SKY BET LEAGUE 1
Tuesday March 2nd, 7.00pm
PTS Academy Stadium
NORTHAMPTON TOWN 2
Ryan Watson 40, 65
PLYMOUTH ARGYLE 0
Cobblers: Jonathan Mitchell, Peter Kioso, Lloyd Jones, Fraser Horsfall, Joseph Mills, Shaun McWilliams, Jack Sowerby, Ryan Watson, Mickel Miller (sub Danny Rose 72), Sam Hoskins, Ryan Edmondson (sub Ricky Korboa 86)
Subs not used: Steve Arnold, Bryn Morris, Mark Marshall, Michael Harriman, Alex Jones
Plymouth: Michael Cooper, Kelland Watts, Will Aimson, Joe Edwards (sub Byron Moore 67), Ryan Hardie (sub Niall Ennis 67), Danny Mayor, Tyrese Fornah (sub Klaidi Lolos 82), Adam Lewis (sub Conor Grant 67), Sam Woods, Panutche Camara (sub Ben Reeves 67), Luke Jephcott
Subs not used: Lewis Macleod, Luke McCormick
Referee: Graham Salisbury
Booked:
Cobblers: Jonathan Mitchell (40, 2nd of the season), Lloyd Jones (54, 3rd), Sam Hoskins (63, 5th), Danny Rose (90, 2nd)
Plymouth: Tyrese Fornah (76)
10 cautions on or before 37 games; 2 match suspension
15 cautions at any time in season; 3 match suspension
Sent off:
Cobblers: none
Plymouth: Sam Woods (90)
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.
Fraser Horsfall replaced injured centre-back Alan Sheehan for the midweek visit of Plymouth Argyle with Shaun McWilliams and Jack Sowerby re-called in midfield. New signing striker Alex Jones was named on the bench.
Jonathan Mitchell made a smart save to deny Luke Jephcott the opening goal after the Cobblers threatened through Mickel Miller who also saw a cross/shot parried by Michael Cooper following a neat exchange with Peter Kioso.
Ryan Watson broke the deadlock with five minutes to play in the first half, teed-up by Ryan Edmondson just outside the area, Watson scored with a terrific strike in off the inside of the post.
Horsfall made an important interception to clear an Adam Lewis cross behind for a corner while Watson was almost played in by Edmondson for a second in a period of end to end action which ended with the Cobblers doubling their lead on 65 minutes, the aforementioned Watson volleying the ball home from close range for his second goal of the night.
Plymouth responded by making a quadruple substitution with Ben Reeves, Conor Grant, Byron Moore and Niall Ennis all on. Danny Rose replaced the impressive Miller in the first change made by Jon Brady.
With the 90 minutes nearly up Argyle were still looking for a way back into the game, the Cobblers working hard to deny the Pilgrims the slightest sight at goal. As the game moved into injury time Sam Woods was shown a straight red card for a high challenge on substitute Ricky Korboa and the Cobblers closed the game out against ten men to claim a precious three points, Mitchell making a terrific save late on to deny Jephcott a consolation.
COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (2) 4
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (1) 3
CORNERS: (1) 4
FOULS: (4) 16
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (0) 0
PLYMOUTH MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (3) 4
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (0) 1
CORNERS: (1) 3
FOULS: (2) 9
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (1) 1