SKY BET LEAGUE 2
Saturday October 16th, 3.00pm
Sixfields
NORTHAMPTON TOWN 2
Aaron McGowan 23
Fraser Horsfall 74
MANSFIELD TOWN 0
Attendance: 6,034 (including 1,019 away supporters)
Cobblers: Liam Roberts, Aaron McGowan, Fraser Horsfall, Jon Guthrie, Ali Koiki (sub Michael Harriman 90), Shaun McWilliams, Jack Sowerby, Paul Lewis, Sam Hoskins, Kion Etete (sub Danny Rose 79), Mitch Pinnock
Subs not used: Charlie Woods, Dominic Revan, Dylan Connolly, Nicke Kabamba, Scott Pollock
Mansfield: Nathan Bishop, Stephen McLaughlin (sub Ryan Burke 67), Elliott Hewitt, Farrend Rawson, Harry Charsley (sub Keaton Ward 46), Ollie Clarke, Jordan Bowery, Danny Johnson (sub Rhys Oates 76), Oli Hawkins, James Clarke, George Lapslie
Subs not used: George Shelvey, Will Forrester, Jason Law, James Gale
Referee: Robert Lewis
Booked:
Cobblers: Kion Etete (24, 1st of the season), Fraser Horsfall (75, 2nd)
Mansfield: Harry Charsley (41), Elliott Hewitt (49), Ryan Burke (90)
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:
Cobblers: none
Mansfield: 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.
Jon Brady named an unchanged starting eleven for the visit of Mansfield Town with Danny Rose on the bench against his former club after serving a one-match ban for accumulated bookings. Michael Harriman and Dominic Revan were also among the Cobblers substitutes having missed the trip to Hartlepool through injury.
A good crowd was in attendance for the club’s Community Day with a noisy atmosphere around Sixfields ahead of kick-off.
After a cagey opening, a dangerous cross in from Sam Hoskins saw the Cobblers appeal for handball and a penalty against Farrend Rawson but referee Robert Lewis was unmoved.
The Cobblers made the breakthrough midway through the first half, Aaron McGowan finding the bottom corner with a fine strike from 20-yards after being teed up by Shaun McWilliams.
McWilliams himself fired over and Nathan Bishop saved a deflected shot from Hoskins as the home side pressed for a second before Oli Hawkins spurned a good chance for Mansfield with a header straight at Liam Roberts. The first half ended with another penalty appeal from the Cobblers turned down when Fraser Horsfall went down under a challenge.
Horsfall made a vital interception to prevent Danny Johnson playing in a team mate one-on-one at the start of the second half with goalscorer McGowan also making a terrific challenge to deny Ollie Clarke a clear strike on goal.
The Cobblers then went agonisingly close to doubling their lead just before the hour mark, Kion Etete cannoning a shot against the cross bar after getting on the end of a ball into the box from Mitch Pinnock.
Fraser Horsfall did make it 2-0 on 74 minutes, the Cobblers skipper heading home Mitch Pinnock’s inch-perfect cross. Rose then replaced Etete in the Cobblers first change with the on-loan Spurs striker leaving the field to a standing ovation.
Mansfield were awarded a penalty when Koiki was penalised for a foul on George Lapslie but after speaking to his assistant the referee decided the challenge was outside the area - a view backed up by the match camera - and the subsequent free-kick was blasted over by Keaton Ward.
That proved to be the Stags last real chance of note and the Cobblers closed the game out to claim a well-deserved three points.
COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (2) 3
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (1) 3
CORNERS: (2) 5
FOULS: (4) 12
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (0) 0
MANSFIELD MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (2) 2
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (0) 2
CORNERS: (1) 3
FOULS: (4) 14
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (1) 1
GOLDEN GOAL PEEL & REVEAL TIMES: 22:13, 73:52