Northampton Town v Plymouth Argyle
SKY BET LEAGUE 2
Saturday February 8th, 3.00pm
Sixfields
NORTHAMPTON TOWN 0
PLYMOUTH ARGYLE 2
Reuben Reid 5
Lewis Alessandra 39
Attendance: 4,845 (766 away fans)
Cobblers: Matt Duke, Leon McSweeney, Lee Collins (sub Antonio German 68), Mathias Kouo-Doumbe, Joe Widdowson, Chris Hackett, Ricky Ravenhill, Darren Carter, Brennan Dickenson, Emile Sinclair, Alan Connell.
Subs not used: Dean Snedker, Roy O’Donovan, Ben Tozer, Gary Deegan, Ian Morris, Gregor Robertson.
Plymouth: Jake Cole, Maxime Blanchard, Conor Hourihane, Lewis Alessandra, Romauld Boco, Reuben Reid, Dominic Blizzard, Neal Trotman, Curtis Nelson, Jason Banton (sub Tyler Harvey 71), Ben Purrington
Subs not used: Luke Young, Paul Wotton, Nathan Thomas, Jamie Richards, Isaac Vassell, Cameron Dawson.
Referee: Mr N Miller
Booked:
Cobblers: Joe Widdowson (81, 3rd of the season)
Plymouth: none
10 cautions on or before 11 April; 2 match suspension
15 cautions at any time in season; 3 match suspension
Sent off:
Cobblers: none
Plymouth: 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.
Boss Chris Wilder made four changes to the side for his first home game in charge with winger Brennan Dickenson, signed on loan from Brighton, making his debut. Leon McSweeney and Emile Sinclair both came into the starting line-up having come on against Cheltenham while Chris Hackett was also back in the side after recovering from a hamstring injury.
On an extremely blustery afternoon in Northampton the pitch, although heavy, was perfectly playable with the covers brought in to protect the Sixfields surface from some substantial rainfall in the week having done their job.
Plymouth, who had the wind advantage in the first half, were ahead on 5 minutes when a low shot from Reuben Reid beat Matt Duke.
Reid went close to doubling the Pilgrims lead but his shot, which initially appeared to be goalbound, went just wide. With the Cobblers struggling to get the ball out Duke then made a fantastic reaction save to keep out a half-volley from Curtis Nelson.
The Cobblers first real chance of the afternoon came on 35 minutes, Emile Sinclair firing over having been played in by strike partner Alan Connell.
Lewis Alessandra doubled Plymouth’s lead on 39 minutes, his swirling cross-cum-shot deceiving the Cobblers defence.
Chris Hackett shot just wide in the opening moments of the second half as the Cobblers, now with the wind in their favour, looked to mount a comeback.
With Town now really ramping up the pressure, Sinclair headed over from a pin-point Hackett cross while Jake Cole saved a shot on the turn from Connell.
Antonio German came on midway through the second half, skipper Lee Collins the player to go off having picked up a knock.
Jake Cole did well to keep out a in-swinging corner kick from Hackett, the Argyle goalkeeper reacting to palm the ball clear off the goal line.
Reuben Reid should have done better with a header on 87 minutes but if mattered not for Plymouth with their victory secured thanks to two first half goals.
COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (0) 3
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (2) 6
CORNERS: (4) 6
FOULS: (3) 10
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (1) 1
PLYMOUTH MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (4) 4
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (3) 5
CORNERS: (3) 5
FOULS: (3) 10
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (1) 2
The above stats are recorded by club staff. The stats shown elsewhere on this page are recorded by Opta.