Northampton Town 1 Barnet 2: Cobblers lose out after taking early lead
Northampton Town Football Club v Barnet at Sixfields. Saido Berahino.
THE Cobblers’ chances of retaining their Football League status were dealt a substantial blow as they were beaten at home by Barnet.
Adebayo Akinfenwa had given the home side the lead only for two second-half goals from the visitors to turn the game on its head and leave Aidy Boothroyd’s men rock bottom in league two.
Town started strongly, with a John Johnson effort that hit Akinfenwa and then a second that required a good save from Dean Brill to tip over.
From the resulting corner, Akinfenwa headed home from no more than a yard out, beating a shaky-looking Brill to Ben Harding’s inswinging corner.
They could have added to their lead when a Michael Jacobs cross on the right wing found its way to Lewis Young, but he scuffed his shot on the volley and the defence cleared.
The game meandered along after the goal but shot to life after only two minutes of the second half when the home side failed to clear their lines and Mark Byrne curled in a left-footed shot from 20 yards.
They should have taken the lead when a long ball over the top from Brill bounced behind the defence to Izale McLeod, who rounded Chris Weale but saw his shot superbly headed off the line by Ben Tozer.
There were strong appeals for a penalty when Michael Jacobs was clipped in the box and even stronger ones when McLeod appeared to block Kelvin Langmead off the ball to allow Ricky Holmes to burst clear and beat Weale at his near post.
COBBLERS: Weale; Crowe (Asante 79), Langmead, Tozer, Adams; Young (Gilligan 73), Harding, Johnson, Jacobs; Akinfenwa, Berahino
Subs not used: Hall, Holt, Purcell
BARNET: Brill; Hector, Dennehy, Downing, Saville; Byrne, Hughes, Kamdjo, Deering; McLeod (Taylor 82), Holmes (N’Diaye 89)
Subs not used: Harjovic, O’Brien, N’Diaye, Vilhete
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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Comments
There are 8 comments to this article
Page 1 of 1
knowsley roader
Monday, January 23, 2012 at 11:22 AMMy take on Saturday was that it did highlight yet again a lack of options on the bench to try and improve things. Even when we were in the lead on Saturday there were some signs that we were still vulnerable in particular Young's inability to challenge and win fifty fifty balls and our obsession to want to hoof the ball out of defence straight away without using the option of holding the ball up and passing to a team mate, hence giving the ball back to the opposition all the time.. One other area AB needs to address is to get a leader on the pitch who can rally the troops when we lose the lead in a game. I believe AB is going about things in the right way and addressing the problems that Del Boy Johnson left us with. Wouldn't it be the icing on the cake if AB kept us up and then after Yeovil get relegated then give us the chance to barrack Del Boy on his reurn to Sixfielfds, assuning he is still in a job by then.
.~* JEZ *~.
Monday, January 23, 2012 at 08:24 AMBy all accounts the twelfth man's performance was pretty aweful again too!
MK Cobbler
Sunday, January 22, 2012 at 11:54 AMA poor performance. Our midfield with the exception of Jacobs was atrocious. Up front Bayo contributes too little, is too slow and needs to be moved out and replaced by a mobile forward. At the back Tozer is struggling and needs to be replaced with some pace and experience and a ball winning midfielder must be brought in. AB has worked hard with the complete mess he has inherited from Johnson but yesterday demonstrated what he has is just not good enough. I expect AB to be knocking on DC's door Monday morning perhaps not for the first time with his survival shopping list. Not long before the transfer window closes.
NTFCseasonticketholder1
Sunday, January 22, 2012 at 09:32 AMn anyone tell me why we started the game with Bayo, yes I no he score and I know he has been a good player for us but he is to slow up front now, I cannot believe he was on for the whole 90 minutes. The last 4 or 5 games you have seen better football with out the right out come but as looked better and that's when Bayo's been on the bench.
NTFCseasonticketholder1
Sunday, January 22, 2012 at 09:29 AMCan anyone tell me whey we started the game with Bayo, yes I no he score and I know he has been a good player for us but he is to slow up front now, I cannot believe he was on for the whole 90 minutes. The last 4 or 5 games you have seen better football with out the right out come but as looked better and that's when Bayo's been on the bench.
mack80
Saturday, January 21, 2012 at 07:55 PMafter this perfrormance we have no chance of League football at Northampton next year
Marvo
Saturday, January 21, 2012 at 05:28 PMI'm sorry but that was poor. These players aren't good enough, not Boothroyds fault but if we go down, it will be. Of all the permanent managers in our history, only Terry Fenwick has a worse points gained from those available record and that includes Gary Johnson. At least two, preferably more signings are required. Not nice for the bank balance but the alternative would be a disaster.
winchester
Saturday, January 21, 2012 at 05:12 PMRubbish. I wonder if a new manager would help HA HA
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