COCA-COLA LEAGUE ONE
Saturday March 29th, 3pm
Whaddon Road
CHELTENHAM TOWN 1
Steven GILLESPIE 39
NORTHAMPTON TOWN 1
Giles COKE 76
Attendance: 4,204 (585 Cobblers fans)
Cheltenham: Shane HIGGS, Jerry GILL, Shane DUFF, Steven GILLESPIE, Paul CONNOR (sub Damian SPENCER 81), Scott BROWN (sub Andy LINDEGAARD 70), David BIRD, Ashley VINCENT (sub Michael D'AGOSTINO 87), Richard KEOGH, Alan WRIGHT, Craig ARMSTRONG
Substitutes not used: Scott P BROWN, Adam CONNOLLY
Cobblers: Mark BUNN, Jason CROWE, Mark LITTLE, Liam DOLMAN, Daniel JONES, Giles COKE, Joe BURNELL (sub Colin LARKIN 57), Danny JACKMAN, Jonathan HAYES (sub Poul HUBERTZ 72), Adebayo AKINFENWA, Andy HOLT (sub Ian HENDERSON 57)
Substitutes not used: Chris DUNN, Brett JOHNSON
Referee: Mr K Evans
Booked:
Cheltenham: Richard KEOGH (72)
Cobblers: Daniel JONES (33, 7th of the season), Adebayo AKINFENWA (72, 3rd)
10 cautions on or before 8 April; 2 match suspension
15 cautions at any time in season; 3 match suspension
Sent off:
Cheltenham: 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.
A very wet afternoon at Whaddon Road was the setting for Northampton Town's trip to face Cheltenham Town in Coca-Cola League One. Stuart Gray made two changes to the eleven that had started the previous fixture at Carlisle United with Andy Holt and Jonathan Hayes replacing Poul Hubertz and the injured Gabor Gyepes. Brett Johnson was fit enough to return among the substitutes, but Chris Doig, Mark Hughes, Gyepes, Danny May and the suspended Ryan Gilligan were all absent.
The Robins were in good form, having won three and drawn one of their last four games and boasted a record of only one defeat at home in 2008, but the Cobblers started brightly, and in just the second minute Andy Holt met a deep Jonathan Hayes cross with a far post header but sent his effort narrowly over the bar.
David Bird curled a 15th minute free kick from the edge of the area just wide of the post for the home side, before Mark Bunn was in the right place to save from Ashley Vincent after good work from Steven Gillespie.
Akinfenwa drove over the bar after 31 minutes after being teed up by Andy Holt, before Daniel Jones was booked for showing his studs in a tackle with Shane Duff.
The home side had the lead on 39 minutes, Steven Gillespie finding space to run at the Cobblers defence and send a low finish beyond Mark Bunn.
The Cobblers started the second half at a much higher tempo, and came forward in the opening exchanges. They created a golden chance to equalise on 54 minutes. Jonathan Hayes went through two challenges and made his way into the area before squaring for Akinfenwa who tried to place his shot, but only sent the ball beyond the far post.
Stuart Gray made a double change on 57 minutes with Ian Henderson and Colin Larkin replacing Andy Holt and Joe Burnell.
Daniel Jones sent a 63rd minute free kick over the bar, and as the Cobblers continued to put Cheltenham under pressure, Akinfenwa saw his shot deflected wide.
Cheltenham introduced Andy Lindegaard for Scott Brown on 70 minutes, before Poul Hubertz came on for Jonathan Hayes
Akinfenwa and Richard Keogh were both booked by the referee for an off the ball incident, while at the other end Paul Connor flicked a header just wide of the far post from Jerry Gill's cross.
The goal that the Cobblers deserved came with fourteen minutes to go. Ian Henderson's shot was deflected behind for a corner, and the delivery from Daniel Jones was volleyed home by Giles Coke.
Henderson was then tripped by Gill inside the penalty area but the referee ruled that the ball had already gone out of play, before Cheltenham made another change, Damian Spencer on for Paul Connor.
Mark Bunn beat away a powerful drive from Spencer on 84 minutes, Ashley Vincent heading the resulting corner wide.
Poul Hubertz hit the post from an acute angle after being played in by Akinfenwa. The latter then saw his shot saved by Higgs as the Cobblers continued to press.
Cheltenham withdrew Vincent for Michael D'Agostino with three minutes to play.
Danny Jackman's injury time free kick was held by Higgs, but despite a fine second half performance, the Cobblers were forced to settle for a point.
CHELTENHAM MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (3) 7
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (3) 6
CORNERS: (2) 6
FOULS: (6) 12
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (1) 2
COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (3) 8
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (5) 8
CORNERS: (2) 5
FOULS: (10) 18
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (0) 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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