COCA-COLA LEAGUE ONE
Saturday October 27th, 3pm
Boundary Park
OLDHAM ATHLETIC 0
NORTHAMPTON TOWN 1
Alex RUSSELL 66
Attendance: 4,870 (335 Cobblers fans)
Oldham: Marlon BERESFORD, Neal EARDLEY, Neal TROTMAN, Reuben HAZELL (sub Stefan STAM 46), Ryan BERTRAND, Andy LIDDELL, JP KALALA (sub Mark ALLOTT 71), Neil KILKENNY, Chris TAYLOR (sub Dean SMALLEY 71), Craig DAVIES, Michael RICKETTS
Substitutes not used: Gary McDONALD, Matt WOLFENDEN
Cobblers: Mark BUNN, Jason CROWE, Liam DOLMAN, Mark HUGHES, Chris DOIG, Danny JACKMAN (sub Daniel JONES 65), Colin LARKIN (sub Poul HUBERTZ 46), Joe BURNELL (sub Alex RUSSELL 65), Bradley JOHNSON, Ryan GILLIGAN, Andy KIRK
Substitutes not used: Chris DUNN, Brett JOHNSON
Referee: Mr A Bates
Booked:
Oldham: none
Cobblers: Joe BURNELL (45, 2nd of the season), Ryan GILLIGAN (71, 3rd), Mark HUGHES (78, 4th)
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:
Oldham: none
Cobblers: 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.
Stuart Gray made 4 changes to the Northampton Town side that travelled to meet Oldham Athletic at Boundary Park. Chris Doig, Joe Burnell, Ryan Gilligan and Danny Jackman replaced Daniel Jones, Alex Russell, Poul Hubertz and Andy Holt. Holt missed out on a return to his former club with a hamstring injury, while the other 3 were named among the substitutes.
Neal Trotman had the first effort at goal for the home side, heading a 5th minute corner over Mark Bunn's cross bar, before at the other end Bradley Johnson's 13th minute free kick from 25 yards was deflected away by the wall, with Ryan Gilligan reacting well but heading the rebound wide from 15 yards.
Oldham had a good chance to take the lead on 21 minutes. Despite appearing to be well offside, Craig Davies was allowed to continue when one on one with Mark Bunn. Although he rounded Bunn, the Cobblers keeper did enough to force the striker wide, and his shot eventually rolled beyond the far post with both Mark Hughes and Liam Dolman getting back on the line to cover.
Neil Kilkenny drove over the bar on 33 minutes from a Ricketts knock down, before Davies sent a shot into the side netting having found space just inside the Cobblers area.
Mark Bunn made a good save after 44 minutes to beat away a powerful close range header from Michael Ricketts as he met a Chris Taylor corner, before Joe Burnell was booked for a foul on Neil Kilkenny in the final action of the first half.
Both sides made substitutions at half time. For the Cobblers Poul Hubertz replaced Colin Larkin, while for the home side Stefan Stam came on for Reuben Hazell.
Hubertz headed a Jason Crowe cross over the bar following a short corner from Danny Jackman on 54 minutes, before Stuart Gray made a double change with Daniel Jones and Alex Russell coming on for Jackman and Joe Burnell.
One of the new arrivals had an immediate impact, Alex Russell scoring with his first touch. A neat Cobblers build up down the right saw Bradley Johnson play the ball back to Poul Hubertz and although the big striker could not find the room to shoot, he laid the ball off into the path of the man on loan from Bristol City who rifled an unstoppable shot from 25 yards beyond Beresford.
Craig Davies shot over the bar from the edge of the area for the home side on 68 minutes, before Ryan Gilligan was booked for catching Kilkenny with a late challenge.
It was then the turn of John Sheridan to make a double change with Mark Allott replacing JP Kalala, and Dean Smalley coming on for Chris Taylor.
Beresford made a good save to hold Andy Kirk's header from Jason Crowe's cross at the second attempt, before Mark Hughes was booked for holding back Ricketts.
Gilligan forced a low save from Beresford on 89 minutes in the last chance of the game and after 3 minutes of stoppage time, the Cobblers fans could celebrate a first away win of the season.
OLDHAM MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (2) 4
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (6) 10
CORNERS: (2) 3
FOULS: (7) 14
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (1) 1
COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (2) 4
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (4) 5
CORNERS: (0) 2
FOULS: (8) 12
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (1) 4
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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