SKY BET LEAGUE 2
Tuesday March 15th, 7.45pm
Lamex Stadium
STEVENAGE 1
Chris Lines 82
NORTHAMPTON TOWN 2
Aaron McGowan 18
Mitch Pinnock 50
Attendance: 2,362 (568 Cobblers fans)
Stevenage: Christy Pym, Luther James-Wildin, Luke Prosser, Elliott List, Jake Taylor, Luke Norris (sub Zain Westbrooke 45), Charlie Carter, Chris Lines, Terence Vancooten, Ed Upson (sub Arthur Read 57), Luke O’Neill
Subs not used: Laurie Walker, Jamie Reid, Brad Barry, Sam Tinubu, Bailey Clements
Cobblers: Liam Roberts, Aaron McGowan, Fraser Horsfall, Jon Guthrie, Ali Koiki (sub Joseph Mills 26), Jack Sowerby, Beryly Lubala (sub Danny Rose 73), Mitch Pinnock, Sam Hoskins, Paul Lewis, Louis Appere (sub Chanka Zimba 62)
Subs not used: Jonny Maxted, Michael Harriman, Benny Ashley-Seal, Tyler Magloire
Referee: Craig Hicks
Booked:
Stevenage: none
Cobblers: Sam Hoskins (68, 8th of the season), Danny Rose (78, 7th)
10 cautions on or before 37 games; 2 match suspension
15 cautions at any time in season; 3 match suspension
Sent off:
Stevenage: 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.
Beryly Lubala replaced the injured Shaun McWilliams in the only change made by Jon Brady for the midweek trip to Stevenage.
After a fairly uneventful start to the contest apart from a brief pause in play when the water sprinklers unexpectedly sprang up, Aaron McGowan put the Cobblers in front with a superb strike from 18-yards, the right-back firing an unstoppable drive into the bottom corner.
Mitch Pinnock saw a shot blocked by Luke Prosser as the Cobblers looked to press home their advantage with a quick second goal but they were then dealt an injury blow when Ali Koiki was unable to continue, Joseph Mills coming on.
Elliott List fired over as Stevenage tried to build some momentum before half-time but the home side were also forced into a change after a clash of heads between Fraser Horsfall and Luke Norris.
Five minutes into the second half Mitch Pinnock doubled the Cobblers lead and it was another sweet strike following on from McGowan’s first-half stunner, Pinnock showing some good control before firing home from just inside the area.
As the Cobblers pressed for a third goal Jack Sowerby drew a good save from Christy Pym with Jon Guthrie also seeing a header saved by the Stevenage stopper.
Chris Lines headed over a chance for Stevenage and the former Cobblers midfielder halved the home side’s deficit with eight minutes to play, Lines providing the close range finish to Charlie Carter’s cut-back.
Substitute Chanka Zimba could have eased the Cobblers nerves with a third goal but the on-loan Cardiff striker shot wide with the 90-minutes nearly up.
Zimba was again wide in stoppage time and although Lines' goal had set up a tense finale the Cobblers saw the game out to clinch the three points, Liam Roberts making a vital late save to keep out a drilled effort from Elliott List.
STEVENAGE MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (0) 4
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (2) 7
CORNERS: (1) 4
FOULS: (5) 10
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (1) 1
COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (2) 5
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (1) 4
CORNERS: (1) 2
FOULS: (8) 15
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (0) 2