Northampton Town v Barnet
NPOWER LEAGUE 2
Saturday April 27th
Sixfields
NORTHAMPTON TOWN 2
Roy O'Donovan 67
Luke Guttridge 73
BARNET 0
Attendance: 7,471 (1,360 away fans)
Cobblers: Lee Nicholls, Ben Tozer, Clarke Carlisle, Nathan Cameron, Lee Collins, Jake Robinson, Lewis Hornby, Ben Harding, Luke Guttridge (sub Claudio Dias 76), Roy O’Donovan, David Moyo (sub Adebayo Akinfenwa 55)
Subs not used: Dean Snedker, Lewis Wilson, Chris Hackett, John Johnson, Louis Moult
Barnet: Graham Stack, Mark Byrne (sub Harry Crawford 75), Luke Gambin, Andy Yiadom, Jake Hyde (sub Dominic Vose 87), Curtis Weston, Elliot Johnson, David Stephens, Edgar Davids, Tom Flanagan, Keanu Marsh-Brown (sub Jon Nurse 71).
Subs not used: Barry Fuller, Clovis Kamdjo, John Oster, Michel Kuipers
Referee: Mr A Haines
Booked:
Cobblers: Luke Guttridge (45, 7th of the season), Jake Robinson (54, 5th)
Barnet: Elliot Johnson (83)
15 cautions at any time in season; 3 match suspension
Sent off:
Cobblers: none
Barnet: 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.
Having already secured a play-off place the Cobblers took on relegation threatened Barnet at a sold out Sixfields in the final game of the regular league season.
With the game also being designated 'Claret Day' by the club Sixfields looked resplendent in the sunshine as the game got underway.
Graham Stack saved an early effort from Jake Robinson who was one on one before at the other end Mark Byrne fired a shot into the side netting. Luke Guttridge then crossed for Roy O’Donovan but the Irishman couldn’t generate enough power in his shot to beat the Bees goalkeeper.
Jake Hyde had a good opportunity to open the scoring midway through the first half but his looping header was comfortably gathered in by Lee Nicholls. Keanu Marsh-Brown then looked to choose the wrong option, taking a shot when one on one with Nicholls instead of playing in Luke Gambin who had an open goal.
Guttridge picked up a booking after bringing down Gambin on the edge of the area just before half-time, Nicholls saving the subsequent free-kick from Byrne.
A curling cross from Elliot Johnson came back off the Cobblers cross bar at the start of the second half.
Aidy Boothroyd made his first change on 55 minutes, Adebayo Akinfenwa coming on for David Moyo.
The Cobblers took the lead on 67 minutes, Roy O’Donovan with a sweet finish having been played in by Guttridge.
Luke Guttridge made it 2-0 on 73 minutes, drilling the ball home past Stack after latching onto a pass from Akinfenwa.
Claudio Dias then came on to make his Cobblers debut, goalscorer Guttridge making way.
Akinfenwa saw a shot deflected behind on 87 minutes with the Bees now looking a spent force.
That proved to be the last action of the afternoon as the Cobblers geared up for the play-offs with a win that also relegated Barnet out of the Football League.
COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (2) 4
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (2) 7
CORNERS: (2) 4
FOULS: (8) 14
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (2) 2
BARNET MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (2) 6
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (1) 3
CORNERS: (3) 6
FOULS: (5) 11
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (0) 0
The above stats are recorded by club staff. The stats shown elsewhere on this page are recorded by the Press Association.