CARABAO CUP FIRST ROUND
Tuesday August 14th, 7.45pm
Adams Park
WYCOMBE WANDERERS 1
(Randell Williams 50)
NORTHAMPTON TOWN 1
(Sam Hoskins 82)
Attendance: 1,999 (427 away)
Wycombe: Yves Ma-Kalambay, Michael Harriman, Sido Jombati (Joe Jacobson 35), Jason McCarthy, Adam El-Abd, Dominic Gape, Curtis Thompson, Matt Bloomfield (Bryn Morris 45), Nick Freeman, Randell Williams (Scott Kaskett 70), Craig Mackail-Smith.
Subs not used: Ryan Allsop, Sam Saunders, Marcus Bean, Adebayo Akinfenwa.
Cobblers: Lewis Ward, Shay Facey, Leon Barnett, Ash Taylor, Jordan Turnbull, Jack Bridge, Matt Crooks, Sam Foley, Dean Bowditch, Junior Morias (Sam Hoskins 73), Billy Waters.
Subs not used: Luke Coddington, Jay Williams, David Buchanan, Sean Whaler, Morgan Roberts.
Referee: Stephen Martin
Booked:
Wycombe: none
Cobblers: none
5 cautions on or before 30 November; 1 match suspension
10 cautions on or before 11 April; 2 match suspension
15 cautions at any time in season; 3 match suspension
Sent off:
Wycombe: 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.
Boss Dean Austin made nine changes for the Carabao Cup first round tie with on-loan Reading goalkeeper Lewis Ward and striker Junior Morias, a summer signing from Peterborough United, both making their Cobblers debut. Right-back Shay Facey also made his first appearance of the season after recovering from an ankle injury. Adebayo Akinfenwa started the evening on the Wycombe bench.
Billy Waters dragged a shot wide after doing well to find space following a well-worked Cobblers corner while Craig Mackail-Smith drew an early save from Ward.
With the game opening up there were chances at either end and it needed a goal-line clearance from Facey to prevent Mackail-Smith opening the scoring. Yves Ma-Kalambay saved a Jack Bridge header before Facey again was in the right place at the right time, this time to deny Nick Freeman.
Morias showed his pace at the start of the second half to beat two Wycombe defenders but his shot went wide and it was Wycombe who took the lead not long after that, Randell Williams heading home a pin-point Mackail-Smith cross following a free-flowing move from the League 1 side.
Ash Taylor couldn’t quite direct his header either side of Ma-Kalambay and it needed a vital interception from Dominic Gape to deny Matt Crooks as the Cobblers responded well to falling behind. Dean Bowditch also went close with a free-kick from 35-yards.
The Cobblers were awarded a penalty when Jack Bridge was bundled over in the area but Ma-Kalambay saved Ash Taylor’s spot kick to preserve Wycombe’s lead.
Sam Hoskins latched onto a loose ball in the area to equalise on 83 minutes and the substitute, on for Morias, then nearly scored on the break as both sides pushed hard for a late winner. It wasn’t to be though and with no extra-time the tie went straight to penalties.
Dean Bowditch – scored 1-0
Joe Jacobson – scored 1-1
Sam Hoskins – saved 1-1
Bryn Morris – scored 1-2
Billy Waters – scored 2-2
Jason McCarthy – scored 2-3
Sam Foley – scored 3-3
Craig Mackail-Smith – missed 3-3
Ash Taylor – scored 4-3
Scott Kashket – scored 4-4
Jack Bridge – scored 5-4
Curtis Thompson – scored 5-5
Shay Facey – scored 6-5
Dominic Gape – scored 6-6
Jordan Turnbull – saved 6-6
Adam El-Abd – scored 6-7
Wycombe won 7-6 on penalties
WYCOMBE MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (4) 10
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (2) 6
CORNERS: (3) 8
FOULS: (8) 15
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (1) 4
COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (4) 8
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (1) 4
CORNERS: (2) 6
FOULS: (6) 7
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (2) 2