SKY BET LEAGUE 2
Tuesday January 1st 2019, 3.00pm
The New Lawn
FOREST GREEN ROVERS 2
George Williams 2
Theo Archibald 90
NORTHAMPTON TOWN 1
Sam Foley 49
Attendance: 2,909 (593 Cobblers fans)
Forest Green: James Montgomery, Liam Shephard, Lloyd James (sub Paul Digby 62), Farrend Rawson, Carl Winchester, Reece Brown, George Williams, Tahvon Campbell (sub Theo Archibald 68), Gavin Gunning, Nathan McGinley (sub Dayle Grubb 63), Joseph Mills
Subs not used: Lee Collins, Ben Morris, Reuben Reid, Lewis Thomas
Cobblers: David Cornell, Shay Facey, Ash Taylor, Jordan Turnbull, David Buchanan, Sam Hoskins, Jay Williams, Sam Foley, Matt Crooks (sub Jack Bridge 90), Andy Williams (sub Dean Bowditch 76), Junior Morias (sub Kevin van Veen 61)
Subs not used: Luke Coddington, Hakeem Odoffin, Daniel Powell, Billy Waters
Referee: Kevin Johnson
Booked:
Forest Green: Gavin Gunning (26), Liam Shephard (45)
Cobblers: David Cornell (45, 3rd of the season), Jay Williams (73, 1st)
5 cautions on or before 19 games; 1 match suspension
10 cautions on or before 37 games; 2 match suspension
15 cautions at any time in season; 3 match suspension
Sent off:
Forest Green: 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.
After a busy Christmas schedule the Cobblers kicked off 2019 with a trip to Forest Green Rovers. Boss Keith Curle made five changes, handing a full league debut to Academy graduate Jay Williams. Junior Morias, Sam Foley, David Buchanan and Sam Hoskins also came into the side with Shaun McWilliams and Aaron Pierre joining John-Joe O’Toole in the treatment room.
The home side made a fast start and took the lead inside 90 seconds, George Williams in the right place at the right time to turn home a ball in from Tahvon Campbell. The Cobblers responded well to the early set back and it needed a good diving save from James Montgomery to keep out a Hoskins header. Foley also went close with a shot from distance while Carl Winchester was narrowly off-target from 25-yards for Rovers.
Buchanan headed wide under pressure from a Forest Green defender and Andy Williams fired over as the Cobblers tried to fashion an equaliser before half-time.
The Cobblers started the second half very much on the offensive and a terrific header from Sam Foley got them back on level terms, Jordan Turnbull’s cross providing the set-up. Matt Crooks had already tested Montgomery in the opening stages of the second half and Williams curled an effort just over the angle of post and bar as the Cobblers looked to press home the momentum.
Kevin van Veen, on for Morias, saw a free-kick well saved by Montgomery with a shot from Buchanan in the follow-up deflected off Crooks and out for a goal kick.
Cornell had to be alert to keep out a header from Rovers substitute Paul Digby and as the home side enjoyed a spell of pressure the Cobblers goalkeeper pulled off another fine save to deny Winchester from 15-yards. Goalscorer George Williams then struck the post before Reece Brown thought he had put the home side back in front only for Cornell to make a point blank save.
Substitute Dean Bowditch set up a chance for Sam Hoskins but as the game entered the final five minutes he shot wide. Rovers defender Gavin Gunning couldn’t direct his header on target from a corner in stoppage time but with the Cobblers seemingly heading for their fifth consecutive draw it was the home side who snatched a late, late winner, Theo Archibald shooting from distance to seal the three points with almost the last kick of the game.
FOREST GREEN MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (2) 6
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (2) 7
CORNERS: (1) 2
FOULS: (2) 6
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (0) 0
COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (3) 10
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (2) 8
CORNERS: (3) 5
FOULS: (6) 10
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (0) 0