COCA-COLA LEAGUE ONE
Saturday September 29th, 3pm
Prenton Park

TRANMERE ROVERS 2
Chris SHUKER 69, Gareth TAYLOR 88

NORTHAMPTON TOWN 2
Andy KIRK 12, Poul HUBERTZ 39

Attendance: 6,338 (440 Cobblers fans)

Tranmere:  John ACHTERBERG, Robbie STOCKDALE (sub Antony KAY 75), Paul MCLAREN, Shane SHERRIFF, Gareth TAYLOR, Chris GREENACRE, Steve JENNINGS (sub Craig CURRAN 75), Ben CHORLEY, Ian GOODISON, Steve DAVIES (sub Mike JONES 20), Chris SHUKER
Substitutes not used: Carl TREMARCO, Shane MCWEENEY

Cobblers: Mark BUNN, Jason CROWE, Andy HOLT (sub Brett JOHNSON 56), Liam DOLMAN, Mark HUGHES, Chris DOIG, Colin LARKIN, Alex RUSSELL, Bradley JOHNSON, Andy KIRK (sub Ian HENDERSON 87), Poul HUBERTZ (sub Ryan GILLIGAN 81)
Substitutes not used: Chris DUNN, Joe BURNELL

Referee: Mr M Pike

Booked:
Tranmere: Ben CHORLEY (61)
Cobblers: none

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:
Tranmere: 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.

Nine months after taking charge of his first game at the same venue, Northampton Town manager Stuart Gray returned to Prenton Park as his side took on Tranmere Rovers. The Cobblers boss named the same side that had beaten Huddersfield Town 3-0 the week before, with Joe Burnell a substitute after recovering from a hamstring injury.

Both sides had scored in every league game this season and with the Cobblers having had more shots on target than any other side in League One an open game was anticipated.

Rovers had not been beaten since losing to Leeds United on the opening day of the season and were looking to move to the top of the League One table, and they had the first effort at goal of the game, but Mark Bunn beat away a drive from Gareth Taylor after 9 minutes.

The Cobblers were ahead on 12 minutes. Mark Bunn's long goal kick was headed on by Andy Holt for Andy Kirk to flick a header beyond the advancing John Achterberg and into the net.

Tranmere were forced into a change on 20 minutes when Steve Davies was carried from the field on a stretcher to be replaced by Mike Jones.

Paul McLaren shot wide of the target from 25 yards after 22 minutes, but the Cobblers lead was doubled on 39 minutes. Colin Larkin broke up a Tranmere attack in the middle of the field and led a counter attack. He fed Andy Kirk who in turn was supported by Jason Crowe on the overlap. Crowe stood up a hanging cross to the far post that was headed beyond Achterberg by Poul Hubertz.

On 44 minutes Mark Bunn made a good save to push a shot from Gareth Taylor away, while Mark Hughes made a superb block to deny Chris Shuker from the rebound. The home side were enjoying a good spell as the first half came to an end, and Bunn was in the right place to make a close range save from Chris Greenacre from Shuker's pull back.

Poul Hubertz curled an effort wide of the far post on 52 minutes following a swift counter attack, before Stuart Gray's first change saw Brett Johnson replace Andy Holt.

Tranmere's Ben Chorley was the first player to be booked when he caught Poul Hubertz with a late challenge, before the home side pulled a goal back when Chris Shuker drilled a low drive beyond Mark Bunn and into the far corner.

Jason Crowe's shot was held by Achterberg, before Tranmere made a double change with Antony Kay replacing Robbie Stockdale and Craig Curran coming on for Steve Jennings.

Stuart Gray swapped Ryan Gilligan for Poul Hubertz as he made his second change, before Bradley Johnson met a Brett Johnson cross with power but his header was narrowly wide.

A Bradley Johnson corner on 84 minutes was only half cleared to Andy Kirk and his well struck volley was beaten away by Achterberg, while at the other end a very rare error from Mark Hughes allowed Craig Curran to latch on to a short back pass but Mark Bunn was quickly off his line and the Rovers substitute shot wide.

Ian Henderson came on for Andy Kirk in the Cobblers final change, but moments later the home side were level when Gareth Taylor looped a header from Chris Shuker's cross beyond Mark Bunn and a host of defenders on the line to equalise.

The Cobblers came forward looking to regain the lead and Brett Johnson headed a Gilligan free kick inches wide of the far post, while at the other end Mark Bunn made a superb save to tip a drive from Mike Jones over the bar.

That was the last action of note as the Cobblers extended their unbeaten run and picked up what could be a very valuable point against a side who are sure to be involved in the race for promotion.

TRANMERE MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (5) 9
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (3) 6
CORNERS: (2) 6
FOULS: (2) 6
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (5) 8 

COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (4) 7
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (0) 5
CORNERS: (4) 5
FOULS: (3) 8
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (1) 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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