SKY BET LEAGUE 1
Saturday February 17th, 3.00pm
Glanford Park
SCUNTHORPE UNITED 2
Funso Ojo 31
Murray Wallace 78
NORTHAMPTON TOWN 2
Chris Long 13
John-Joe O'Toole 57
Attendance: 4,157 (number of Cobblers fans not confirmed)
Scunthorpe: Matt Gilks, Conor Townsend, Murray Wallace, Funso Ojo, Ivan Toney (sub Tom Hopper 60), Josh Morris, Lee Novak, Duane Holmes, Levi Sutton (sub Cameron McGeehan 73), Rory McArdle, Ryan Yates (sub Hakeeb Adelakun 82)
Subs not used: Rory Watson, Neal Bishop, Charlie Goode, Cameron Burgess
Cobblers: Richard O’Donnell, Brendan Moloney, Ash Taylor, Jordan Turnbull, Joe Bunney, Gboly Ariyibi (sub Sam Hoskins 87), Matt Crooks, Matt Grimes, Daniel Powell (sub Sam Foley 90), John-Joe O’Toole (sub Leon Barnett 82), Chris Long
Subs not used: David Cornell, Boris Mathis, Jack Bridge, Shaun McWilliams
Referee: Mr Andrew Madley
Booked:
Scunthorpe: Josh Morris (90)
Cobblers: John-Joe O'Toole (41, 6th of the season), Matt Crooks (81, 8th), Sam Hoskins (90, 5th), Chris Long (90, 3rd), Richard O'Donnell (90, 1st)
10 cautions on or before 37 games; 2 match suspension
15 cautions at any time in season; 3 match suspension
Sent off:
Scunthorpe: 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.
Midfielder Matt Crooks came back into the starting line-up for the trip to Scunthorpe after a hamstring injury meant he could only be named on the bench for the midweek game against Gillingham. On-loan Nottingham Forest winger Gboly Ariyibi also made his first start with Sams Foley and Hoskins dropped to the bench. Injury meant Kevin van Veen was unable to face his former club but with Hildeberto Pereira suspended another January signing, Jack Bridge, was included in the matchday squad for the first time.
Matt Gilks saved an early Ash Taylor header and it was the Cobblers who took the lead on 13 minutes, Chris Long heading in from close range after a free-kick from Matt Grimes was headed back across goal.
Scunthorpe had a chance to equalise when Ryan Yates put his header over from 8-yards, a Duane Holmes cross creating the opportunity.
The Iron were however back on level terms just after the half hour mark, Funso Ojo with a shot from the edge of the area after breaking quickly from deep.
Ariyibi curled a shot just wide with half-time approaching while for the home side Holmes blazed an effort over the bar in stoppage time as the teams went in at the break level at 1-1.
Former Cobblers striker Ivan Toney fired a shot over the bar and Richard O’Donnell saved from Holmes at the start of the second half.
The Cobblers then re-took the lead on 57 minutes, John-Joe O’Toole powering home a header from a Matt Grimes corner.
Twenty fairly uneventful minutes later Scunthorpe equalised for a second time, Murray Wallace getting the final touch inside the six-yard box after O’Donnell pushed away a free-kick from Josh Morris.
O’Donnell made a terrific save to turn aside another Morris free-kick and Hakeeb Adelakun couldn’t keep his shot down as the home side pushed for a late winner but after more than seven minutes of injury time it was to end all-square, the Cobblers extending their unbeaten run on the road to four matches.
SCUNTHORPE MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (1) 4
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (4) 14
CORNERS: (1) 3
FOULS: (4) 11
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (1) 1
COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (2) 5
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (2) 5
CORNERS: (0) 2
FOULS: (10) 21
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (0) 0