Spot-on Akinfenwa at double as Cheltenham sunk
Northampton Town 4, Cheltenham Town 2
Adebayo Akinfenwa celebrated the start of the new season with two penalties as the Cobblers outgunned Cheltenham at Sixfields.
Town produced only their second opening-day win in 13 seasons with a 4-2 win over a Cheltenham side that battled gamely in the first half but were simply overpowered in the second.
The visitors almost ripped up the first-half script but the Cobblers levelled the scoreline thanks to a goal from skipper Chris Doig.
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The game was a dull affair until the visitors broke the deadlock on 35 minutes, David Bird's drive awkwardly skewed into his own net by defender Gabor Gyepes.
It was a moment which sparked the game into life, and Town, with Akinfenwa freshly stitched up from a head wound, began to attack with renewed vigour.
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One corner found its way all the way through to Liam Davis on the opposite flank, and his floated cross in was diverted into the six-yard box by Gyepes, from where Doig drilled in the loose ball.
The hosts almost went in ahead moments later, and probably should have, when Akinfenwa set Leon Constantine through on the goalkeeper.
But the striker took too long over the chance, drilled it into the advancing Shane Higgs and the teams went in level.
The game came to life after the interval, with Bird conceding the first of three penalties in 10 minutes to give Akinfenwa the chance to put Town ahead from the spot.
This he duly did and four minutes later he repeated the feat after former Cobbler Jerry Gill had felled Luke Guttridge in full flight.
Mark Bunn made a great fingertip save at the other end from Shane Duff's header, but from the resultant corner Gyepes made enough contact with Duff for the referee to award a penalty.
Michael Townsend buried it from 12 yards but three minutes later the two-goal lead was restored, Akinfenwa holding up Crowe's ball in and laying it into the path of Constantine, who drilled home.
Constantine almost made it five late in the game and with Cheltenham reeling, but his shot from Andy Holt's knockdown rattled the crossbar and the cake went without the icing.
Cobblers
Bunn, Gyepes, Hughes, Doig, Crowe, Guttridge, Gilligan, Jackman, Davis (Holt 78), Akinfenwa (Larkin 78), Constantine. Subs not used: Dunn, Dolman, Henderson
Cheltenham
Higgs, Gill, Duff, Townsend, Wright, Lindegaard (Watkins 82), Bird, Russell, Armstrong (Gill 82), Connor, Vincent. Subs not used: Brown, Radley, Gallinagh
Attendance: 4716
Away fans: 399
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Wednesday 23 May 2012
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