CARABAO CUP, FIRST ROUND
Sixfields
Tuesday August 9th 2022, 7.45pm
NORTHAMPTON TOWN 1
Louis Appere 76 pen
WYCOMBE WANDERERS 2
Joe Jacobson 28
D'Mani Mellor 34
Attendance: 2,711 (471 away supporters)
Cobblers: Jonny Maxted, Harvey Lintott, Tyler Magloire, Jon Guthrie, Ali Koiki (sub Mitch Pinnock 60), Ben Fox, Marc Leonard, Liam Cross (sub Shaun McWilliams 61), Kieron Bowie (sub Danny Hylton 60), Ryan Haynes, Louis Appere
Subs not used: Lee Burge, Jack Sowerby, Sam Hoskins, Peter Abimbola, Max Dyche
Wycombe: Tyla Dickinson, Joe Jacobson, Chris Forino (sub Jack Grimmer 46), Jack Young (sub Lewis Wing 73), Daryl Horgan, Jack Wakely (sub Jordan Obita 73), D’Mani Mellor, Nick Freeman, Ali Al-Hamadi (sub Anis Mehmeti 73), Tjay De Barr (sub Connor Parsons 59), Jasper Pattenden
Subs not used: Dominic Gape, Joshua Blunkell
Referee: Tom Nield
Booked:
Cobblers: Jon Brady (90)
Wycombe: Japser Pattenden (54)
Sent off:
Cobblers: none
Wycombe: none
Ben Fox made his competitive debut for the Cobblers as boss Jon Brady made several changes for the Carabao Cup first round tie with Wycombe Wanderers. Jonny Maxted started in goal and there were also starts for Harvey Lintott, Marc Leonard, Kieron Bowie, Ryan Haynes and academy graduate Liam Cross.
Ali Koiki, playing in a more advanced role, saw a shot turned behind by Tyla Dickinson before Bowie, who had set up the chance for Koiki, was also denied by the Wycombe keeper after making a good forward run and shooting from distance.
Joe Jacobson put Wycombe in front with a superbly taken free-kick just before the half-hour mark but the Cobblers were almost immediately back on level terms when Cross, played in by Louis Appere, had a shot blocked.
It was Wanderers though who struck again on 34 minutes, former Manchester United striker D’Mani Mellor finishing off a slick counter attack.
Dickinson saved from Leonard and Cross curled wide in the opening stages of the second half but with his side still 2-0 down Jon Brady made a triple change, bringing on Danny Hylton, Mitch Pinnock and Shaun McWilliams.
Pinnock was quickly involved in the action with a shot tipped over by Dickinson, the Cobblers upping the tempo and enjoying a good spell of pressure.
Hylton had a shot blocked and Appere headed wide as the home side continued to press for a goal and a way back into the cup tie.
The goal the Cobblers second half performance deserved came from the penalty spot, Louis Appere winning and then scoring the spot-kick to halve the deficit with just under 15 minutes to play.
Wycombe’s two-goal lead was nearly restored when a shot came back off the post before Dickinson saved from Pinnock with the clock ticking towards 90. That proved to be the last real chance of the night for the Cobblers and it was League 1 Wanderers who progressed through to round 2 by a single goal margin.
COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (3) 11
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (2) 5
CORNERS: (2) 4
FOULS: (4) 8
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (0) 0
WYCOMBE MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (4) 5
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (1) 3
CORNERS: (2) 9
FOULS: (7) 14
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (2) 2