Cobblers back to their efficient best to blunt high-flying Grecians - verdict, reaction and highlights

A promotion challenge that had been so well constructed through two good bursts of form in autumn and then again in the New Year was threatening to derail. If not careful, Cobblers' season might have petered out.

So to come away with an accomplished 2-0 victory - and a fully deserved one at that - and return to the play-off positions was just what the doctor ordered to ease fans' fears and get things back on track again.

The Cobblers were excellent against an oddly subpar Exeter side. The Grecians had won their last three league games and pushed Championship-chasing Portsmouth close in the EFL trophy only on Tuesday but, following a bright first 15 minutes at the PTS, they flattered to deceive, comfortably contained by Town's back three.

This performance was built on that solid foundation. With Lloyd Jones moving into the central role and Jordan Turnbull filling in for Scott Wharton, Cobblers were back to somewhere near their early-season best in defence, ensuring David Cornell's services were hardly required.

It's not worth spending too much time dissecting a bland first-half, at least once Vadaine Oliver had emphatically rifled home after just 54 seconds, but manager Keith Curle must have taken great pleasure from the way his side managed the game in the second 45 minutes.

The expected Exeter onslaught never materialised. Cobblers' hard-working midfield trio, boosted by Scott Pollock's impressive showing off the bench, prevented City from ever building up a head of steam, while they were also a constant threat on the break, largely thanks to the hard-working, hard-running Callum Morton.

Morton's tenacious work won the late penalty and Sam Hoskins converted for his 11th of the campaign, sealing victory and returning Cobblers back to a top seven berth.

Curle could even afford a little post-match joke. "Recent history has shown us that 2-0 is not always a comfortable scoreline," he said. "As we've found out four times this season!

"So to score early and then get the second goal in the latter stages was important and very pleasing."

There were some criticisms of the style of this win but that seems harsh for a variety of reasons, not least because the Cobblers actually played well here, particularly in the second-half.

Let's not forget they came into this game under pressure after four straight defeats and they could have faced easier opposition than a very accomplished Exeter side to end that sticky run.

"They're a very good team and they haven't found it difficult to score goals but we dealt with them very well," added Curle.

"They had a good cross in the first-half and a couple of balls into the box in the second but apart from that I thought we were very solid.

"We had more control in the second-half and that came from a better shape. We've been picked apart and exploited from throw-ins recently where people think they've done their jobs but they haven't.

"But that's part of our job as coaching staff to identify the areas that we need to improve and we are still improving and we will get better and better and better."