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.
Cobblers put second lot of Dons tickets on sale - click here
Cobblers loan star Jones may leave Wolves on loan again - click here
FanZone: Bayo awesome, now win at Millwall and MK Dons - click here
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.
What did you think of the game? Have your say by posting a comment below or click here to email your opinion to the Chron
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
Vote for your man of the match on the panel on the right of this page
Email to a friend
Print this page- BREAKING NEWS: Man dies following motorway smash on Northamptonshire border
- BREAKING NEWS: Police inundated with hundreds of complaints over snowball fights
- Huge cigarette haul by masked burglars in armed raids at Northampton stores
- BREAKING NEWS: Police name man killed in crash on motorway in Northamptonshire
- Student flats planned for Northampton town centre revealed
- BREAKING NEWS: Fishmarket art gallery offered new home
- Student flats planned for Northampton town centre revealed
- New manager of Northampton’s Grosvenor Centre says ‘This is the beginning of a new era’
- BREAKING NEWS: Police inundated with hundreds of complaints over snowball fights
- Neighbours raise concern about bid to build new house three inches from their home
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Northampton
Thursday 09 February 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: -1 C to 1 C
Wind Speed: 5 mph
Wind direction: South west
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: -6 C to 2 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: South east
