Cobblers end home campaign with defeat as 10-man Exeter claim Sixfields spoils

After falling behind early on, Town played the whole second half against 10 men and did pull level through Jon Guthrie but they switched off at the back and were ruthlessly punished, putting a serious dent in their hopes of a top half finish.

The hosts made a decent start but Luke Harris gave Exeter the lead with a precise finish and the visitors were the better team until a potential turning point in first half stoppage-time when City’s Ryan Woods was sent off for violent conduct.

However, Cobblers struggled to turn possession into chances in the second half and despite briefly levelling thanks to Guthrie, they were beaten late on and must now win at play-off chasing Barnsley on final day next weekend to have any chance of finishing in the top half in League One.

Ali Koiki made just his second league start of the season – and first since October – in one of three changes. Shaun McWilliams and Jack Sowerby also came in with Akin Odimayo, Ben Fox and Sam Hoskins all dropping to the bench.

Cobblers started brightly at Sixfields and knocked the ball about with confidence and crispness before Kieron Bowie let fly with the game’s first shot when his low effort was comfortably saved by Viljami Sinisalo.

But it was the visitors who broke the deadlock with their first attack of note 20 minutes in.

Koiki lost possession in his own half and Dion Rankine released Harris who broke into the box before firing a low finish across Lee Burge and in off the far post.

Zak Jules almost forced home a corner as Exeter threatened a quick second while Bowie could have levelled but he directed his free header from Aaron McGowan’s cross straight at Sinisalo.

City were in the ascendency though and Harris went close again from Ilmari Niskanen’s cross before a combination of Burge and the post kept out 16-year-old Jake Richards.

It was a mystery how Cobblers did not equalise late in the first half when an almighty goalmouth scramble saw Bowie, Jon Guthrie Louis Appéré, Marc Leonard and Mitch Pinnock all have shots either blocked, saved or cleared off the line.

What had been a relatively placid end-of-season encounter then boiled over on the stroke of half-time as Guthrie and Woods clashed with the Exeter man seeing red – literally – after foolishly putting his head into Town’s skipper.

Guthrie was involved again in first half stoppage-time when he rose highest to meet McGowan’s floated cross, only to plant his header straight at Sinisalo.

Cobblers inevitably dominated the ball once play restarted but they needed to use it wisely because Exeter were happy to sit in and make life difficult.

Hoskins was introduced just past the hour-mark but Town were too wayward and ponderous with their passing and struggled to create anything meaningful in front of goal.

It was perhaps no surprise that the equaliser was a messy one and came from a dead ball situation.

Sam Sherring flicked on Pinnock’s 74th-minute long throw and the ball dropped to Guthrie who stabbed into the bottom corner.

Cobblers were now strong favourites to go on and win the game but they gave away a terrible goal to fall behind again with only seven minutes remaining.

A low ball flashed all the way across goal and Hoskins did not deal with it at the back post, allowing Aimson to find the net.

Eight added minutes provided Town with plenty of time to find another equaliser but in truth they never really threatened to do so and slumped to an avoidable defeat.

Match facts

Cobblers: Burge, McGowan (Odimayo 71), Sherring, Guthrie (c), Koiki, Sowerby (Hondermarck 84), McWilliams (Hoskins 64), Leonard, Pinnock, Bowie, Appéré (Springett 71). Subs not used: Dadge, Willis, Fox, Hondermarck

Exeter: Sinisalo, Rankine (Purrington 58), Fitzwater (Diabate 45), Aimson ©, Jules, Niskanen, Woods, Carroll (Watts 81), Richards (Cole 65), Harris (Kite 81), Alli. Subs not used: MacDonald, Borges

Referee: Ruebyn Ricardo

Attendance: 7,097

Exeter fans: 647