CARLING CUP ROUND 2
Wednesday August 29th, 7.45pm
Riverside Stadium
MIDDLESBROUGH 2
Fabio ROCHEMBACK 53, Dong Gook LEE 66
NORTHAMPTON TOWN 0
Attendance: 11,686 (Middlesbrough did not confirm the number of Cobblers fans in attendance)
Middlesbrough: Brad JONES, Luke YOUNG (sub George BOATENG 73), Fabio ROCHEMBACK, TUNCAY Sali, Dong Gook LEE, Stewart DOWNING (sub MIDO 70), Andrew DAVIES (sub Seb HINES 37), Lee CATTERMOLE, Adam JOHNSON, David WHEATER, Andrew TAYLOR
Substitutes not used: Mark SCHWARZER, Tom CRADDOCK
Cobblers: Mark BUNN, Jason CROWE, Daniel JONES, Mark HUGHES, Chris DOIG, Alex DYER (sub Brett JOHNSON 80), Joe BURNELL (sub Sam AISTON 67), Bradley JOHNSON, Andy HOLT (sub Colin LARKIN 67), Ian HENDERSON, Poul HUBERTZ
Substitutes not used: Chris DUNN, Andy KIRK
Referee: Mr N Swarbrick
Booked:
Middlesbrough: none
Cobblers: Joe BURNELL (23, 1st of season), Daniel JONES (49, 2nd)
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:
Middlesbrough: 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 long midweek trip to the Riverside to take on Premiership Middlesbrough in round 2 of the Carling Cup. Stuart Gray handed a full debut to 17 year old youth team midfielder Alex Dyer, while Ian Henderson returned to the side in place of Andy Kirk. Jason Crowe made his 100th appearance for the club.
Dong Gook Lee had the first effort at goal of the evening, but his header from Lee Cattermole's right wing cross was just wide of Mark Bunn's near post after six minutes.
Play immediately switched to the other end, and the Cobblers hit the woodwork for the 6th time this season. Bradley Johnson's shot was beaten away by Brad Jones only for the onrushing Ian Henderson to meet the rebound but his firm header bounced back off the post with the home keeper beaten.
The bright opening continued, and on 8 minutes Mark Bunn beat away a near post header from Adam Johnson, while on 15 minutes Poul Hubertz curled over the bar.
Joe Burnell was harshly booked at the midway point of the first half after he was adjudged to have fouled Rochemback.
Alex Dyer was close to a dream moment on 30 minutes. After picking up a pass from Jason Crowe he danced round 2 Middlesbrough defenders and made his way into the area, sending in a left foot shot that was only stopped by the body of keeper Brad Jones who was pleased to see his defenders scramble the ball away. Burnell then curled narrowly wide as the Cobblers enjoyed a spell of pressure.
Boro's Andrew Davies, who had earlier spent a lengthy spell off the pitch having stitches following a clash of heads, eventually gave way to his injury to be replaced by Seb Hines.
Chris Doig made a superb recovering tackle on 38 minutes to take the ball away from Tuncay Sanli who had broken into the Cobblers penalty area. That was the final chance of the first half, and the teams left the field level at nil-nil.
Daniel Jones was cautioned 3 minutes after the break for a foul on David Wheater, before firing a 30 yard free kick wide of the target.
The home side opened the scoring on 53 minutes with Fabio Rochemback driving a powerful 25 yard free kick low beyond Mark Bunn and in to the corner of the net.
Boro were twice close to extending their lead on 64 minutes. Dong Gook Lee saw his header from Stewart Downing's corner pushed away by Bunn, the rebound falling for Andrew Taylor who saw his overhead kick hit the cross bar.
The second goal for the home side did arrive on 66 minutes, Dong Gook Lee curling home into the corner of the net from the edge of the area.
Stuart Gray immediately made a double change, Colin Larkin and Sam Aiston replacing Andy Holt and Joe Burnell.
Gareth Southgate then made his first change, with Mido replacing Stewart Downing.
Ian Henderson was very close to pulling a goal back for the Cobblers on 72 minutes, but his shot was cleared off the line by Luke Young with Jones beaten.
A minute later, Boro's final change saw George Boateng come on for Young. Mido's 76th minute header from Adam Johnson's cross bounced back off the bar as the home side looked for a 3rd goal.
After completing 80 minutes of an accomplished debut, Alex Dyer gave way to Brett Johnson.
Hubertz sent a header just wide of the near post from a Daniel Jones cross as the Cobblers looked for a way back, before Chris Doig made an excellent block from Mido as the striker made his way into the Cobblers area.
Bunn made a flying save to beat away a Mido drive with 5 minutes to play in the final effort of note of the evening.
And so the Cobblers bowed out of the Carling Cup, beaten but not disgraced and given a standing ovation by the travelling fans as they left the field.
MIDDLESBROUGH MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (3) 9
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (5) 9
CORNERS: (3) 6
FOULS: (2) 9
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (0) 0
COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (2) 7
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (5) 10
CORNERS: (3) 8
FOULS: (5) 12
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (2) 4
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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