Northampton's League Two campaign got off to a frustrating start against Macclesfield, who had chances to win their opening-day encounter.
Northampton created little in the first half and were saved twice in two minutes as shots came off the crossbar.
Shaun Brisley struck the bar from a corner in the 28th minute, as did Colin Daniel from Emile Sinclair's pass.
Steve Guinan could have stolen it for Northampton in stoppage time but he blazed wide from Billy McKay's pass.
Northampton Town manager Stuart Gray told BBC Radio Northampton:
"I'm disappointed we didn't manage to get our noses in front going in for half-time. In the second-half, the both sides cancelled each other out.
"We looked more like conceding in the second-half, but I'm disappointed we didn't manage to win.
"There's things to work on in training, but on a positive view some of the new lads bedded in well."
Live text and stats
Saturday, 8 August 2009
League Two
Home Team
Score
Away Team
Time
Northampton
0-0
Macclesfield
FT
(HT 0-0)
Northampton
01 Dunn
05 Hinton (Guinan 77)
06 Beckwith
20 McCready
08 Osman
11 Holt
12 Gilligan
15 Dyer yellow card (Rodgers 60 yellow card)
07 Marshall
10 Akinfenwa yellow card
17 Mckay
Substitutes
13 Walker,
02 Rodgers,
18 Benjamin,
21 Jacobs,
22 Rose,
09 Guinan
Macclesfield
01 Brain
03 Tremarco
06 Morgan
16 Brisley
08 Draper
14 Rooney yellow card (Tipton 82)
15 Bolland
17 Daniel
20 Bencherif
09 Sinclair (Reid 59)
11 Wright
Substitutes
13 Veiga,
22 Flynn,
02 Reid,
07 Bell,
21 Kirk,
12 Wilson,
23 Tipton
Ref: WardAtt: 4,064
NORTHAMPTON
MACCLESFIELD
Possession
Northampton52%
Macclesfield48%
Attempts on target
Northampton8
Macclesfield6
Attempts off target
Northampton8
Macclesfield12
Corners
Northampton7
Macclesfield3
Fouls
Northampton17
Macclesfield15
Final Result
Full Time
90:00+5:24 The game is over, as the referee blows his whistle.
90:00+4:20 Inswinging corner taken by Ryan Gilligan from the right by-line, Adebayo Akinfenwa concedes a free kick for a foul on Hamza Bencherif. Free kick taken by Jon Brain.
90:00+3:55 Adebayo Akinfenwa takes a shot. Blocked by Paul Morgan.
90:00+2:28 Effort on goal by Steve Guinan from deep inside the penalty area misses to the right of the target.
88:59 Colin Daniel produces a left-footed shot from deep inside the penalty area which goes wide of the left-hand post.
86:16 Ross Draper concedes a free kick for a foul on Abdul Osman. Free kick taken by Ryan Gilligan.
85:28 Ross Draper has an effort at goal from just outside the box which goes wide of the right-hand post.
84:52 Corner from the right by-line taken by Colin Daniel, Abdul Osman manages to make a clearance.
82:15 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Andrew Holt by Mathew Tipton. Chris Dunn takes the free kick. Foul by Adebayo Akinfenwa on Hamza Bencherif, free kick awarded. Direct free kick taken by Hamza Bencherif.
81:21 Substitution John Rooney goes off and Mathew Tipton comes on.
80:58 Ben Marshall has shot on goal from just outside the area which goes wide of the right-hand upright.
80:23 Booking John Rooney is cautioned.
79:39 Ross Draper challenges Steve Guinan unfairly and gives away a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Ben Marshall.
76:28 Substitution Steve Guinan replaces Craig Hinton.
74:16 Effort from deep inside the area by Izak Reid misses to the left of the goal.
73:50 Ryan Gilligan crosses the ball, Jon Brain makes a save.
72:10 Corner taken by Billy Mckay from the right by-line, free kick awarded for a foul by Hamza Bencherif on Adebayo Akinfenwa. Chris Dunn takes the direct free kick.
71:53 The ball is sent over by Colin Daniel, Chris McCready makes a clearance.
71:13 Long range effort by John Rooney goes harmlessly over the bar.
70:04 Izak Reid takes a shot. Save by Chris Dunn.
69:41 Inswinging corner taken by Ben Marshall from the left by-line, clearance by Hamza Bencherif.
69:17 Adebayo Akinfenwa takes a shot. Save by Jon Brain.
68:29 Unfair challenge on Ben Marshall by Ross Draper results in a free kick. Free kick taken by Dean Beckwith.
66:07 John Rooney takes a shot. Save by Chris Dunn.
64:35 Ross Draper challenges Paul Rodgers unfairly and gives away a free kick. Free kick taken by Chris Dunn.
63:14 John Rooney takes a shot. Craig Hinton gets a block in.
62:08 Ross Draper has an effort at goal from deep inside the area missing to the right of the target.
61:53 Booking The referee shows Paul Rodgers a yellow card for unsporting behaviour.
61:30 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Colin Daniel by Paul Rodgers. Direct free kick taken by John Rooney.
59:45 Chris Dunn takes the direct free kick.
59:45 Substitution Alex Dyer goes off and Paul Rodgers comes on.
59:45 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Adebayo Akinfenwa by Hamza Bencherif.
58:20 Substitution Izak Reid is brought on as a substitute for Emile Sinclair.
