SKY BET LEAGUE 1
Saturday April 21st, 3.00pm
Sixfields
NORTHAMPTON TOWN 2
John-Joe O'Toole 42
Sonny Bradley own goal 61
PLYMOUTH ARGYLE 0
Attendance: 6,868 (1,452 away supporters)
Cobblers: Richard O’Donnell, Shay Facey, Leon Barnett, Ash Taylor, David Buchanan, Matt Crooks (sub Sam Foley 79), Shaun McWilliams (sub Jack Bridge 90), Matt Grimes, Daniel Powell, John-Joe O’Toole, Sam Hoskins (sub Chris Long 85)
Subs not used: David Cornell, Jordan Turnbull, Kevin van Veen, Brendan Moloney
Plymouth: Remi Matthews, Gary Sawyer, Jamie Ness, Graham Carey, Ruben Lameiras, Sonny Bradley, Joel Grant (sub Alex Fletcher 83), Oscar Threlkeld, Zak Vyner, David Fox (sub Lionel Ainsworth 78), Paul Paton (sub Antoni Sarcevic 53)
Subs not used: Gary Miller, Yann Songo’o, Aaron Taylor-Sinclair, Kyle Letheren
Referee: Lee Collins
Booked:
Cobblers: Matt Grimes (25, 11th of the season), Ash Taylor (87, 3rd)
Plymouth: none
15 cautions at any time in season; 3 match suspension
Sent off:
Cobblers: none
Plymouth: 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 Crooks and Sam Hoskins, making his 100th appearance for the club, came into the side as caretaker boss Dean Austin made two changes for the crunch home game with Plymouth Argyle. Jack Bridge and Kevin van Veen, the latter recovering from a dead leg and illness, dropped to the bench.
There was a vibrant atmosphere inside Sixfields as the game got underway on a warm April afternoon.
Shaun McWilliams had a shot blocked and Hoskins dragged a shot wide after a cagey opening ten minutes from both sides, the Cobblers pressing hard, giving Plymouth no time on the ball.
Hoskins had a chance to break the deadlock on 31 minutes but was denied when one-on-one with keeper Remi Matthews who made the save. Ash Taylor then made an important block to deny Joel Grant a clear sight on goal.
The Cobblers deservedly took the lead three minutes before half-time, John-Joe O’Toole turning in Daniel Powell’s cross-shot from close range.
Plymouth started the second half brightly but it was the Cobblers who went close to a second goal when Matt Grimes curled an effort just wide. Hoskins drew a good save from Matthews and the Plymouth goalkeeper again did well to deny Crooks following a quick Cobblers counter-attack.
The Cobblers were building up a head of steam in search of a second goal and it duly came just after the hour mark when a cross from Daniel Powell was turned in to his own net by Plymouth defender Sonny Bradley under pressure from O’Toole.
There was no let up from the home side and it needed another good save from Matthews to prevent Powell getting on the scoresheet with Hoskins heading wide from the subsequent corner.
Richard O’Donnell made a good save at his near post to deny Oscar Threlkeld while his opposite number was again called upon to save an O’Toole header. 2-0 was how it finished though, the Cobblers giving their survival hopes a massive boost with two games left to play.
COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (3) 8
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (2) 5
CORNERS: (3) 7
FOULS: (4) 8
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (3) 10
PLYMOUTH MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (1) 4
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (0) 3
CORNERS: (1) 6
FOULS: (6) 7
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (0) 2