COCA-COLA LEAGUE ONE
Saturday November 17th, 3pm
The Alexandra Stadium
CREWE ALEXANDRA 1
Ryan LOWE 59
NORTHAMPTON TOWN 0
Attendance: 4,531 (574 Cobblers fans)
Crewe: Ben WILLIAMS, Danny WOODARDS, Billy JONES, Gary ROBERTS, Neil COX, Julien BAUDET, Ben RIX (sub Shaun MILLER 66), Chris McCREADY, Ryan LOWE, Byron MOORE (sub Elliott BENNETT 77), Cedric BASEYA (sub Matt BAILEY 85)
Substitutes not used: Eugen BOPP, Stuart TOMLINSON
Cobblers: Mark BUNN, Jason CROWE, Danny JACKMAN, Liam DOLMAN, Guy BRANSTON, Colin LARKIN, Ryan GILLIGAN, Joe BURNELL (sub Bradley JOHNSON 68), Alex RUSSELL (sub Sam AISTON 76), Andy HOLT (sub Daniel JONES 77), Andy KIRK
Substitutes not used: Chris DUNN, Brett JOHNSON
Referee: Mr A Haines
Booked:
Crewe: none
Cobblers: Guy BRANSTON (31, 4th of the season), Ryan GILLIGAN (43, 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:
Crewe: 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.
Northampton Town made the trip to the Alexandra Stadium to take on Crewe Alexandra. Stuart Gray made 3 changes to the team that had drawn at Darlington the week before, with Andy Kirk, the available again Alex Russell and new loan signing Guy Branston coming in for the injured Chris Doig (knee) and Poul Hubertz (Achilles) and the suspended Mark Hughes. Liam Dolman skippered the side.
Crewe went in to the game in top form having won four and drawn one of their previous 5 matches, but it was the Cobblers who had the first effort at goal, Andy Kirk firing over on 6 minutes after good play from Andy Holt to win the ball in an advanced position.
Kirk's header from Colin Larkin's inviting 12th minute cross skimmed the top of the net as it went just over the bar, before Guy Branston had to leave the field on 23 minutes for stitches after being caught by the arm of Cedric Baseya. The referee awarded the Cobblers a free kick but issued no further punishment against Baseya.
Five minutes later Branston returned wearing shirt number 50, but soon after being smashed in the face he was booked himself for a foul on Byron Moore. Julien Baudet rifled in the resulting free kick from 25 yards, the ball striking the outside of the post and bouncing away to safety.
Alex Russell made a superb tackle to deflect a shot from Moore away on 37 minutes after Cobblers keeper Mark Bunn had come to punch but for once hadn't quite got the required distance. Moments later Bunn was in action again, saving with his feet from Gary Roberts.
Branston's cut had opened up again and he needed more treatment on 40 minutes, and soon after the loan defender's latest return to the action Ryan Gilligan was cautioned for fouling Moore.
The second half began with Branston wearing his 4th shirt of the afternoon, this time number 17.
A through ball from Andy Kirk on 52 minutes almost released Colin Larkin, only for Baudet to make a superb recovering tackle. Branston flicked the resulting corner on dangerously, but the ball went just beyond the far post.
Crewe had the lead with their first real effort of the second half. Danny Woodards long ball forward was headed away by Liam Dolman but Ryan Lowe volleyed his effort in first time from 20 yards to beat Mark Bunn.
The home side made their first change on 66 minutes with Shaun Miller replacing Ben Rix, before for the Cobblers, Bradley Johnson (wearing 16) came on for Joe Burnell.
The Cobblers were close to levelling on 71 minutes. A deep cross from Colin Larkin found Andy Holt at the far post. Holt's first time shot beat Ben Williams but struck the foot of the post and bounced away.
Stuart Gray made a double change on 76 minutes, with Daniel Jones and Sam Aiston replacing Alex Russell and Andy Holt. Crewe's change saw Elliott Bennett come on for Byron Moore.
Bradley Johnson headed an 82nd minute corner from Jackman over the bar from 10 yards, before Crewe's final change saw Matt Bailey replace Baseya.
Crewe keeper Ben Williams somehow denied Liam Dolman on 86 minutes. A Jones free kick had caused havoc in the penalty area, and the move ended with Dolman sending in a powerful volley that the keeper stretched to tip over the bar.
The Cobblers laid siege to the Crewe goal in injury time. Ryan Gilligan burst through but saw his shot pushed wide by Williams, Andy Kirk and Sam Aiston both had shots blocked before the latter sent a shot over the bar with the final effort of the afternoon.
CREWE MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (2) 3
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (1) 2
CORNERS: (2) 3
FOULS: (3) 9
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (2) 2
COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (3) 7
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (2) 9
CORNERS: (2) 7
FOULS: (5) 8
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (1) 1
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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