Exeter City v Northampton Town
SKY BET LEAGUE 2
Saturday January 10th, 3.00pm
St James Park
EXETER CITY 0
NORTHAMPTON TOWN 2
Marc Richards 20
John-Joe O'Toole 29
Attendance: 3,519 (201 Cobblers fans)
Exeter: James Hamon, Christian Ribeiro, Danny Butterfield (sub Alex Nicholls 60), Matt Oakley, Craig Woodman, Arron Davies, Liam Sercombe, Ryan Harley, David Noble, Tom Nichols (sub David Wheeler 68), Clinton Morrison (sub Graham Cummins 67)
Subs not used: Christy Pym, Scot Bennett, Jordan Moore-Taylor, Jimmy Keohane
Cobblers: Matt Duke, Brendon Moloney, Ryan Cresswell, Lee Collins, Evan Horwood, John-Joe O’Toole (sub Emile Sinclair 79), Jason Taylor, Joel Byrom, Lawson D’Ath, Marc Richards (sub Chris Hackett 88), Ricky Holmes
Subs not used: Dean Snedker, Ben Tozer, Darren Carter, Lewis Hornby, Sam Warburton
Referee: Mr K Johnson
Booked:
Exeter: David Noble (31), Liam Sercombe (80)
Cobblers: Ryan Cresswell (44, 4th of the season), John-Joe O'Toole (69, 7th)
10 cautions on or before 11 April; 2 match suspension
15 cautions at any time in season; 3 match suspension
Sent off:
Exeter: none
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.
Northampton Town boss Chris Wilder named an unchanged side for the long trip to Exeter, who included two former Cobblers in their matchday 18, Arron Davies and Alex Nicholls.
It was the home side who were presented with the first opening of the afternoon, Matt Duke just doing enough to turn behind a Tom Nichols shot. With Exeter enjoying a spell of pressure, Lee Collins blocked a shot from Nichols while Duke kept out a Davies effort from distance.
The Cobblers took the lead on 20 minutes, Marc Richards heading in his 13th goal of the season after John-Joe O’Toole’s flick on from Brendon Moloney’s cross.
Richards then spurned a chance to make it 2-0, shooting wide after a poor clearance from the Exeter goalkeeper James Hamon.
John-Joe O’Toole then did double Town’s lead, Lawson D’Ath setting up the chance for O’Toole who beat Hamon to the ball before finding the bottom corner.
Ten minutes into the second half O’Toole headed just wide from a D’Ath cross before Exeter brought on Alex Nicholls.
A Ryan Harley cross created an opportunity for Alex Nicholls to halve Exeter’s arrears on 65 minutes but his header was straight at Duke.
The Cobblers made a change on 78 minutes, Emile Sinclair coming on for O’Toole. Ricky Holmes then fired over from an acute angle following some good work down the right by Sinclair.
Chris Hackett replaced Richards for the final few minutes which Town comfortably saw out to claim the three points.
EXETER MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (3) 4
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (3) 4
CORNERS: (3) 4
FOULS: (4) 10
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (1) 4
COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (4) 4
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (3) 5
CORNERS: (3) 4
FOULS: (5) 9
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (1) 1
The above stats are recorded by club staff. The stats shown elsewhere on this page are recorded by Opta