SKY BET LEAGUE 2
Friday April 19th, 3.00pm
PTS Academy Stadium
NORTHAMPTON TOWN 3
Dean Bowditch 25
Daniel Powell 54
Junior Morias 90
MACCLESFIELD TOWN 1
Harry Smith 38
Attendance: 4,925 (283 away supporters)
Cobblers: David Cornell, Charlie Goode, Aaron Pierre, Jordan Turnbull, George Cox (sub Andy Williams 65), Sam Foley, Daniel Powell, Scott Pollock, Sam Hoskins (sub Timi Elsnik 80), Junior Morias, Dean Bowditch (sub Joe Powell 67)
Subs not used: Luke Coddington, Shay Facey, David Buchanan, Jack Bridge
Macclesfield: Kieran O’Hara, David Fitzpatrick, Fiacre Kelleher, Elliott Durrell, Harry Smith (sub Scott Wilson 86), Miles Welch-Hayes (sub Liandro Martis 77), Ben Stephens (sub Reece Cole 59), Danny Whitaker, Nathan Cameron, Zak Jules, Brice Ntambwe
Subs not used: Jamie Grimes, Tyrone Marsh, Callum Evans, Emmanuel Idem
Referee: Kevin Johnson
Booked:
Cobblers: Aaron Pierre (85, 10th of the season)
Macclesfield: Harry Smith (75)
15 bookings at any time: 3 match suspension
Sent off:
Cobblers: none
Macclesfield: 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.
On a lovely sunny and warm afternoon at the PTS Academy Stadium on Good Friday, the Cobblers took on Macclesfield Town, managed by former England defender Sol Campbell. Keith Curle made three changes with George Cox, Dean Bowtich and Junior Morias coming in for David Buchanan, Shay Facey and Andy Williams. Former Cobblers loanee Nathan Cameron lined up for Macclesfield, who started the afternoon two points above the relegation zone with four games to play.
David Cornell saved an early Brice Ntambwe header and the Cobblers keeper also showed good reactions to gather in a deflected effort from Ben Stephens. A quick counter-attack from Macclesfield then found Harry Smith well-placed in front of goal but he couldn’t keep his shot down. Daniel Powell had the Cobblers first real effort of the afternoon, his crisp shot well saved by Kieran O’Hara.
The Cobblers were in front after 25 minutes, Dean Bowditch with a neat volley in to the bottom corner having been found by Jordan Turnbull. Macclesfield thought they were back on level terms when Smith turned in Elliott Durrell’s free-kick but the off-side flag was up.
Harry Smith did have an equaliser on 38 minutes though, chipping the ball over Cornell after being played through by Stephens. There was a suspicion of off-side about the goal but this time the assistant referee kept his flag down.
Nathan Cameron made a vital interception to nip the ball away from the on-rushing Daniel Powell at the start of the second half while another Cobblers move ended with a shot from Powell being saved by O’Hara, who also made a good save with his legs to deny George Cox.
The Cobblers were in the ascendancy and they re-took the lead when Daniel Powell capitalised on a slack back header from Macclesfield before calmly slotting the ball home.
Andy Williams and Joe Powell were introduced in a re-shuffle from Keith Curle while it needed a smart save from Cornell to keep out a shot from Silkmen substitute Reece Cole. O’Hara stood firm to deny Morias one-on-one before Timi Elsnik came on in the Cobblers final change.
Elliott Durrell curled a free-kick just over the bar with time ticking away for Sol Campbell’s side and with Macclesfield pushing forward the Cobblers increased their lead and sealed the three points with a third goal in stoppage time, Daniel Powell unselfishly laying the ball off for Junior Morias to score from close range.
COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (3) 8
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (3) 7
CORNERS: (3) 5
FOULS: (5) 12
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (2) 4
MACCLESFIELD MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (3) 4
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (1) 2
CORNERS: (1) 2
FOULS: (6) 9
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (2) 2
SCRATCH CARD GOAL TIMES: 24:17, 37:10, 53:35, ADTM2