Stevenage 2 Northampton Town 3 – the match report
SKY BET LEAGUE 2
Saturday March 19th, 3.00pm
Lamex Stadium
STEVENAGE 2
Luke Wilkinson 11, 30
NORTHAMPTON TOWN 3
James Collins 41
John-Joe O’Toole 51
Ricky Holmes 90
Attendance: 3,102 (1,390 Cobblers fans)
Stevenage: Jamie Jones, Luke Wilkinson, Lee Cox, Fraser Franks, Greg Luer (sub Tom Conlon 90), Michael Tonge, Dean Parrett, Jerome Okimo, Ben Kennedy (sub Ryan Johnson 80), Dale Gorman, Byron Harrison
Subs not used: Chris Whelpdale, Tom Pett, Adam Marriott, Chris Day, Ryan Hedges
Cobblers: Adam Smith, Brendan Moloney, Zander Diamond, Luke Prosser, David Buchanan, John-Joe O’Toole, Joel Byrom, Ricky Holmes (sub Jason Taylor 90), Nicky Adams (sub Lawson D’Ath 61), John Marquis (sub Sam Hoskins 52), James Collins
Subs not used: Ryan Clarke, Rod McDonald, Danny Rose, Lee Martin
Referee: Mr D Webb
Booked:
Stevenage: Lee Cox (12)
Cobblers: John-Joe O’Toole (28, 10th of the season), Joel Byrom (63, 3rd), Ricky Holmes (90, 3rd)
15 cautions at any time in season; 3 match suspension
Sent off:
Stevenage: Fraser Franks (79)
Cobblers: none
Sendings off: 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.
Nicky Adams came in for Lee Martin in the only change to the Northampton Town side at Stevenage.
The opening goal came on 11 minutes and it was the home side who took the lead, centre-back Luke Wilkinson heading in Dean Parrett’s corner.
For once the Cobblers were struggling to get into their stride and Stevenage doubled their lead on the half hour, Luke Wilkinson scoring with his second set piece header of the afternoon.
Dean Parrett skied a shot over the bar from 20-yards before the Cobblers pulled a goal back, James Collins alert to head home a quickly taken Joel Byrom free-kick.
A terrific block from Luke Prosser denied Stevenage a shot on goal at the start of the second half and having upped the tempo significantly it wasn’t long before the Cobblers were back on level terms, John-Joe O’Toole on the end of another Joel Byrom set play to fire home.
Despite O’Toole’s equaliser Chris Wilder opted to make a couple of changes, Sam Hoskins replacing John Marquis and Lawson D’Ath coming on for Nicky Adams.
With just over ten minutes to go Fraser Franks was shown a straight red card for Stevenage, the defender having brought down Sam Hoskins who was clean through on goal.
Adam Smith made a good double save to deny Greg Luer as Stevenage looked to make light of their numerical disadvantage going into the closing stages while James Collins fired over from 12-yards in a chance for the Cobblers.
90 seconds later and another chance fell to the Cobblers and Collins, but the on-loan striker couldn’t quite direct his header on target.
The Cobblers weren’t done though and in the fifth minute of stoppage time a terrific strike from Ricky Holmes sealed a remarkable victory.
STEVENAGE MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (4) 6
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (4) 7
CORNERS: (4) 8
FOULS: (5) 9
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (3) 5
COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (1) 3
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (1) 4
CORNERS: (2) 8
FOULS: (4) 7
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (0) 3