Battling Cobblers fight back to sink Harrogate and close in on promotion

Town were rocked by Kazeem Olaigbe’s third-minute goal but although the hosts were far from their best in a shaky first-half, they managed to turn things around to lead 3-1 at half-time thanks to some extremely clinical finishing.

Town essentially had three chances and scored three goals with David Norman bagging his first for the club to equalise before brilliant finishes by Sam Hoskins and Kieron Bowie gave the hosts breathing space at half-time.

They then managed the second-half sensibly and without many alarms to see out a vital victory and move up to 80 points, four clear of third and five clear of fourth.

Stevenage lost to Mansfield and Stockport and Carlisle both won, while late drama saw Gillingham score a 97th-minute equaliser at Bradford, who come to Sixfields next Saturday.

All that matters though is that Cobblers have control of their own destiny and one win from their final two games will clinch promotion.

Cobblers lined up as expected against Harrogate with Max Dyche replacing the injured Jack Sowerby in the only change from the win over Sutton.

Ten players were still absent but Josh Eppiah made a welcome return to the bench.

Sixfields was in good voice when the game kicked-off but the home fans were silenced with just three minutes on the clock when Town’s defence was caught out by a long goal-kick and a right-wing cross deflected to the unmarked Olaigbe, who finished clinically past Lee Burge.

That seemed to unsettle the hosts but crucially they responded just six minutes later.

Mitch Pinnock delivered a terrific corner and the ball was bundled over the line from close-range, with Norman the man claiming it.

The goal didn’t really calm down the Cobblers though and they continued to look shaky at the back, almost falling behind again when Matty Foulds rose above Dyche at the back post and headed straight into the grateful arms of Burge.

It came somewhat against the run of play when Town took the lead with a terrific goal midway through the first-half.

Hoskins started and finished the move, interchanging with Louis Appéré and Kieron Bowie before burying his shot low and hard across goalkeeper Max Oxley and into the bottom corner for his 21st of the season.

Cobblers continued to look jittery though and the lively Olaigbe caused all sorts of problems, seeing a shot deflected behind and setting up Warren Burrell, whose effort was also blocked, but the home side extended their lead in first-half stoppage-time.

It was another fine goal too as Pinnock expertly picked out Bowie with a clever chipped cross and the Fulham loanee emphatically volleyed into the roof of the net.

Brady would have known that his side were below their best in the first-half and it was not a surprise that he changed things at the break with Shaun McWilliams replacing Norman and going to right-back of a back four.

That gave Town a bit more control and Pinnock wasn’t too far away with a couple of long-range shots after the restart, but Harrogate always remained a threat as that man Olaigbe saw another shot saved.

Nerves jangled in the second-half, especially with Harrogate bossing most of the possession and pressing for goal back, and some players were clearly feeling fatigue, but, rallied by home supporters, they kept their discipline, kept working hard and limited the visitors to few opportunities.

Harrogate didn’t really have another chance until the 90th minute when Jack Muldoon poked over and that was the last notable act as Cobblers took a significant step towards promotion.

Match facts

Cobblers: Burge, Dyche, Sherring, Norman (McWilliams 45), Hoskins © (Eppiah 90), Haynes, Leonard, Hondermarck, Pinnock, Bowie (Hylton 80), Appéré (Yengi 90)

Subs not used: King, Osew, Wright-Phillips

Harrogate: Oxley, Falkingham ©, Thomson (Daly 65), Folarin (Muldoon 77), Eastman, Foulds, O’Connor, Sims, Pattison (Burrell 28), Olaigbe, Armstrong

Subs not used: Mattock, Angus, Jameson, McArdle

Referee: Sebastian Stockbridge

Attendance: 7,018

Harrogate fans: 107