SKY BET LEAGUE 2
Saturday January 15th, 3.00pm
Sixfields
NORTHAMPTON TOWN 1
Mitch Pinnock 90
FOREST GREEN ROVERS 1
Mathew Stevens 71
Attendance: 5,415 (276 away supporters)
Cobblers: Liam Roberts, Aaron McGowan, Fraser Horsfall, Jon Guthrie, Ali Koiki, Jack Sowerby, Shaun McWilliams, Sam Hoskins, Paul Lewis (sub Chanka Zimba 73), Mitch Pinnock, Dylan Connolly (sub Danny Rose 83)
Subs not used: Jonny Maxted, Joseph Mills, Michael Harriman, Max Dyche, Jordan Flores
Forest Green: Luke McGee, Kane Wilson, Dominic Bernard, Dan Sweeney, Ben Stevenson, Mathew Stevens (sub Josh March 77), Jack Aitchison (sub Regan Hendry 83), Nicky Cadden, Jamille Matt, Jordan Moore-Taylor, Udoka Godwin-Malife
Subs not used: Baily Cargill, Opi Edwards, Jake Young, Sadou Diallo, Lewis Thomas
Referee: Marc Edwards
Booked:
Cobblers: Jack Sowerby (45, 5th of the season), Paul Lewis (51, 4th), Fraser Horsfall (64, 3rd), Mitch Pinnock (90, 2nd)
Forest Green: Kane Wilson (80)
10 cautions on or before 37 games; 2 match suspension
15 cautions at any time in season; 3 match suspension
Sent off:
Cobblers: none
Forest Green: 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 made one change for the visit of league leaders Forest Green Rovers with Dylan Connolly coming into the side for Danny Rose.
In a lively start to the game in front of a raucous home crowd, the Cobblers went agonisingly close to an early goal when Mitch Pinnock curled a shot against the inside of the post from outside of the penalty area.
Paul Lewis headed over from a Sam Hoskins free-kick and Connolly fizzed a shot from the edge of the area just wide as the Cobblers continued to take the game to the league leaders.
Liam Roberts turned behind a shot from Jamille Matt and Mathew Stevens fired over when one-on-one with the Cobblers keeper as Rovers grew into the contest.
After a more cautious start to the second half there was still no separating the sides with over an hour played. Ali Koiki went close with a terrific left-footed strike before Matt headed against the post.
From the subsequent corner Forest Green took the lead in controversial circumstances, the Cobblers players protesting the ball hadn’t crossed the line as Mathew Stevens claimed the goal. Subsequent replays proved the Cobblers protestations to be justified with replays showing it was Roberts arm that rustled the net and not the ball.
Chanka Zimba replaced Paul Lewis in the Cobblers first change and the on-loan Cardiff striker was denied by a terrific block inside the area from Udoka Godwin-Malife as he was about to shoot.
The Cobblers continued to press hard and their efforts were rewarded deep into stoppage time, Mitch Pinnock with a fine strike to beat Luke McGee and rescue a deserved point.
COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (0) 4
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (3) 6
CORNERS: (1) 4
FOULS: (11) 20
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (0) 0
FOREST GREEN MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (2) 5
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (2) 4
CORNERS: (4) 7
FOULS: (6) 9
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (1) 4
GOLDEN GOAL PEEL & REVEAL TIMES: 70:00, ADTM2