Town on the hunt for promotion.

CAN TOWN HANG ON TO PROMOTION SPOTS.

 Wild scenes erupted at Sixfields stadium after the Cobblers pinched a point in the 95^th minute. The fans wildly ecstatic celebrations spilled on to the pitch as they pinned league leaders back. Forest Green Rovers took the lead in the 70^th minute in controversial circumstances after Town’s keeper Liam Roberts got down to embrace the ball and appeared to stop the ball crossing the line. Roberts’ head looked to be in the side netting but his torso, along with the ball seemed to be the right side of the goal line. The referee, having none of the Cobblers protests, awarded the goal. The game itself was very even with both teams sharing an even amount of possession, Forest Green may have had more clear-cut chances, but it was the home side who would have the last laugh.

Forest Green Rovers goal do not appear to have crossed the line.

Northampton town, as a club, means so much too so many people. I have been a lifelong fan of Northampton, although I was taught to love Manchester United by my dad, my hometown club has always played a particularly important part of my love for football. Nowadays, I enjoy the club much more often with my son. Jackson and I have been going to more games now and one of my greatest Cobblers memories with my son was of a game we were not even at. The game I am referring to was one of the first games that we watched together. Back in June 2020, Northampton lost their first leg of the play offs 2-0 to Cheltenham and the dream of promotion seemed to be over. The second leg however was on sky, and I told Jackson he could stay up on a school night to watch it. Cobblers were excellent and won 3-0, Jackson loved It and now he is a fan, and this game was the one that would ignite his love of football. How we both would love for promotion again this season.

Jackson at his first Cobblers game.

Cobblers were in exceptionally good form before they were forced into an unscheduled break. The break came due to covid cases within the camp, and they have yet to rediscover this form since their return. Prior to the postponed games the Shoe Army had won 8 from 10 games, keeping clean sheets against Mansfield, Stevenage, Tranmere, Carlisle, and Leyton Orient.

The game between Northampton and Forest Green was always going to be an exciting game with the Cobblers chasing Forest Green down at the top of the table, prior to the confirmation of Covid cases in the camp, Northampton sat second, but they went into this game in third place behind Tranmere Rovers. Following the game Cobbler’s boss Jon Brady told NTFC.co.uk “It was a great advert for League 2 football, both teams were trying to win the game, but we pushed and pushed and never gave in”. Regardless the home team only got a point, it was a particularly good performance and hopefully the team can now build on that and get back to the form they had before the break.

The Cobblers travel to fifth place Sutton United, who sit one point behind Cobblers in the league two table. Northampton should see this as a must win game following their three recent results. Prior to the Forest Green draw, Northampton suffered two defeats at the hands of Crawley and Swindon. You can argue that they played well in the second half of the Crawley game and got nothing in return but that wont help at the end of the season. To climb the league, you need to convert your chances and the Cobbler’s only managed one shot on target in that game, not good enough to win any game. Northampton did convert their chances at Swindon, but that game turned out to be a crazy fixture. Finishing 5-2 to the home side, Northampton led 2-1 at one stage and from the 55^th minute it seemed to fall apart.

Jacko got a look behind the scenes
at his first game.

Cobblers need to bounce back and quickly, the support from the fans and passion shown by the players following the goal on Saturday shows that there is fight within the team. The fans’ reaction shows that they are behind the team, and they go into a tough game next week at Sutton. They follow that game with three games against Salford, Barrow and Walsall who sit 13^th, 19^th, and 15^th respectively, all games that you should be winning if you are going to gain promotion. They back them games up with another potential tough home tie against 6^th place side Newport and follow that tie with three winnable fixtures against Colchester (22^nd), Scunthorpe (23^rd) and Rochdale (18^th).

Fans and players show their passion following Cobblers late goal.

If Northampton can take maximum points against the lower table sides and put in some good performances against the teams closer to them, I believe they can get somewhere between 21 – 27 points from their next 10 games. This will put them in an incredibly good position for promotion and will most defiantly keep pace with Forest Green Rovers and Tranmere Rovers currently above them.

Things are looking up for Northampton Town regardless of no win in the last three. It’s time for everyone in town to get behind the lads and push them on to this promotion.

 

Let’s do it Lads, Come on Teyn!

SHOE ARMY!