COCA-COLA LEAGUE ONE
Saturday November 3rd, 3pm
Sixfields

MATCH SPONSOR
Starting Off

MATCHBALL SPONSOR
Jackson Grundy

PROGRAMME SPONSOR
Paul Hillyard

Attendance: 6,646 (1,040 away fans)

Cobblers: Mark BUNN, Jason CROWE, Daniel JONES, Liam DOLMAN (sub Colin LARKIN 72), Mark HUGHES*, Chris DOIG, Alex RUSSELL, Ryan GILLIGAN (sub Andy HOLT 72), Bradley JOHNSON, Andy KIRK, Poul HUBERTZ
Substitutes not used: Chris DUNN, Danny JACKMAN, Alex DYER

Southend: Steve COLLIS, Lewis HUNT, Peter CLARKE, Adam BARRETT, Mark GOWER, Alan McCORMACK, Steven HAMMELL, Gary HOOPER (sub Matt HARROLD 80), Franck MOUSSA, Nicky BAILEY, Leon CLARKE
Substitutes not used: Simon FRANCIS, Kevin MAHER, Richie FORAN, Charlie MacDONALD

Referee: Mr R East

* THE STARTING OFF MAN OF THE MATCH

Booked:
Cobblers: Bradley JOHNSON (55, 4th of the season)
Southend: Nicky BAILEY (38), Alan McCORMACK (45), Leon CLARKE (52)

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
Southend: 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 Southend United to Sixfields. Giles Coke (knee), Joe Burnell (back), Brett Johnson (groin) and Ian Henderson (knee) were unavailable for selection, and Stuart Gray made three changes to the side that had beaten Oldham Athletic the week before - Poul Hubertz, Alex Russell and Daniel Jones coming in for Burnell, Colin Larkin and Danny Jackman.

In front of a large Sixfields attendance, and after a short delay to kick off to allow crowd congestion to clear, the first part of the game was a stop-start affair with play being stopped by the referee for a number of minor offences.

Daniel Jones shot wide on 18 minutes after Ryan Gilligan had done well to deliver a cross to the far post to create the first opportunity of the game. Moments later the Cobblers went even closer only for Steve Collis in the Southend goal to superbly tip over a dipping volley from Bradley Johnson.

The Cobblers long wait for a penalty was over on 22 minutes. Peter Clarke was penalised for handball as Poul Hubertz tried to round him inside the area. The referee ruled that the award of a penalty was punishment enough and did not produce a card, even though the defender could have been said to be denying a goalscoring opportunity. Andy Kirk stepped up to take the spot kick and although he beat Collis, the ball struck the post and bounced out. Kirk was first to the loose ball, but the Cobblers top scorer sent the rebound wide. Even had he scored though, it would not have counted as no other player had touched the ball since he took the penalty.

As play switched to the other end, Leon Clarke volleyed over after Mark Bunn had beaten away a shot from Mark Gower.

Nicky Bailey was booked on 38 minutes after saying something out of turn to the referee, but three minutes later the Cobblers went close again, Daniel Jones having a powerful shot tipped onto the bar by Collis after Alex Russell's shot had been blocked.

Alan McCormack was booked after catching Chris Doig in first half stoppage time as an entertaining 45 minutes drew to a close.

As the second half began an attendance of 6,646 was confirmed, the highest home attendance in the month of November for a decade.

Leon Clarke was booked for kicking the ball away in the first action after the break, before Bradley Johnson was also cautioned, this for fouling Franck Moussa.

The Cobblers hit the woodwork for the third time on 58 minutes when Andy Kirk's chip from the edge of the area beat Collis but kissed the bar on it's way over. Moments later a delightful ball in from Jason Crowe gave Poul Hubertz an opportunity, but he headed wide of the far post.

Mark Hughes made a superb tackle to deny Leon Clarke as the Southend striker looked to break on 60 minutes, but soon afterwards the visitors did have the lead, Adam Barrett heading home at the far post from the visitors first corner of the game.

Stuart Gray made a double change on 72 minutes with Andy Holt and Colin Larkin replacing Ryan Gilligan and Andy Holt.

Bradley Johnson curled just over the bar, before Matt Harrold came on to replace Gary Hooper for Southend.

Leon Clarke fired too high on 83 minutes as Southend looked to come forward while in the next move Matt Harrold's shot was blocked by Mark Bunn.

The home crowd thought that Alex Russell had equalised right on 90 minutes, but the ball had hit the sidenetting and the back of the goal frame, giving the illusion that a goal had been scored.

4 minutes later the whistle went, and Southend had secured the narrowest of wins to bring to an end the Cobblers run of successive home wins.

COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (4) 6
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (4) 9
CORNERS: (4) 8
FOULS: (7) 15
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (0) 2

SOUTHEND MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (1) 3
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (2) 4
CORNERS: (0) 1
FOULS: (6) 14
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (3) 10

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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