Club News

Northampton Town 2 Albion 2 aet (4-3 pens)

Albion exit EFL Cup as Town progress from Round 2

  • Gorre scores winning spot-kick for Cobblers 
  • McClean levels (45) before McAuley heads home (47)
  • Diamond nods Town in front (36), Revell equalises late on (82)
  • Galloway makes bow, Field first senior start and Wilson debut
  • Attendance: 5,516 (1,549 Baggies fans)
ALBION were knocked out of the EFL Cup on penalties after a 2-2 draw against Northampton Town at Sixfields.

Zander Diamond headed the hosts into the lead but James McClean's long-range strike levelled matters on the stroke of half-time before stand-in skipper Gareth McAuley nodded home just minutes after the interval - his second goal in as many games.

Yet Alex Revell's 82nd-minute effort sent the game into a goalless period of extra-time, from which the Cobblers triumphed 4-3 on spot-kicks - Kenji Gorre with the winner to extend League One Town's impressive unbeaten run which stretches back to mid-January.

New loan signing Brendan Galloway was handed his Baggies debut while Academy graduate Sam Field made his first senior start in midfield alongside fit-again James Morrison, who was included in Albion's XI for the first time in seven months.

It was the hosts who took the lead in the 36th minute. Galloway headed Harry Beautyman's thumping strike off the line and, from the resulting corner, Diamond nodded home from close range.

The Baggies drew level on the stroke of half-time, however, as McClean tried his luck from distance and Cobblers 'keeper Adam Smith could only palm his effort into the bottom corner.

And it took just two second-half minutes for the visitors to take the lead, McAuley heading home Matt Phillips' well-taken free-kick from the right.

Academy graduate Kane Wilson, 16, appeared off the bench for his competitive senior debut before Revell sent the game into extra-time, converting from a rebound after Boaz Myhill parried substitute Sam Hoskins' shot.

And after a goalless additional 30 minutes, Saido Berahino fired wide from the spot and James Morrison saw his penalty saved to leave Gorre the task of sending Northampton into Round 3.

Rondon scored - Albion 1 Northampton 0
Hoskins scored - Albion 1 Northampton 1
Berahino wide - Albion 1 Northampton 1
Taylor scored - Albion 1 Northampton 2
Fletcher scored - Albion 2 Northampton 2
O'Toole saved - Albion 2 Northampton 2
Phillips scored - Albion 3 Northampton 2
Revell scored - Albion 3 Northampton 3
Morrison saved - Albion 3 Northampton 3
Gorre scored - Albion 3 Northampton 4

Albion: Myhill, Dawson, McAuley (c), Olsson, Galloway (Wilson 70), Phillips, Morrison, Field, McClean (Fletcher 62), Berahino, Lambert (Rondon 85).

Subs: Palmer, Yacob, Gardner, Leko.

BOOKED: McClean (unsporting behaviour, 13), Morrison (foul, 101)

Northampton: Smith, Moloney (Phillips 90+2), Buchanan (c), Diamond, Revell, Gorre, McCourt (Hoskins 75), Beautyman (Potter 75), O'Toole, Nyatanga, Taylor.

Subs: Cornell, D'Ath, Richards, McDonald.

BOOKED: O'Toole (foul, 13), Gorre (foul, 79), Smith (time-wasting, 121)

Referee: Darren Bond (Lancashire)