57:54 John Rooney produces a right-footed shot from the edge of the box and misses to the right of the goal.
57:39 The ball is sent over by Colin Daniel, clearance made by Ryan Gilligan.
55:46 Cross/shot by John Rooney.
54:40 John Rooney shoots direct from the free kick.
54:40 Booking The referee books Alex Dyer for unsporting behaviour.
54:15 Alex Dyer concedes a free kick for a foul on Ross Draper.
53:53 John Rooney takes a shot. Blocked by Dean Beckwith.
52:25 Unfair challenge on Emile Sinclair by Andrew Holt results in a free kick. Free kick taken by Paul Bolland.
50:01 Free kick awarded for a foul by Abdul Osman on John Rooney. Free kick taken by Carl Tremarco.
48:57 Ross Draper produces a right-footed shot from outside the penalty box and misses right.
46:19 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Billy Mckay by Hamza Bencherif. Ryan Gilligan delivers the ball from the free kick right-footed from right channel, clearance by Ben Wright.
45:39 Abdul Osman concedes a free kick for a foul on Paul Bolland. Direct free kick taken by Hamza Bencherif.
45:01 The second half kicks off.
Half Time
45:00+3:37 It is the end of the first-half.
45:00+3:00 Ben Marshall delivers the ball.
45:00+0:06 Corner taken by Ben Marshall played to the near post, Billy Mckay produces a right-footed shot from deep inside the penalty box which goes wide of the left-hand post.
44:15 Shot from long range by Billy Mckay goes wide of the left-hand post.
43:47 Colin Daniel delivers the ball.
43:12 Free kick awarded for a foul by Craig Hinton on Colin Daniel. Carl Tremarco takes the free kick.
41:37 Billy Mckay produces a right-footed shot from the edge of the box and misses to the right of the target.
40:32 The ball is sent over by Ben Marshall, Abdul Osman has a headed effort at goal from deep inside the area missing to the right of the target.
40:04 Andrew Holt takes a shot. Save by Jon Brain.
39:03 Short corner worked by Billy Mckay, The ball is swung over by Ryan Gilligan, Dean Beckwith gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Paul Morgan. Jon Brain takes the direct free kick.
38:33 Free kick awarded for a foul by Paul Bolland on Abdul Osman. Chris Dunn takes the direct free kick.
37:29 Adebayo Akinfenwa challenges Ross Draper unfairly and gives away a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Jon Brain.
36:59 John Rooney takes a shot. Comfortable save by Chris Dunn.
36:24 Adebayo Akinfenwa takes a shot. Jon Brain makes a save.
36:10 Ryan Gilligan takes a shot. Blocked by Hamza Bencherif.
35:23 Foul by Alex Dyer on Hamza Bencherif, free kick awarded. Direct free kick taken by Jon Brain.
34:48 A cross is delivered by Colin Daniel.
33:46 Abdul Osman challenges John Rooney unfairly and gives away a free kick. John Rooney takes the free kick.
31:00 Dean Beckwith produces a cross, clearance by Paul Morgan.
29:11 Colin Daniel takes a shot.
27:12 Inswinging corner taken from the left by-line by John Rooney, Paul Bolland takes a shot.
25:25 The ball is swung over by Craig Hinton, Headed effort from inside the area by Ben Marshall misses to the left of the target.
23:37 Foul by John Rooney on Alex Dyer, free kick awarded. Chris Dunn takes the free kick.
22:32 Billy Mckay takes a shot. Save made by Jon Brain.
21:11 Free kick awarded for a foul by Shaun Brisley on Abdul Osman. Alex Dyer restarts play with the free kick.
20:05 Adebayo Akinfenwa takes a shot. Jon Brain makes a save.
19:27 Ben Marshall fouled by Shaun Brisley, the ref awards a free kick. Free kick taken by Dean Beckwith.
16:51 Booking Booking for Adebayo Akinfenwa for unsporting behaviour.
16:20 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Hamza Bencherif by Adebayo Akinfenwa. Jon Brain restarts play with the free kick.
15:27 Ben Marshall fouled by Ross Draper, the ref awards a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Ben Marshall, Dean Beckwith takes a shot. Carl Tremarco manages to make a clearance.
12:49 Abdul Osman produces a right-footed shot from just outside the box that misses to the right of the target.
12:10 Inswinging corner taken right-footed by Ben Marshall from the left by-line to the near post, clearance made by Shaun Brisley.
10:10 Foul by Adebayo Akinfenwa on Hamza Bencherif, free kick awarded. Jon Brain restarts play with the free kick.
9:00 Unfair challenge on Paul Bolland by Alex Dyer results in a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Jon Brain.
7:51 Carl Tremarco has an effort at goal from outside the penalty box missing to the wide left of the goal.
5:53 Foul by Hamza Bencherif on Adebayo Akinfenwa, free kick awarded. Ben Marshall restarts play with the free kick.
2:39 Unfair challenge on Hamza Bencherif by Adebayo Akinfenwa results in a free kick. Jon Brain takes the free kick.
1:56 Colin Daniel has shot on goal from just outside the penalty box which goes wide of the right-hand upright.
1:04 Adebayo Akinfenwa gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Shaun Brisley. Jon Brain restarts play with the free kick.
0:28 Ross Draper challenges Ryan Gilligan unfairly and gives away a free kick. Craig Hinton takes the free kick.
0:00 The game gets underway.
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