AFC Wimbledon v Northampton Town
NPOWER LEAGUE 2
Tuesday February 19th
Kingsmeadow
AFC WIMBLEDON 1
Alan Bennett 29
NORTHAMPTON TOWN 1
Adebayo Akinfenwa 75 pen
Attendance: 4,129 (429 away fans)
AFC Wimbledon: Neil Sullivan, Jonathan Meades, Chris Hussey, Peter Sweeney (sub Sammy Moore 15), Alan Bennett, Pim Balkestein, Toby Ajala, Harry Pell, Gary Alexander, Jack Midson, Luke Moore (sub Kevin Saint-Luce 81)
Subs not used: Mat Mitchel-King, Mikhael Jaimez-Ruiz, Stacy Long, Charlie Strutton, Rashid Yussuff.
Cobblers: Lee Nicholls, John Johnson, Kelvin Langmead, Clarke Carlisle, Lee Collins (sub Chris Hackett 61), Joe Widdowson, Ishmel Demontagnac (sub Clive Platt 72), Ben Tozer, Lewis Hornby, Roy O’Donovan (sub Jake Robinson 80), Adebayo Akinfenwa
Subs not used: Dean Snedker, Manny Oyeleke, Ben Harding, Luke Guttridge
Referee: Mr F Graham
Booked:
AFC Wimbledon: Gary Alexander (41), Neil Sullivan (74), Toby Ajala (84)
Cobblers: Lee Collins (23, 4th of the season), Lewis Hornby (57, 3rd), Joe Widdowson (65, 10th - 2 match ban)
10 cautions on or before 11 April; 2 match suspension
15 cautions at any time in season; 3 match suspension
Sent off:
AFC Wimbledon: 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.
Boss Aidy Boothroyd made four changes for the re-arranged trip to AFC Wimbledon with Adebayo Akinfenwa, Clarke Carlisle, Lewis Hornby and Ishmel Demontagnac all coming into the side.
Kick off at Kingsmeadow was delayed by 20 minutes following floodlight failure.
The Dons started brightly with Harry Pell's scuffed shot deflected behind. Neal Ardley was forced into making a change on 15 minutes, Sammy Moore replacing the injured Peter Sweeney.
Alan Bennett headed the Dons in front from a corner on 29 minutes but there was some controversy about the goal with Lee Nicholls protesting that he was fouled in the process and Joe Widdowson felt the ball hadn't crossed the line.
Lewis Hornby rifled a shot just wide from distance as the Cobblers looked to respond to falling behind. A terrific ball from John Johnson found Ben Tozer in the final chance of the first 45 but he couldn't keep his shot down.
Just moments into the second half Adebayo Akinfenwa went close with a snap shot from the edge of the area. Akinfenwa again went close on 58 minutes, his looping header from a Tozer long throw going just wide.
Chris Hackett replaced Lee Collins just after the hour mark before Lee Nicholls made a fantastic instinctive save to deny Toby Ajala from close range. Clive Platt then came on for Ishmel Demontagnac in the Cobblers second change.
The Cobblers were awarded a penalty on 74 minutes when Roy O'Donovan was clattered by Neil Sullivan following a terrific flick on from substitute Platt. Akinfenwa stepped up and cooly slotted home from 12-yards to level the match up at 1-1.
Jake Robinson joined the proceedings on 80 minutes with O'Donovan the player to make way.
Hackett was denied by Sullivan when one-on-one with the Dons keeper in stoppage time with Platt's follow-up effort blocked by a covering defender.
There was still to be some late drama as the Dons forced a couple of corners deep into injury time but the Cobblers defence stood firm to ensure the game ended all square.
WIMBLEDON MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (4) 7
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (2) 4
CORNERS: (4) 8
FOULS: (3) 9
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (0) 1
COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (1) 5
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (4) 7
CORNERS: (1) 1
FOULS: (8) 13
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.