Northampton Town: Jason Steele, Paul Rodgers (Kevin Thornton 65), John Johnson, Dean Beckwith, Abdul Osman, Adebayo Akinfenwa (Steve Guinan 65), Andy Holt, Ryan Gilligan (c), Liam Davies (Alex Dyer 83), Billy McKay, Peter Gilbert

Subs: Chris Dunn, Craig Hinton, John Curtis, Courtney Herbert,

Town: David Button, Dean Holden (c), Joe Skarz (Kris Bright 75), Terry Dunfield, Kelvin Langmead, Dave Hibbert, Benjamin Van Den Broek, Steve Leslie, Jake Simpson (Tom Bradshaw 65), Shane Cansdell-Sherriff, Kevin McIntyre

Subs: Jamie Cureton, Paul Murray, Harry Hooman, Lewis Neal, Chris Neal,

Ref: G Sutton
Assistants: W Norcott and G Thompson
Fourth Official: G Russell

Attendance: 5019 (463)

Town make the one change to the side that beat Lincoln City 1-0 last week with Benjamin Van Den Broek coming into the starting line-up while Jamie Cureton drops to the bench.

It was a bright opening to the game from both sides as they looked to that the early advantage in a sun bathed Sixfields.There were chances for both but the best of the first 10 minutes dropped to the home side when a cross was flicked on by Akinfenwa came to Abdul Osman at the back post but Kevin McIntyre had tracked the run and did enough to force Osman to put the ball wide of the target.

Moments later there was another let of for the visitors when Liam Davis took the ball down the left, he cut inside and managed to get a ball in behind Holden to find Akinfenwa but he put his header over the Town bar.

Town had a couple of good attacking moves, the first with a ball lifted over the Northampton defence to put Steve Leslie in on goal but the linesman called him offside, the Leslie turned provider after his pace and determination took him past John Johnson and down the left, he then curled a low ball in behind the defence towards the run of Dave Hibbert but it had a little bit too much on it and went away from Hibbo.

The home side were having the lion's share of the attacking play but Town were creating some good opening of their own.Steve Leslie had one shot fizz just over the target and then Leslie did well to lay off the ball to set-up Van Den Broek but his low shot was well stopped by Steele in the Cobblers net.

There was a big let off for Town as the game approached the break when a Cobblers throw found Akinfenwa in the Town box, he had his back to Cansdell-Sherriff but used him strength to hold him off and then hook the ball up across the face of goal for Liam Davies but instead of putting the ball home the Northampton player totally missed the gapping goal and Holden cleared the ball downfield.

Half-time: 0-0

It was the Cobbler's who took the advantage after the restart when they gained the lead with 8 minutes on the clock.The ball was played into Akinfenwa in the Town box, he laid it off to find Billy McKay near the 6 yard box, he had Langmead to his back but managed to turn the Town defender before driving in a low shot past the dive of Button which went in at the back post.

Tom Bradshaw was stripped and ready to come but Town sparked into life and really took the game to Northampton.Town were camped in the Cobblers area and were pulling the home side all over the shop, the ball came to Langmead at the near post and he smashed a ball across the face of the goal but no one could connect.Then a lovely ball put Jake Simpson in behind he Cobblers defence, he put in a good ball to near post that Andy Holt got a head to and looped up over his keeper Steele but the crossbar was there to save Northampton.

Town were continuing to push and look to get back onto level terms and for a good 10 minute period they were pretty much camped in the Cobblers half.There were willing runners all over the Town team but it was Steve Leslie who was really catching the eye, he was busy and available and most of the good stuff from Town was coming through Leslie.

With 15 minutes remaining Paul Simpson made his second switch of the afternoon brining on Kris Bright to replace Joe Skarz, going for three at the back and three up front in an effort to get back onto level terms.

Northampton got a lovely second goal with 10 minutes of the game remaining through Kevin Thornton.The ball was with Thornton on the edge of the Cobblers box on the diagonal, he looked up and then curled in an excellent shot that gave Button no chance and ended up in the top corner to make it 2-0 to the home side.

Then moments later it could have been 3-0 to the home side when a Town attack broke down and Leslie had to track back, the ball was with Billy McKay and he stopped to let Leslie fly by, he then put the ball back onto his left and curled in a good shot that beat Button but the post was there to save Town.

Full-time: 0-2