SKY BET LEAGUE 2
Saturday January 8th, 3.00pm
Sixfields
NORTHAMPTON TOWN 0
CRAWLEY TOWN 1
Tom Nichols 41
Attendance: 4,714 (193 away fans)
Cobblers: Liam Roberts, Aaron McGowan, Fraser Horsfall, Jon Guthrie, Ali Koiki (sub Chanka Zimba 70), Jack Sowerby, Shaun McWilliams, Sam Hoskins, Paul Lewis (sub Dylan Connolly 46), Mitch Pinnock, Danny Rose (sub Nicke Kabamba 83)
Subs not used: Jonny Maxted, Michael Harriman, Max Dyche, Jordan Flores
Crawley: Glenn Morris, George Francomb, Tony Craig, Jack Powell, Tom Nichols, Ashley Nadesan (sub Sam Ashford 82), James Tilley, Ludwig Francillete, Sam Matthews (sub Jack Payne 53), Nicholas Tsaroulla (sub Archie Davies 62), Joel Lynch
Subs not used: Taylor Seymour, Mark Marshall, Florian Kastrati
Referee: Declan Bourne
Booked:
Cobblers: Fraser Horsfall (90, 2nd of the season)
Crawley: Joel Lynch (9), Sam Ashford (87)
10 cautions on or before 37 games; 2 match suspension
15 cautions at any time in season; 3 match suspension
Sent off:
Cobblers: none
Crawley: 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.
New loan signing Cardiff City striker Chanka Zimba was named on the bench with the Cobblers starting XI unchanged for the visit of Crawley Town.
On a rainy afternoon at Sixfields, James Tilley curled an early shot over the bar in a fairly uneventful opening half an hour. Sam Hoskins saw a shot deflected behind with Jack Sowerby firing over from the subsequent corner as the Cobblers tried to up the ante.
It was Crawley though who made the breakthrough before half-time, Tom Nichols with a fine strike from the angle and into the net.
Dylan Connolly replaced Paul Lewis at half-time with Hoskins moved up front alongside Danny Rose.
Rose and Hoskins combine to play in Aaron McGowan whose shot was blocked at close range before Hoskins had an effort deflected behind with the Cobblers appealing for handball.
Chanka Zimba came on for Ali Koiki and the debutant went agonisingly close to making an immediate impact with his first touch. McGowan fizzed in a cross which Zimba did well to connect with only for his effort to come back off the cross bar.
Fraser Horsfall had a header blocked at close range and McGowan flashed a shot just wide as the Cobblers continued to press hard for an equaliser.
Zimba again went close after combining with Hoskins in the area before Nicke Kabamba replaced Rose. The Cardiff loanee was then denied one-on-one by Glenn Morris after a flick on from Kabamba sent him clear. From the ensuing corner Jon Guthrie was denied by a goal line clearance as Crawley clung on.
Hoskins failed to find the target after getting on the end of a ball in from Connolly and the Cobblers had another appeal for a penalty turned down when Zimba looked to be felled in stoppage time but despite their best efforts the Cobblers couldn’t rescue a point, Crawley somehow surviving a Cobblers onslaught to claim the win.
COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (0) 5
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (2) 12
CORNERS: (4) 14
FOULS: (5) 6
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (3) 4
CRAWLEY MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (1) 1
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (1) 1
CORNERS: (0) 2
FOULS: (3) 6
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (2) 3
GOLDEN GOAL PEEL & REVEAL TIMES: 40:16