Battling Cobblers keep another clean sheet in wind-swept draw at Port Vale

This fixture never had the makings of a classic but the elements made it nigh-on impossible for either side to find their flow and for a decent game of football to break out. The only serious chance of an extremely broken first half fell to Cameron McGeehan, whose header was well saved.

The second half was more entertaining and both sides created one big opportunity to win it but neither converted – Ross Fitzsimons making a crucial 97th minute save for Cobblers – as the spoils were fairly shared.

Town have now kept five clean sheets in their last six League One games – six in seven in all competitions – and have six in 10 for the season as a whole. They’ve also conceded the fewest goals – eight – in the whole division.

Joe Wormleighton was unfortunate to drop to the bench after his impressive performance last weekend but Kevin Nolan opted for the experience of Nesta Guinness-Walker on a wet and wild day in Stoke-on-Trent.

That was the only change from the team that beat Bolton seven days ago and, helped by conditions, Cobblers started well at Vale Park, spending virtually all of the first 10 minutes camped in the home side’s half.

Port Vale were struggling to get out against a strong and persistent wind but they did an effective job of shutting down Town’s attack before causing a few problems of their own, particularly through the pace of Devante Cole and Dajaune Brown at the top of the pitch.

Three tight offside calls went against Vale as they looked to get in behind Northampton’s defence, while the visitors found good areas and delivered some decent balls into the box without any of them leading to genuine chances.

The first and only chance of the opening 45 minutes came shortly before the break when McGeehan met Dean Campbell’s in-swinging corner and planted a firm header back across goal but Joe Gauci was there to claw away.

The first half had been a tough watch but things livened up after the restart and Terry Taylor’s superbly-struck half volley from 25 yards out forced Gauci into another smart stop.

Jake Vale came on for Ethan Wheatley at the break and his driving run promised more before fizzling out, and then, at the other end, George Byers’ goalbound effort was well blocked by Conor McCarthy.

The hosts, now with the wind behind them, enjoyed more territory and pressure in the second half but chances remained at a premium for both sides.

Kamarai Swyer was next to be sent on by Nolan and he was involved in a nice move that led to Guinness-Walker going close, the wing-back dragging his shot into the side-netting after Taylor's cross dropped to him at the back post.

Vale did most of the pressing as time ticked away, Ryan Croasdale volleying over, before a chaotic and frantic seven minutes of stoppage-time yielded one big chance for the hosts to snatch it right at the death, but Fitzsimons produced a huge stop to deny Ruari Paton preserve a deserved point for his team.

Vale: Gauci, Headley (Croasdale 45), C Hall, Gabriel, Byers, Garrity © (G Hall 72), Debrah, Humphreys, Shipley (Curtis 62), Brown (Stockley 62), Cole (Paton 88)

Subs not used: Marosi, Heneghan

Cobblers: Fitzsimons, McCarthy, Thorniley, Forbes, Hoskins ©, Guinness-Walker (Perkins 89), Campbell, Taylor, McGeehan, Fornah (Swyer 67), Wheatley (Vale 45)

Subs not used: Avery, Willis, Wormleighton, Jacobs

Referee: Martin Woods

Attendance: 7,657

Cobblers fans: 682