Match ends, Northampton Town 0, Bristol Rovers 0.
NorthamptonNorthampton Town0Bristol RoversBristol Rovers0
Northampton Town shared the points with Bristol Rovers in a tense game against their fellow League Two strugglers.
Northampton, who had won three of their last four games, looked the likelier scorers in a quiet first half, with the pace of Emile Sinclair the main threat.
But clear chances remained rare, although both goalkeepers were forced into good saves in the closing stages.
The Cobblers are four points off safety, while the visitors are six points clear of the relegation zone.
Northampton Town manager Chris Wilder told BBC Radio Northampton:
"I think the players have given me, the staff, the club and most importantly the supporters everything in the last three games.
"We could have won it, we could also have lost it. Matt Duke has made an unbelievable save and on the basis of the game maybe the draw is a fair result.
"On current form we're one of the top sides in the division, we can be pleased with our performance this afternoon and it has been an encouraging week."
Bristol Rovers boss John Ward told BBC Radio Bristol:
"In the second half it opened up a little bit so the second period was [like it was] because we were both trying to win it.
"That's key to what happened the first half, it seemed like we both were trying not to concede the first goal which was a bit dull.
"We tried to lift the teams at half-time and I think both teams did that, lifted it up. If we would have been chatting about a 2-2 draw we would have been quite excited about the game.
"But it was 0-0 and people think that's not a lot but it's been a big week we've just played three form teams in our week and two of them away from home so I've got to be satisfied with an unbeaten haul and a few more points on the total."
Line-ups
Northampton
Formation 4-4-2
- 1Duke
- 2McSweeney
- 29Robertson
- 34Ravenhill
- 23Diamond
- 27Kouo-Doumbe
- 11Hackett
- 4CarterBooked at 81mins
- 7SinclairSubstituted forMarquisat 65'minutes
- 18Connell
- 35DickensonSubstituted forMorrisat 87'minutes
Substitutes
- 8Morris
- 9Marquis
- 12Tozer
- 13Snedker
- 17Deegan
- 24Toney
- 25German
Bristol Rovers
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1MildenhallBooked at 53mins
- 2Smith
- 14Brown
- 24O Clarke
- 6Parkes
- 29McChrystal
- 7ClarksonSubstituted forSantosat 78'minutes
- 30Lockyer
- 19BeardsleySubstituted forGillespieat 57'minutes
- 32O'Toole
- 39Mohamed
Substitutes
- 4Woodards
- 8Gillespie
- 17Harrison
- 18Harding
- 20Gough
- 25Clucas
- 33Santos
- Referee:
- Mike Russell
- Attendance:
- 5,058
Match Stats
Home TeamNorthamptonAway TeamBristol Rovers
- Possession
- Home52%
- Away48%
- Shots
- Home9
- Away14
- Shots on Target
- Home5
- Away5
- Corners
- Home5
- Away7
- Fouls
- Home11
- Away10
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Northampton Town 0, Bristol Rovers 0.
Post update
Attempt missed. Lee Brown (Bristol Rovers) left footed shot from outside the box is too high.
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Foul by John Marquis (Northampton Town).
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Ollie Clarke (Bristol Rovers) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Attempt saved. John Marquis (Northampton Town) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
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Attempt missed. Stephen Gillespie (Bristol Rovers) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses the top left corner.
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Corner, Bristol Rovers. Conceded by Leon McSweeney.
Substitution
Substitution, Northampton Town. Ian Morris replaces Brennan Dickenson.
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Richard Ravenhill (Northampton Town) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul by Tom Lockyer (Bristol Rovers).
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Tom Lockyer (Bristol Rovers) wins a free kick on the right wing.
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Foul by Alan Connell (Northampton Town).
Booking
Darren Carter (Northampton Town) is shown the yellow card.
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Foul by Darren Carter (Northampton Town).
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Tom Lockyer (Bristol Rovers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution
Substitution, Bristol Rovers. Alefe Santos replaces David Clarkson.
Post update
Corner, Northampton Town. Conceded by Steve Mildenhall.
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Attempt saved. John Marquis (Northampton Town) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Post update
Brennan Dickenson (Northampton Town) hits the right post with a right footed shot from outside the box.
