SKY BET LEAGUE 2
Saturday March 2nd, 3.00pm
Gresty Road
CREWE ALEXANDRA 0
NORTHAMPTON TOWN 2
Daniel Powell 28
John-Joe O'Toole 32
Attendance: 4,096 (632 Cobblers fans)
Crewe: Ben Garratt, Perry Ng, George Ray, Chris Porter, Jordan Bowery (sub Shaun Miller 67), Callum Ainley, Eddie Nolan, Ryan Wintle, Paul Green (sub Oliver Finney 85), Charlie Kirk (sub Owen Dale 67), Jamie Sterry
Subs not used: Dave Richards, Alex Nicholls, Tom Lowery, Travis Johnson
Cobblers: David Cornell, Charlie Goode (sub Jay Williams 81), Ash Taylor, Aaron Pierre, David Buchanan, John-Joe O’Toole (sub Dean Bowditch 76), Jordan Turnbull, Sam Foley, Daniel Powell, Sam Hoskins, Marvin Sordell (sub Andy Williams 76)
Subs not used: Luke Coddington, Joe Powell, Jack Bridge, Timi Elsnik
Referee: Lee Collins
Booked:
Crewe: George Ray (83)
Cobblers: Charlie Goode (71), Sam Hoskins (90)
10 cautions on or before 37 games; 2 match suspension
15 cautions at any time in season; 3 match suspension
Sent off:
Crewe: 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.
For the second Saturday on the bounce the Cobblers were away from home and following the 2-1 win at Stevenage the previous week boss Keith Curle made two changes for the trip to Crewe Alexandra, Sam Foley and Daniel Powell coming in for Jack Bridge and Joe Powell.
The Cobblers started brightly but it was Crewe who spurned a golden opportunity to take the lead inside the opening ten minutes, Jordan Bowery failing to find the target from inside the six-yard box while Sam Hoskins, on the end of a long ball from David Cornell, went close with a 30-yard volley that landed on the roof of the Crewe net. John-Joe O’Toole had a chance to put the Cobblers in front from a tight angle but a goal line clearance from George Ray maintained parity.
It wouldn’t remain that way for long though and it was the Cobblers who made the breakthrough, Daniel Powell heading home from close range after the home side failed to clear their lines from a David Buchanan corner.
Scorer then turned provider as the Cobblers quickly doubled their lead, Powell crossing in for John-Joe O’Toole to score with a neat near-post volley.
Crewe started the second half on the offensive and it needed an important block from Ash Taylor to prevent Chris Porter halving the home side’s arrears. Charlie Goode meanwhile went close with a dipping effort from the edge of the area following a free-kick from Hoskins and O’Toole headed narrowly wide from a Taylor cross as the Cobblers went agonisingly close to a third goal.
Alex substitute Shaun Miller fired over the bar as Andy Williams and Dean Bowditch replaced Marvin Sordell and John-Joe O’Toole in a double change. Charlie Goode then had to be replaced after taking a blow to the head, Jay Williams coming on for the closing stages.
David Cornell made a fine reaction save to deny Callum Ainley late on before an astonishing nine minutes of stoppage time were signalled by the fourth official. The Cobblers keeper was called upon again in injury time, tipping over a shot from Porter and two goals in the space of three first half minutes proved decisive as Keith Curle’s side extended their unbeaten run to five matches.
CREWE MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (1) 4
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (1) 5
CORNERS: (1) 4
FOULS: (2) 7
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (2) 2
COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (5) 7
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (4) 7
CORNERS: (3) 3
FOULS: (5) 12
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (0) 1