SKY BET LEAGUE 1
Saturday April 27th, 12.30pm
Oakwell
BARNSLEY 1
Herbie Kane 18
NORTHAMPTON TOWN 1
Louis Appere 90
Attendance: 15,108 (1,222 Cobblers fans)
Barnsley: Liam Roberts, Jordan Williams, Mael de Gevigney, Nicky Cadden, Herbie Kane, Corey O'Keeffe (sub Barry Cotter 90), Adam Phillips, Josh Earl, Devante Cole (sub Sam Cosgrove 83), John McAtee (sub Fabio Jalo 72), Luca Connell
Subs not used: Ben Killip, Conor Grant, Aiden Marsh, Jamie McCart
Cobblers: Lee Burge, Akin Odimayo (sub Aaron McGowan 61), Jordan Willis, Sam Sherring, Jon Guthrie, Manny Monthe (sub Shaun McWilliams 74), Marc Leonard, Jack Sowerby (sub Will Hondermarck 74), Louis Appere, Mitch Pinnock, Kieron Bowie (sub Tyreece Simpson 55)
Subs not used: James Dadge, Tony Springett, Ben Fox
Referee: Ollie Yates
Booked:
Barnsley: Mael de Gevigney (22), Corey O'Keeffe (43), Herbie Kane (90)
Cobblers: Shaun McWilliams (90)
Sent off:
Barnsley: none
Cobblers: none
Northampton Town travelled to Oakwell on Saturday lunchtime for the final match of the 2023/24 season. The Cobblers League One status was secured, while hosts Barnsley needed a win to make sure of their place in the end of season play offs.
Jon Brady made three changes to the side, with Akin Odimayo, Jordan Willis and Manny Monthe coming in for Aaron McGowan, Ali Koiki (illness) and Shaun McWilliams. Sam Hoskins missed the game as a precaution. Forner Cobbler Liam Roberts started for the home team.
The Tykes started the day in the top six, but early goals elsewhere meant that they had dropped out of the play off positions in the in play league table with fifteen minutes played. That situation soon changed though, as Herbie Kane fired a low shot beyond Lee Burge to score with eighteen minutes gone to move the home side back above the dotted line.
That lifted the mood around Oakwell, but the Cobblers were posing a threat, with Mitch Pinnock seeing shots blocked on more than one occasion.
Louis Appere was sent clear on thirty seven minutes, but with three defenders in hot pursuit, the Northampton Town number nine was denied by an excellent recovering sliding tackle. That led to a series of corners for the Cobblers, during which Kieron Bowie had a shot blocked at close range.
Burge saved well from Devante Cole as the game approached half time with one goal separating the sides at the break.
Kieron Bowie left the pitch injured to be replaced by Tyreece Simpson on 55 minutes, before Jack Sowerby played in Mitch Pinnock who had a shot deflected just over the bar.
Jon Guthrie was in the right place at the right time to deny John McAtee on the hour mark, the Cobblers skipper chesting the ball off the line as Aaron McGowan then came on for Akin Odimayo.
Marc Leonard forced a flying save from Liam Roberts with thirteen minutes left, and as the clock ticked over to 90 minutes, Shaun McWilliams sent a diving header agonisingly wide of the far post.
The Cobblers equalised as the 2023/24 Sky Bet League One season drew to a close, Louis Appere volleying home a Jon Guthrie header to ensure Jon Brady's side left Oakwell with a point as the home side secured a play off place.
BARNSLEY MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (2) 3
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (0) 1
CORNERS: (2) 3
FOULS: (5) 9
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (3) 6
COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (3) 5
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (0) 2
CORNERS: (5) 7
FOULS: (3) 5
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (1) 1
