COCA-COLA LEAGUE ONE
Saturday August 18th, 3pm
Withdean Stadium
BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION 2
Dean HAMMOND 2 pen, Alex REVELL 66
NORTHAMPTON TOWN 1
Andy KIRK 23
Attendance: 5,137 (309 Cobblers fans)
Brighton: Michel KUIPERS, Andrew WHING, Adam EL-ABD, Dean COX, Alex REVELL, Nicky FORSTER, Dean HAMMOND (sub Tom FRASER 88), Guy BUTTERS, Sam RENTS, Jake ROBINSON (sub Bas SAVAGE 83), Tommy ELPHICK.
Substitutes not used: Kerry MAYO, John SULLIVAN, Nathan ELDER.
Cobblers: Mark BUNN, Jason CROWE, Danny JACKMAN (sub Brett JOHNSON 62), Mark HUGHES, Chris DOIG, Ian HENDERSON (sub Daniel JONES 74), Ryan GILLIGAN, Bradley JOHNSON, Andy HOLT (sub Colin LARKIN 89), Andy KIRK, Poul HUBERTZ
Substitutes not used: Chris DUNN, Joe BURNELL
Referee: Mr M Thorpe
Booked:
Brighton: Andrew WHING (90)
Cobblers: Poul HUBERTZ (59, 2nd of season), Mark HUGHES (65, 1st of season), Jason CROWE (67, 1st of season) Ryan GILLIGAN (68, 1st of season), Daniel JONES (81, 1st of season)
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:
Brighton: 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 travelled to the Withdean Stadium to meet Brighton & Hove Albion for their first Coca-Cola League One away match of the new season. Stuart Gray named the same side that had beaten Millwall in the Carling Cup in midweek.
On an overcast August afternoon the home side were awarded a penalty after just 52 seconds when Chris Doig was adjudged to have fouled Alex Revell. Dean Hammond scored from the spot.
A neat pass from Danny Jackman found the run of Andy Kirk on 12 minutes but his shot went across the face of goal, while Poul Hubertz headed Jackman's 17th minute corner on to the roof of the net.
The Cobblers were level midway through the first half. Bradley Johnson spread a neat ball out to the right, finding Jason Crowe in space. Crowe sent in a right footed cross that was headed home by Andy Kirk for his 3rd goal of the season.
Kirk was then denied when his long range effort was held by Kuipers in the Brighton goal, before Bunn got behind a header from Revell.
Kuipers made a fine save to deny Andy Holt 3 minutes before half time, the Brighton keeper going down low to push the ball away after Hubertz had flicked on a cross from Crowe. Holt had the ball in the net from the resulting corner, but the whistle had already been blown.
It was the turn of Hubertz to be denied by Kuipers on 44 minutes, the keeper beating away a left footed shot as the Cobblers ended the half on top.
Poul Hubertz was shown a yellow card on 58 minutes for what the referee appeared to deem as persistent infringement after his 3rd foul of the game.
Brett Johnson came on for Danny Jackman just after the hour in Stuart Gray's first change, before Mark Hughes was booked as the game threatened to boil over.
Alex Revell headed the home side back in front on 66 minutes, rising to meet a Dean Hammond free kick. In the aftermath Jason Crowe was booked for dissent.
Ryan Gilligan became the latest player booked when he fouled Andrew Whing, before Mark Hughes was in the right place to clear off the line from Revell after Nicky Forster had rounded Mark Bunn.
Daniel Jones replaced Ian Henderson on 74 minutes, and he was the latest player to see yellow when he was booked for a trip on Adam El-Abd.
Bas Savage replaced Jake Robinson with 7 minutes to go, before Tom Fraser came on for Hammond.
The Cobblers final change saw Colin Larkin replace Andy Holt, while Mark Bunn saved well from Nicky Forster as the Cobblers were nearly caught on the break as they pushed men forward.
Andrew Whing was booked for time wasting in injury time, but Stuart Gray's side could not get themselves level, and they left the Withdean Stadium empty handed.
BRIGHTON MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (3) 6
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (2) 3
CORNERS: (2) 5
FOULS: (8) 15
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (2) 2
COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (4) 5
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (3) 4
CORNERS: (4) 5
FOULS: (5) 14
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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