SKY BET LEAGUE 1
Saturday April 20th, 3.00pm
Sixfields
NORTHAMPTON TOWN 1
Jon Guthrie 73
EXETER CITY 2
Luke Harris 20
Will Aimson 82
Attendance: 7,097 (647 away supporters)
Cobblers: Lee Burge, Aaron McGowan (sub Akin Odimayo 73), Sam Sherring, Jon Guthrie, Ali Koiki, Marc Leonard, Shaun McWilliams (sub Sam Hoskins 64), Jack Sowerby (sub Will Hondermarck 83), Louis Appere (sub Tony Springett 71), Mitch Pinnock, Kieron Bowie
Subs not used: James Dadge, Jordan Willis, Ben Fox
Exeter: Viljami Sinisalo, Zak Jules, Will Aimson, Tom Carroll, Ryan Woods (sub Harry Kite 81), Ilmari Niskanen, Luke Harris (sub Caleb Watts 81), Dion Rankine (sub Ben Purrington 58), Jack Fitzwater (sub Cheick Diabate 46), Millenic Alli, Jake Richards (sub Reece Cole 65)
Subs not used: Shaun MacDonald, Pedro Borges
Referee: Reubyn Ricardo
Booked:
Cobblers: Jon Guthrie (44)
Exeter: none
Sent off:
Cobblers: none
Exeter: Ryan Woods (44)
Northampton Town took on in-form Exeter City at Sixfields in their final home game of the 2023/24 Sky Bet League 1 season with both sides jostling for a top half finish. The game kicked off at the earlier time of 2pm to avoid a direct clash with the Northampton Saints.
Ali Koiki, Shaun McWilliams and Jack Sowerby came into the Cobblers side while Marc Leonard and Kieron Bowie made their final appearance at Sixfields after spending two seasons on-loan from Fulham and Brighton respectively. James Dadge was named on the bench with Louie Moulden missing through injury.
Viljami Sinisalo saved comfortably from Bowie in the first real opening of the afternoon for the Cobblers but twenty minutes in it was Exeter who made the breakthrough, Luke Harris with an angled strike into the corner off the post after making a good run down the right.
The Cobblers had a chance to equalise when a cross into the box from Aaron McGowan found Bowie but his header was saved by Sinisalo while at the other end it needed a good save from Lee Burge to deny Ilmari Niskanen.
A combination of the crossbar and a number of blocks inside the area including one on the goal-line saw Exeter somehow survive a period of intense Cobblers pressure with Mitch Pinnock, Jon Guthrie, Louis Apppere, Bowie and Leonard all denied in a frantic 60 seconds.
Ryan Woods didn’t survive however when he put his head into Guthrie's face with referee Reubyn Ricardo flashing a red card. The Cobblers skipper was then denied an equaliser in first half stoppage time, Sinisalo saving his header on the line.
Ali Koiki, Shaun McWilliams and Jack Sowerby came into the Cobblers side while Marc Leonard and Kieron Bowie made their final appearance at Sixfields after spending two seasons on-loan from Fulham and Brighton respectively. James Dadge was named on the bench with Louie Moulden missing through injury.
Viljami Sinisalo saved comfortably from Bowie in the first real opening of the afternoon for the Cobblers but twenty minutes in it was Exeter who made the breakthrough, Luke Harris with an angled strike into the corner off the post after making a good run down the right.
The Cobblers had a chance to equalise when a cross into the box from Aaron McGowan found Bowie but his header was saved by Sinisalo while at the other end it needed a good save from Lee Burge to deny Ilmari Niskanen.
A combination of the crossbar and a number of blocks inside the area including one on the goal-line saw Exeter somehow survive a period of intense Cobblers pressure with Mitch Pinnock, Jon Guthrie, Louis Apppere, Bowie and Leonard all denied in a frantic 60 seconds.
Ryan Woods didn’t survive however when he put his head into Guthrie's face with referee Reubyn Ricardo flashing a red card. The Cobblers skipper was then denied an equaliser in first half stoppage time, Sinisalo saving his header on the line.
Cheick Diabate came on in a change for Exeter at half-time, replacing Jack Fitzwater. The Grecians were then forced into a second change after Dion Rankine picked up an injury, Ben Purrington coming on with over half an hour still to play. Jon Brady’s first change of the afternoon saw Sam Hoskins replace Shaun McWilliams with the Grecians then making another change, Reece Cole on for Jake Richards.
Leonard, who had earlier in the half had a shot blocked, skewed another shot wide as the Cobblers looked to get themselves back on level terms and the equaliser came on 73 minutes when a long throw from Mitch Pinnock was flicked onto Jon Guthrie and the Cobblers skipper was in the right place at the right time to turn the ball home from close range.
Exeter were back in front ten minutes later however when a low cross was met at the back post by Will Aimson and despite an additional eight minutes and some late Cobblers pressure, the division’s in-form team held on for the three points.
Leonard, who had earlier in the half had a shot blocked, skewed another shot wide as the Cobblers looked to get themselves back on level terms and the equaliser came on 73 minutes when a long throw from Mitch Pinnock was flicked onto Jon Guthrie and the Cobblers skipper was in the right place at the right time to turn the ball home from close range.
Exeter were back in front ten minutes later however when a low cross was met at the back post by Will Aimson and despite an additional eight minutes and some late Cobblers pressure, the division’s in-form team held on for the three points.
COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (8) 10
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (3) 7
CORNERS: (4) 9
FOULS: (6) 12
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (0) 1
EXETER MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (4) 5
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (1) 2
CORNERS: (2) 2
FOULS: (3) 7
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (0) 1
