SKY BET LEAGUE 2
Saturday September 4th, 3.00pm
Sixfields
NORTHAMPTON TOWN 2
Danny Rose 63
Sam Hoskins 90
SCUNTHORPE UNITED 0
Attendance: 4,870 (including 331 visiting supporters)
Cobblers: Liam Roberts, Aaron McGowan, Ali Koiki, Fraser Horsfall, Jon Guthrie, Sam Hoskins, Paul Lewis, Jordan Flores, Mitch Pinnock (sub Dylan Connolly 63), Danny Rose (sub Shaun McWilliams 84), Kion Etete (sub Nicke Kabamba 74)
Subs not used: Jonny Maxted, Sid Nelson, Jack Sowerby, Scott Pollock
Scunthorpe: Rory Watson, George Taft (sub Harry Bunn 76), Emmanuel Onariase, Devarn Green, Alfie Beestin, Jai Rowe, Harry Wood, Lewis Thompson, Aaron Jarvis (sub Jake Scrimshaw 68), Harry Davis, Hayden Hackney (sub Alex Perry 61)
Subs not used: Myles Hippolyte, Tom Collins, Tyrone O’Neill, Tom Pugh
Referee: Tom Reeves
Booked:
Cobblers: Fraser Horsfall (44, 1st of the season)
Scunthorpe: Lewis Thompson (16), Harry Davis (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
Scunthorpe: Emmanuel Onariase (20)
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.
Ali Koiki came into the Northampton Town side for the visit of Scunthorpe United, replacing Joseph Mills (fractured ankle) in the only change to the starting XI from the previous league fixture. Fraser Horsfall took over the captain’s armband in Mills absence.
On an overcast afternoon the Cobblers started brightly and with only 12 seconds on the clock Rory Watson was forced into an early save when Sam Hoskins fired in a shot from range.
With twenty minutes played Emmanuel Onarias was shown a straight red card for bringing down Danny Rose on the edge of the area, a long-ball from Aaron McGowan had played Rose clear through on goal and although the subsequent free-kick was blocked Scunthorpe would have to play the bulk of the game with ten men.
The majority of the first half had seen the Cobblers pressing but there were a couple of moments of danger when Rose made an important block to deny Alfie Beestin and from the ensuing corner Liam Roberts saved a goal-bound header from George Taft.
Scunthorpe then somehow managed to survive a goalmouth scramble in which Paul Lewis saw a header cleared off the line. The first half ended with Watson making a fine save to deny Hoskins.
Lewis fired just wide as the Cobblers continued to press and probe for the opening goal in the second half, Scunthorpe hanging on as Town forced a succession of corners. There was then another chance for Lewis when he was found in the area by Kion Etete but the midfielder failed to work Watson.
Jordan Flores went close with a drilled effort that was deflected behind before a header from Lewis rattled the cross bar, Hoskins creating the opportunity with a pin-point ball into the box.
It felt like a goal was coming and it was Danny Rose who made the breakthrough, tucking the ball home from close range after another teasing ball in from Hoskins.
Nicke Kabamba, on for Etete, was denied one-on-one by Watson before Shaun McWilliams replaced goalscorer Rose in the Cobblers final change.
Scunthorpe applied some late pressure in search of an equaliser but when Sam Hoskins made it 2-0 in stoppage time the win was secure, Hoskins forcing the ball home after Dylan Connolly’s initial effort had been cleared off the line.
COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (6) 11
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (4) 9
CORNERS: (2) 8
FOULS: (6) 13
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (0) 2
SCUNTHORPE MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (3) 3
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (0) 0
CORNERS: (4) 6
FOULS: (5) 10
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (0) 0
GOLDEN GOAL PEEL AND REVEAL TIME: 62:58, ADTM2