GRAY HAILS COURAGEOUS AKINFENWA

Akinfenwa celebrates for Northampton.

Northampton manager Stuart Gray took time out from celebrating a memorable Carling Cup victory to praise the courage of Adebayo Akinfenwa.

The 26-year-old striker defied the odds to score both goals in the 2-1 victory against Premier League Bolton at the Reebok Stadium.

Akinfenwa, now at his tenth club, had a steel rod removed from his leg in the summer, the legacy of a shin injury during his time at Swansea.

Then he needed 12 stitches inserted in a head wound on the opening day of the season in the victory against Cheltenham.

Akinfenwa scored twice that day but has since battled on sporting a bandage to protect the wound.

He got his reward tonight by making the breakthrough in the 21st minute from the penalty spot before extending their lead seven minutes later with a brave header.

Bolton's nightmare continued in the 38th minute when Gary Cahill was sent off before substitute Kevin Nolan pulled a goal back with eight minutes to go.

Gray said: "Adebayo has physical presence and is a big player for us - he was gutted not to get a hat-trick.

"He suffered a head wound against Cheltenham and it re-opened last Saturday. We just keep stitching him up, bandaging him up and putting him out there.

"He is still not 100% as he is coming to terms have the steel rod taken out but is making progress.

"We just shut him down during the week and roll him out for games. He bullied Danny Shittu and Gary Cahill tonight."

Gray gave an insight into the planning that led to a superb victory against a team ranked 45 places above them in the football pyramid.

He said: "We stayed at a hotel this afternoon and looked at the stadium and the pitch.

"I told the players to make sure they left with happy memories as you very rarely get to play a Premier League side.

"I thought all the players gave 100% and that we thoroughly deserved to go through to the next round."

Stand-in skipper skipper Cahill now faces a three-match suspension starting with the home game against West Brom on Saturday after his dismissal for a challenge on Northampton's Giles Coke.

Manager Gary Megson said: "I do not think the referee had too much of a choice as it was certainly rash.

"It is an expensive lesson for Gary as he was never going to get that ball. Unfortunately for us we are going to lose him for three games."

Megson was also disappointed with the manner of the defeat to the League One side and particularly with the way in which they struggled to deal with Akinfenwa.

"We did not defend properly on two occasions and it completely changed the face of the game," Megson added.

"Akinfenwa is a big, strong lad and at times we did not handle him well enough. At times we got too close to him and I am obviously unhappy about the result."