SKY BET LEAGUE 2
Tuesday September 14th, 7.45pm
Rodney Parade
NEWPORT COUNTY 0
NORTHAMPTON TOWN 1
Jon Guthrie 43
Attendance: 3,168 (including 161 Cobblers fans)
Newport: Joe Day, Cameron Norman, Ryan Haynes, Priestley Farquharson, Mickey Demetriou, Scot Bennett (sub Finn Azaz 72), Aneurin Livermore, Jake Cain (sub Ollie Cooper 57), Lewis Collins (sub Kevin Ellison 57), Robbie Willmott, Timmy Abraham
Subs not used: Nick Townsend, Matty Dolan, James Clarke, Aaron Lewis
Cobblers: Liam Roberts, Aaron McGowan, Ali Koiki, Fraser Horsfall, Jon Guthrie, Sam Hoskins, Shaun McWilliams, Jack Sowerby (sub Dylan Connolly 89), Mitch Pinnock, Danny Rose (sub Jordan Flores 85), Nicke Kabamba (sub Kion Etete 85)
Subs not used: Jonny Maxted, Michael Harriman, Scott Pollock, Benny Ashley-Seal
Referee: Craig Hicks
Booked:
Newport: Aneurin Livermore (42)
Cobblers: Jon Brady (43), Danny Rose (76, 2nd of the season), Shaun McWilliams (76, 2nd), Jordan Flores (90, 1st)
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:
Newport: 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.
Jack Sowerby, Mitch Pinnock and Nicke Kabamba came into the side as boss Jon Brady made three changes for the Cobblers re-arranged trip to Newport County. Kion Etete and Jordan Flores dropped to the bench with Paul Lewis not named in the 18 after picking up a knock.
Newport pressed early on but it was the Cobblers who had the first real sight at goal, Mitch Pinnock firing over from a corner. Town were growing into the game and with just under half an hour played Danny Rose was well-blocked off by a defender as he was about to shoot from inside the penalty area
Jon Brady was shown a yellow card for his protestations to a Newport challenge which saw Aneurin Livermore booked for a foul on Jack Sowerby, but the Cobblers boss was soon celebrating a goal, Jon Guthrie with an emphatic finish into the roof of the net after a Pinnock free-kick led to a scramble in the box.
Jake Cain curled a free-kick wide in the early stages of the second half before the home side made a double change, Michael Flynn bringing on Ollie Cooper and the ever-green Kevin Ellison.
Nicke Kabamba went close to a second Cobblers goal when he was found in the area by Ali Koiki but his header was saved by Joe Day. In the aftermath of that chance Newport were dealt an injury blow with Scot Bennett leaving the field on a stretcher.
Liam Roberts saved a Cameron Norman header and Timmy Abraham flashed a header wide as the Cobblers started to come under pressure.
Etete and Flores came on for Kabamba and Rose before Pinnock, appealing for a penalty, headed wide from a Sam Hoskins cross. Dylan Connolly then replaced Sowerby in the Cobblers final change.
The Cobblers had weathered the storm but still had to see out an incredible fourteen minutes of stoppage time to ensure a well-earned and hard fought three points were heading back to Northampton.
NEWPORT MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (0) 3
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (1) 7
CORNERS: (3) 5
FOULS: (8) 12
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (0) 0
COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (2) 4
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (2) 2
CORNERS: (2) 2
FOULS: (4) 13
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (0) 0