Ashley-Seal the super sub as Cobblers score late to beat Exeter and reach last 16 of Papa John's Trophy

Benny Ashley-Seal came off the bench to score a late winner as Cobblers reached the last 16 of the Papa John's Trophy with a 2-1 victory at Exeter City on Tuesday night.

Danny Rose's 22nd-minute header was cancelled out by Nigel Atangana soon after half-time, but Ashley-Seal's sharp turn and finish sealed Town's spot in the next round.

Fraser Horsfall captained a much-changed Cobblers team in Devon as Jonathan Mitchell, Joe Martin, Ryan Watson, Morgan Roberts, Chris Lines and Rose all returned to the starting line-up.

Shaun McWilliams was also eligible to play despite his red card at the weekend, while academy youngsters Dylan Berry, Max Dyche and Liam Cross made the bench.

Alex Hartridge and Nicky Law were off target with early half chances as Exeter shaded the opening 20 minutes.

But it was Town who struck against the run of play midway through the first-half half. Harry Smith's cross was deflected behind and Roberts delivered an excellent corner that was headed in by an unmarked Rose.

Exeter, despite their threat, created only half chances although one of those so nearly brought the leveller when Harry Kite's shot deflected off his own man and flew just wide.

Martin missed a good opportunity to double Town's lead, firing over after Jonny Maxted flapped at Rose's cross-shot, before Jordan Dyer spurned an equally presentable chance at the other end.

Cobblers went into half-time with their one-goal lead intact but it was wiped out just six minutes into the second-half as Mitchell fumbled a weak header and Atangana was on hand to score the rebound.

After a period of inactivity, Mitchell redeemed himself with two excellent one-on-one stops, first denying Nicky Ajose who had only just come on, and then doing likewise to thwart Law just a few minutes later.

Alex Fisher nodded narrowly wide but chances were few and far between in a low-key second-half and penalties looked inevitable.

However, Ashley-Seal had other ideas. With only seven minutes left, he took down Michael Harriman's long ball into the box, rolled his man before finding the net with a sharp turn and finish.

Exeter pushed forward for an equaliser but the best chance of the remaining minutes fell to Caleb Chukwuemeka in stoppage-time when he somehow missed an open goal after Maxted went up for a corner, although thankfully it mattered not.

Exeter: Maxted, Caprice (Randall 86), Dyer, McArdle, Hartidge, Sparkes, Atangana (Taylor 76), Law, Kite, Seymour (Ajose 67), Fisher

Subs not used: Lee, Diabate, Morison, Cox

Cobblers: Mitchell, Harriman, Horsfall (c), Martin, Marshall (Rose 53), McWilliams, Watson, Roberts (Chukwuemeka 74), Lines, Rose, Smith (Ashley-Seal 53)

Subs not used: Berry, Dyche, Cross, Missilou

Referee: Carl Brook

Attendance: 714