just wide as the home side forced three corners in quick succession.
Sam Hoskins replaced Kevin van Veen on the half hour and the substitute made an immediate impact, restoring the Cobblers lead just a couple of minutes after coming on. The goal came from a quick break from the Cobblers, Grimes feeding a perfectly weighted ball through to Hoskins who kept his composure to calmly slot the ball past Murphy.
A cross from David Buchanan nearly lead to a third Cobblers goal before half-time but John-Joe O’Toole’s header bounced away off the post.
O’Toole headed narrowly wide from a Grimes corner at the start of the second half before Facey, Hoskins and Powell all went close in a strong spell for the Cobblers around the hour mark.
Matt Crooks, fit again after recovering from a minor hamstring injury, came on for Bridge midway through the second half in the Cobblers second change.
The home side equalised for a second time with just over quarter of an hour to go, Danny Mayor picking up a loose ball on the edge of the area and firing a shot past O’Donnell.
Substitute Chris Long set up a chance for Crooks to put the Cobblers back in front but Joe Murphy made the save, Hoskins just unable to snaffle up a difficult chance on the rebound.
The Cobblers were back in front for a third time on 88 minutes, Ash Taylor converting a pin-point cross from Powell at the back post. That proved to be the winning goal, the Cobblers hopes of surviving in Sky Bet League 1 still alive.
BURY MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (3) 6
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (2) 7
CORNERS: (7) 7
FOULS: (7) 15
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (1) 2
COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (5) 9
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (1) 6
CORNERS: (1) 4
FOULS: (11) 14
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (1) 2