Northampton Town 2 AFC Wimbledon 0
NPOWER LEAGUE 2
Saturday September 8th, 3.00pm
Sixfields
NORTHAMPTON TOWN 2
Alex Nicholls 60
Chris Hackett 72
AFC WIMBLEDON 0
Attendance: 4,235 (438 away fans)
Cobblers: Lee Nicholls, Danny East, Joe Widdowson, Kelvin Langmead, David Artell, Chris Hackett (sub Ishmel Demontagnac 82), Ben Tozer, Ben Harding, Louis Moult (sub Adebayo Akinfenwa 58), Clive Platt (sub Henoc Mukendi 82), Alex Nicholls.
Subs not used: Dean Snedker, Paul Turnbull, Anthony Charles, Lewis Wilson.
Wimbledon: Mikhael Jamie-Ruiz, Warren Cummings, Pim Balkestein, Stacy Long (sub Luke Moore 73), Sammy Moore, Byron Harrison, Jack Midson, Huw Johnson (sub Christian Jolley 72), Frankie Merrifield, George Francomb, Dale Bennett (sub Angus MacDonald 46).
Subs not used: Seb Brown, Louis Harris, Charlie Stratton, Daniel Sweeney.
Referee: Mr S Duncan
Booked:
Cobblers: none
Wimbledon: none
5 cautions on or before 31 December; 1 match suspension
10 cautions on or before 11 April; 2 match suspension
15 cautions at any time in season; 3 match suspension
Sent off:
Cobblers: none
Wimbledon: 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.
After beating MK Dons in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy in midweek the Cobblers returned to league action with AFC Wimbledon providing the opposition at Sixfields.
Boss Aidy Boothroyd made two changes to the side that started in the previous league game at Plymouth with Clive Platt and Louis Moult replacing Adebayo Akinfenwa and the unavailable Luke Guttridge.
The Cobblers had the better of the opening ten minutes, Kelvin Langmead and David Artell both going close. Mikhael Jaimez-Ruiz was meanwhile forced into saving a well-struck effort from Louis Moult.
A low shot from Chris Hackett was comfortably saved by Jaimez-Ruiz while the Dons keeper had to do better to deny Clive Platt. For Wimbledon, Stacy Long fired over while Lee Nicholls saved from Huw Johnson.
Alex Nicholls appeared to be felled in the penalty area as the first half came to an end but the referee waved away the Cobblers strong looking appeals.
Wimbledon made a change at the break, Angus MacDonald replacing Dale Bennett. Byron Harrison then headed over for the Dons at the start of the second half.
Clive Platt thought he had given the Cobblers the lead on 53 minutes but his effort was ruled off-side. On 58 minutes the Cobblers made a change with Adebayo Akinfenwa coming on for Louis Molt.
Alex Nicholls put the Cobblers in front on the hour mark, finishing well from close range following some good work from Joe Widdowson and Akinfenwa.
Chris Hackett doubled the lead on 72 minutes, firing home superbly at the end of a majestic solo run having been played in by the exquisite Nicholls.
Jaimez-Ruiz parried away a shot from Akinfenwa as the Cobblers looked to increase their lead.
The Cobblers then made a double change on 83 minutes with Henoc Mukendi and Ishmel Demontagnac replacing Platt and Hackett.
Mukendi went close with a dipping effort from distance but there were to be no more goals as Aidy Boothroyd’s side comfortably claimed all three points.
COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (6) 13
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (5) 8
CORNERS: (2) 3
FOULS: (3) 8
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (3) 5
WIMBLEDON MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (5) 10
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (1) 4
CORNERS: (0) 1
FOULS: (3) 6
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (3) 5
The above stats are recorded by club staff. The stats shown elsewhere on this page are recorded by the Press Association.