COCA-COLA LEAGUE ONE
Saturday October 20th, 3pm
Sixfields

MATCH SPONSOR
Hartwell Landrover

MATCHBALL SPONSOR
Claret and White

PROGRAMME SPONSOR
bet365

Attendance: 5,012 (310 away fans)

Cobblers:  Mark BUNN, Jason CROWE, Daniel JONES (sub Danny JACKMAN 71), Mark HUGHES, Liam DOLMAN, Colin LARKIN, Alex RUSSELL (sub Joe BURNELL 82), Bradley JOHNSON, Andy KIRK*, Poul HUBERTZ (sub Ryan GILLIGAN 70), Andy HOLT
Substitutes not used: Chris DUNN, Chris DOIG

Cheltenham: Shane HIGGS, Shane DUFF, Michael TOWNSEND, John FINNIGAN, Paul CONNOR, Damian SPENCER (sub Andy LINDEGAARD 78), David BIRD (sub Craig REID 85), Jennison MYRIE-WILLIAMS (sub Ashley VINCENT 72), Andy GALLINAGH, Dean SINCLAIR, Alan WRIGHT
Substitutes not used: Gavin CAINES, Scott BROWN

Referee: Mr G Hegley

* HARTWELL LANDROVER MAN OF THE MATCH

Booked:
Cobblers: none
Cheltenham: John FINNIGAN (31) 

5 cautions on or before 28 February; 1 match suspension
10 cautions on or before 8 April; 2 match suspension
15 cautions at any time in season; 3 match suspension

Sent off:
Cobblers: none
Cheltenham: none

Sending offs: 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.

Northampton Town welcomed Cheltenham Town to Sixfields in Coca-Cola League One. Poul Hubertz returned in place of Danny Jackman for the Cobblers, while although Giles Coke is approaching fitness, he was not yet available for first team selection. A knee injury ruled out Ian Henderson, but hamstring victim Chris Doig was among the substitutes.

Colin Larkin had the first chance of the afternoon on 7 minutes when he was played in by Andy Kirk, but the recovering Alan Wright was on hand to deflect his shot behind for a corner.

Daniel Jones and Mark Hughes both made great blocks to deny firstly Damian Spencer and then Paul Connor after a smart Cheltenham break on 16 minutes.

However it was the Cobblers who had the lead on 21 minutes. Alex Russell played a neat ball into the box which Poul Hubertz flicked on into the path of Andy Kirk and he made no mistake in finding the back of the net with a shot on the turn from 8 yards.

Cheltenham's John Finnigan became the first player to be booked when he kicked the ball away after Alex Russell had been fouled, before visiting keeper Shane Higgs had to make a sprawling save from Kirk's header.

At the other end, Mark Bunn went down low to save Spencer's 37th minute drive, before the same player headed wide at the far post.

Cheltenham were level soon after half time - on 50 minutes to be precise when Damian Spencer headed home an Alan Wright cross beyond Mark Bunn.

Bradley Johnson sent in a low shot that hit the sidenetting of the Cheltenham goal on 55 minutes, before Colin Larkin fired over.

Mark Bunn made a good save from Dean Sinclair on 63 minutes, holding the Cheltenham man's powerful drive, before Poul Hubertz headed just wide at the far post from Jason Crowe's deep cross.

Ryan Gilligan came on for Hubertz with 20 minutes to go, while Danny Jackman replaced Jones. Cheltenham then made a change with Ashley Vincent coming on for Jennison Myrie-Williams.

Keith Downing's second change saw Spencer replaced by Andy Lindegaard, but on 80 minutes the Cobblers restored their lead. Andy Holt's long throw was half headed away and Ryan Gilligan drove home a half volley from the edge of the area that beat Higgs.

Stuart Gray's final substitution saw Joe Burnell come on for Alex Russell on 82 minutes, before David Bird was replaced by Craig Reid in the visitors final change.

Andy Kirk's shot from 25 yards was pushed away by Higgs on 86 minutes, while as the game entered stoppage time Cheltenham won 3 corners inside 60 seconds.

The third of those was hammered clear by Mark Hughes and the Cobblers lead was never really threatened again as they recorded their 7th win (with 2 draws) in their last 10 games at Sixfields.

COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (8) 13
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (2) 9
CORNERS: (5) 9
FOULS: (3) 9
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (0) 2

CHELTENHAM MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (3) 6
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (2) 4
CORNERS: (1) 7
FOULS: (8) 10
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (0) 2

The above stats are recorded by club staff. The stats shown elsewhere on this page are recorded by the Press Association.

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