Action Replay

NORTHAMPTON TOWN 0 BURTON ALBION 2

SKY BET LEAGUE 1 • SATURDAY FEBRUARY 13TH, 3.00PM • PTS ACADEMY STADIUM

Jon Brady took charge of Northampton Town for the first time having taken over on a caretaker basis following the departure of Keith Curle, for the visit of Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink’s Burton Albion. Assisted by Ian Sampson, Marc Richards and Dan Watson, Brady made three changes to the side, bringing in Bryn Morris, Mark Marshall and Ryan Watson with a switch to a 4-3-3 formation.

Despite sub-zero temperatures, the frost covers had done their job and the game was given the go ahead following two pitch inspections by match referee Scott Oldham.

It was almost the perfect start for Brady and co when Lloyd Jones got the final touch to a Mark Marshall free-kick but the goal was ruled out for a very tight off-side. Ryan Watson rattled the cross bar with a thunderous strike and Sam Hoskins fired over as the Cobblers continued to press Burton hard in the opening quarter of an hour.

John Brayford was denied by some good defending from Joseph Mills as Burton threatened to take the lead from a corner while Josh Parker curled a free-kick against the outside of the post. After a bright start from the Cobblers, Burton came back into the game as the first half went on but neither side could find a goal before the break.

Watson and Hoskins both failed to find the target from distance at the start of the second half before Danny Rose found the side netting on the rebound having initially been denied by Ben Garratt. Bryn Morris then shot wide under pressure after some neat build-up play involving Hoskins and Marshall.

One time Cobblers loanee Joe Powell came on for Burton whose first attempt on target of the afternoon saw Jonathan Mitchell equal to Jonny Smith’s effort.

The Brewers made the breakthrough on 77 minutes after they were awarded an in-direct free-kick inside the area when Mitchell was adjudged to have handled a back-pass. Sean Clare touched the ball off to Michael Bostwick who drilled home from close range.

Ryan Edmondson, on in a double change with Michael Harriman, saw a header comfortably saved by Garratt but it was a scrappy end to the contest and with the Cobblers pushing up, Burton scored a second deep in stoppage time, Ryan Edwards with a composed finish after making a forward run from the half-way line.

COBBLERS MATCH STATS

(first half in brackets, match total out of brackets) SHOTS ON TARGET: (2) 5 SHOTS OFF TARGET: (2) 4 CORNERS: (0) 0 FOULS: (4) 13 CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (2) 3

BURTON MATCH STATS

(first half in brackets, match total out of brackets) SHOTS ON TARGET: (0) 3 SHOTS OFF TARGET: (2) 3 CORNERS: (4) 5 FOULS: (7) 15 CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (0) 1

We moved the ball a lot quicker and we had some really good patterns of play. The goal that was ruled out was very tight and Ryan Watson hit the bar. “The effort and energy was exceptional. “I didn’t think the back-pass from Cian Bolger was deliberate, it came off the top of his shin and in my mind Jonathan Mitchell made the right decision to pick it up and the decision was very harsh. JON BRADY

Jonathan Mitchell Peter Kioso Lloyd Jones Cian Bolger Joseph Mills Shaun McWilliams (sub Michael Harriman 82) Ryan Watson Bryn Morris Sam Hoskins Danny Rose (sub Ryan Edmondson 83) Mark Marshall

Subs not used: Steve Arnold, Ricky Korboa, Jack Sowerby, Caleb Chukwuemeka, Fraser Horsfall

BURTON

Ben Garratt John Brayford Ryan Edwards Michael Bostwick Lucas Akins Jonny Smith (sub Danny Rowe 88) Josh Parker (sub Michael Mancienne 88) Josh Earl Hayden Carter Ryan Broom (sub Joe Powell 68) Sean Clare

Subs not used: Kieran O’Hara, Luke Varney, Tom Hamer, Terry Taylor

Referee: Scott Oldham

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