Action Replay

from Northampton Town V Mansfield 180522

Junior Cobblers

LEYTON ORIENT 2

THEO ARCHIBALD 45, JORDAN BROWN 51

NORTHAMPTON TOWN 4

MITCH PINNOCK 19, JON GUTHRIE 32, JOSH EPPIAH 38, 45 S K Y B E T L E A G U E 2 • S A T U R D A Y A P R I L 2 3 R D , 3 . 0 0 P M • B R E Y E R G R O U P S T A D I U M

Jon Brady named an unchanged starting XI for the third consecutive game while Max Dyche replaced Michael Harriman on the bench for the trip to in-form Leyton Orient. Former Cobblers striker Harry Smith was amongst the O’s substitutes.

The home side threatened early on with a good block from Fraser Horsfall and a terrific reaction save from Liam Roberts to deny Aaron Drinan keeping the scores level. The Cobblers also had a good chance when Louis Appere played in Josh Eppiah but having half rounded Lawrence Vigouroux, the O’s keeper recovered to make the save.

Vigouroux did likewise to deny Appere after his mis-placed clearance but the Cobblers weren’t to be denied when Mitch Pinnock broke the deadlock with a thunderous unstoppable strike into the top corner.

Far from sitting on their lead the Cobblers kept coming forward with goalscorer Pinnock going close to a second after again taking aim from distance and Eppiah seeing a shot from an acute angle saved by Vigouroux.

Jon Guthrie then did make it 2-0 after Orient failed to defend a corner, the defender stabbing home at the second attempt after his initial effort came back off the post.

Vigouroux again denied Eppiah at his near post but the on-loan Leicester City forward wasn’t to be denied a third time when he made it 3-0 on 37 minutes, beating the offside trap and calmly slotting home after latching onto a ball over the top from Ali Koiki.

Orient did however pull a goal back in first-half stoppage time, Paul Smyth’s cross turned home at close range by Theo Archibald.

The Cobblers weren’t done for the first half though and their three-goal lead was restored almost immediately, Josh Eppiah with a sublime volley into the bottom corner to make it 4-1 Cobblers at the break.

Jordan Brown, on for the second half, made it 2-4 with a deflected strike on 50 minutes and the home side then made a double change, Richie Wellens bringing on Harry Smith and Alex Mitchell.

Guthrie made a vital goal-line clearance to prevent Smyth halving the deficit while Roberts had to be alert to collect a backward defensive header from Koiki and Smith headed narrowly wide in some nervy moments for the Cobblers, Orient also appealing for a penalty when the ball appeared to strike Hoskins’ arm

Shadrach Ogie was shown a straight red card after reacting badly to a challenge from Cobblers substitute Danny Rose, meaning the home side had to play out the final minutes down to ten men.

The threat from Orient wasn’t over but the Cobblers defended well to clinch a massive three points which saw them move back into the automatic promotion places with two games to go.

“Our performance in the first half was really controlled and we were clinical with the chances we had. “A lot of things we have worked hard on this week the boys did really well today which is pleasing and overall I’m happy to get the three points. “Orient are a good side with good players, Richie Wellens has rejuvenated them and to come here and come out on top is a terrific effort. “The whole team to a man worked incredibly hard and our fans really lifted us. The noise that came from them today was unbelievable and we thank them for their support.” JON BRADY

Lawrence Vigouroux Connor Wood Paul Smyth Theo Archibald Otis Khan (sub Alex Mitchell 52) Aaron Drinan Darren Pratley Omar Beckles Ruel Sotiriou (sub Harry Smith 52) Shadrach Ogie Ethan Coleman (sub Jordan Brown 46) Subs not used: Sam Sargeant, Matt Young, Jayden Sweeney, Daniel Nkrumah

COBBLERS

Liam Roberts Aaron McGowan Fraser Horsfall Jon Guthrie Ali Koiki (sub Joseph Mills 90) Jack Sowerby Shaun McWilliams Mitch Pinnock Sam Hoskins Josh Eppiah (sub Danny Rose 77) Louis Appere (sub Chanka Zimba 90) Subs not used: Jonny Maxted, Max Dyche, Idris Kanu, Scott Pollock Referee: Darren Handley

Booked:

Leyton Orient: none Cobblers: Sam Hoskins (29), Shaun McWilliams (41), Mitch Pinnock (43), Jack Sowerby (75), Danny Rose (84)

Sent off:

Leyton Orient: Shadrach Ogie (84) Cobblers: none Attendance: 6,237 (1,250 Cobblers fans) LEYTON ORIENT MATCH STATS

(first half in brackets, match total out of brackets) SHOTS ON TARGET: (5) 9 SHOTS OFF TARGET: (0) 4 CORNERS: (1) 3 FOULS: (5) 9 CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (0) 1

COBBLERS MATCH STATS

(first half in brackets, match total out of brackets) SHOTS ON TARGET: (5) 5 SHOTS OFF TARGET: (5) 7 CORNERS: (2) 2 FOULS: (8) 17 CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (0) 1

JOIN US FOR THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF WEMBLEY 1997!

N O O N E W I L L F O R G E T W H E R E T H E Y W E R E O N M A Y 2 4 T H 1 9 9 7 .

I N P A R T I C U L A R , N O O N E W I L L F O R G E T W H E R E T H E Y W E R E A T T H E M O M E N T J O H N F R A I N ’ S 9 4 T H M I N U T E F R E E K I C K B E A T R O G E R F R E E S T O N E A N D H I T T H E B A C K O F T H E S W A N S E A C I T Y N E T . CAN Y OU BELIEVE THAT WAS 25 YEARS AGO?

Well, it is, and we have a very special event taking place to mark the occasion. We will host a special reunion event at Sixfields on Friday May 20th where members of the 1997 squad will be invited to look back on that famous day 25 years ago. Hospitality and tickets are available for this event In the All Things Business 1897 Suite –to check availability please email commercial@ntfc.co.uk. Prices start from £45 (inc VAT) for hospitality and from £5 for a seat in the West Stand. Come and join the 1997 squad for an evening of memories, anecdotes, laughs and more!