Scunthorpe United 1 Northampton Town 1 - the match report
SKY BET LEAGUE 1
Saturday October 8th, 3.00pm
Glanford Park
SCUNTHORPE UNITED 1
Josh Morris 44
NORTHAMPTON TOWN 1
Jak McCourt 74
Attendance: 4,714 (number of Cobblers fans not confirmed)
Scunthorpe: Luke Daniels, Scott Wiseman, Murray Wallace, David Mirfin, Stephen Dawson (sub Paddy Madden 83), Josh Morris, Neal Bishop, Tom Hopper, Harry Toffolo, Richie Smallwood (sub Sam Mantom 78), Duane Holmes (sub Hakeeb Adelakun 87)
Subs not used: Joe Anyon, Charlie Goode, Jonathon Margetts, Conor Townsend
Cobblers: Adam Smith, Brendan Moloney, David Buchanan, Zander Diamond, Lewin Nyatanga, Jak McCourt, Paul Anderson (sub Sam Hoskins 57), John-Joe O’Toole, Matt Taylor, JJ Hooper (sub Marc Richards 87), Alex Revell
Subs not used: David Cornell, Aaron Phillips, Joel Byrom, Kenji Gorre, Alfie Potter
Referee: Darren Handley
Booked:
Scunthorpe: Stephen Dawson (66), Neal Bishop (70)
Cobblers: Zander Diamond (45, 3rd of the season)
5 cautions on or before 30 November; 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:
Scunthorpe: none
Cobblers: Matt Taylor (60)
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.
The Cobblers travelled to league leaders Scunthorpe United without Gabriel Zakuani, away on international duty with DR Congo, and Harry Beautyman who missed out after picking up a knee injury in the midweek EFL Trophy game at Coventry. Lewin Nyatanga came into the defence while JJ Hooper also came into the side, partnering Alex Revell in attack.
Hooper tested Scunthorpe keeper Luke Daniels inside the opening 60 seconds at Glanford Park as Rob Page’s side started on the front foot.
Scunthorpe quickly wrestled back the early initiative however and it took a good reflex save from Adam Smith to keep out a deflected free-kick from the in-form Josh Morris.
Daniels saved a Matt Taylor free-kick as the Cobblers grew into the contest while the home keeper was forced to tip over a Brendan Moloney shot from distance. After Alex Revell had headed into the side netting, Hooper then couldn’t quite get his shot away when he looked set to open the scoring.
Josh Morris broke the deadlock just before half-time, curling a free-kick into the top corner.
Another good save from Smith denied Tom Hopper at the start of the second half while John-Joe O’Toole couldn’t quite get enough power in his shot following a good run from Moloney.
Sam Hoskins replaced Paul Anderson in the Cobblers first change of the afternoon just before O’Toole looped a header wide.
With just over an hour played the Cobblers task of rescuing something from the game was made even harder when referee Darren Handley showed Matt Taylor a straight red card for a challenge on Neal Bishop.
The Cobblers belied their numerical disadvantage with a deserved equaliser on 74 minutes, Jak McCourt smashing in from close range after a goalmouth scramble in which Alex Revell had hit the post and McCourt had seen his initial shot blocked.
Marc Richards came on for the last few minutes, JJ Hooper who had played a big part in the Cobblers equaliser, making way. Five minutes of stoppage time followed and although the home side forced a couple of late corners the Cobblers more than warranted a point as the game ended 1-1.
SCUNTHORPE MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (6) 7
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (0) 3
CORNERS: (6) 6
FOULS: (6) 9
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (1) 3
COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (4) 15
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (3) 5
CORNERS: (4) 7
FOULS: (5) 12
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (0) 0
The above stats are recorded by club staff. The stats shown elsewhere on this page are recorded by Opta