SKY BET LEAGUE 2
Tuesday January 21st, 7.45pm
Breyer Group Stadium
LEYTON ORIENT 1
Josh Wright 85 pen
NORTHAMPTON TOWN 1
Ryan Watson 43
Attendance: 3,774
Leyton Orient: Sam Sargeant, Marvin Ekpiteta, Josh Coulson (sub Jordan Maguire-Drew 58), Craig Clay, Conor Wilkinson, Dan Happe, James Brophy, Matt Harrold (sub Ruel Sotiriou 57), George Marsh, Ouss Cisse (sub James Dayton 63), Josh Wright
Subs not used: Lawrence Vigouroux, Myles Judd, Hector Kyprianou, Jayden Sweeney
Cobblers: David Cornell, Charlie Goode, Jordan Turnbull, Scott Wharton, Michael Harriman, Nicky Adams (sub Sam Hoskins 56), Chris Lines, Ryan Watson, Paul Anderson (sub Joe Martin 70), Vadaine Oliver (sub Andy Williams 75), Matt Warburton
Subs not used: Steve Arnold, Reece Hall-Johnson, Ethan Johnston, Morgan Roberts
Referee: Alan Young
Booked:
Leyton Orient: Ouss Cisse (45)
Cobblers: Charlie Goode (35, 5th of the season), Paul Anderson (59, 4th), David Cornell (76, 2nd), Joe Martin (90, 3rd)
10 cautions on or before 37 games; 2 match suspension
15 cautions at any time in season; 3 match suspension
Sent off:
Leyton Orient: James Dayton (89)
Cobblers: Scott Wharton (88)
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.
Matt Warburton and Michael Harriman came into the side as boss Keith Curle made two changes for the midweek trip to Leyton Orient. Andy Williams and Sam Hoskins dropped to the bench where they were joined for the first time by Ethan Johnston, a 17-year old striker from the club’s Football & Education programme.
Paul Anderson and Ryan Watson both had shots comfortably saved early on before Warburton struck the post with Nicky Adams and Vadaine Oliver seeing their follow-up efforts blocked. Scott Wharton then headed on to the roof of the net from an Adams free-kick in a good spell for the Cobblers.
Oliver’s knockdown almost fell for Watson while Orient’s first sight at goal saw David Cornell pull off a smart save to deny Conor Wilkinson.
The Cobblers made the breakthrough with half-time approaching, Ryan Watson finding the top corner with an emphatic strike from 15 yards. Ouss Cisse was then shown a yellow card for a late, high challenge on Anderson.
Wharton made a vital interception to prevent Cisse getting a shot away inside the area as Orient pressed forward in search of an equaliser in the second half.
Charlie Goode was another to make a terrific block to keep out what looked like a certain goal for Marvin Ekpiteta and Cornell did well to save a deflected effort from O’s substitute James Dayton.
Josh Wright equalised from the penalty spot after Wharton was penalised for handball although the decision looked harsh with the defender clearly having been pushed. To compound matters Wharton was then shown a red card along with Dayton following a coming together of players after the penalty was scored, both sides having to play out the last few minutes down to ten men.
A finger-tip save from Cornell in stoppage time denied Jordan Maguire-Drew a winner with Wilkinson also seeing a shot saved from the subsequent corner as the home side ended the game strongly. Dan Happe then headed wide in the final chance of the game deep into eight minutes of stoppage time.
LEYTON ORIENT MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (1) 7
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (1) 5
CORNERS: (1) 9
FOULS: (6) 15
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (1) 2
COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (5) 5
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (4) 6
CORNERS: (3) 5
FOULS: (5) 16
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (1) 1