Cobblers polish off Shrimps
MORECAMBE suffered a second successive away defeat as three second half goals earned Northampton victory at Sixfields.
The Shrimps failed to handle the aerial onslaught from Northampton and once Adebayo Akinfenwa headed Northampton into the lead on 56 minutes from Ben Tozer's long throw in there looked to be only one winner.
Eight minutes later the Shrimps were undone for a second time with another Tozer long throw causing the visitors’ defence problems with Kevin Ellison’s attempted clearance beating his own goalkeeper and doubling the home side’s lead.
Northampton then added a third in the final minute with a top quality free kick. Louis Moult had scored for the home side but the play was brought back for an earlier foul and Ishmel Demontagnac floated the ball over the wall and past the helpless Roche.
The first half saw no goals and very few chances.
Morecambe went closest to opening the scoring on 11 minutes when Kevin Ellison was played in on goal and produce a fierce left foot shot that beat Lee Nicholls but came back off the right hand post.
A minute later the home side produced their first threat when Chris Hackett swung in a free kick from 25 yards out that had Barry Roche scrambling to his left hand side to make a fine save.
The game then produced few chances as both sides struggled to get a grip on the ball.
Northampton had a good shout for a penalty waved away on 26 minutes when a Jack Robinson volley hit a Morecambe hand but the referee waved play on much to the annoyance of the home fans.
NORTHAMPTON: Nicholls, Widdowson, Carlisle, Tozer, Langmead, Harding, Hornby (rep Huws 81), Demontagnac, Robinson (rep Moult 78), Akinfenwa (rep Platt 73), Hackett. Subs not used: Charles, Snedker, Mukendi, East.
MORECAMBE: Roche; Wright, Fenton, McCready, Mustoe; Drummond, Fleming, McDonald; Reid (rep Alessandra 67), Brodie (rep Redshaw 67), Ellison. Subs not used: Arestidou, Threlfall, Haining, McGee, Parrish.
Ref: I Willamson.
Att: 4, 013