Cobblers gain first point under Nolan on another injury-cursed afternoon at Shrewsbury

A game between two teams at the bottom end of the League One table was never going to be a classic and so it proved, but two goals in the space of four second half minutes meant the spoils were shared.

Former Town defender Aaron Pierre gave Shrewsbury the lead on the hour but Cobblers hit back almost immediately and Cameron McGeehan’s seventh goal of the season keeps them out of the relegation zone going into 2025.

Unfortunately, however, it was another injury-cursed afternoon. Liam McCarron and Jack Baldwin both came off with ankle and face problems respectively before Nesta Guinness-Walker suffered a worrying-looking injury just seconds before the full-time whistle. If all those three miss Wednesday, Cobblers will be without 18 first-team players in total.

A severe shortage of fit attacking players already meant Nolan was forced to improvise with his team selection as Akin Odimayo replaced Liam McCarron and moved across to left-back while Guinness-Walker started ahead of him on the wing.

Having conceded early in each of their last three league fixtures, Town’s first objective was to survive the opening 15 minutes unscathed and they comfortably managed to do so as the game went just about as every had anticipated.

It was cagey and bitty between two teams at the wrong end of the table and subsequently there was hardly anything to speak of in terms of goalmouth action for the majority of the first half.

Eventually, 35 minutes in, a chance came and it was a good one for Shrewsbury’s George Lloyd after a set-piece fell his way inside the penalty box, but Jon Guthrie positioned himself well to make a vital block.

There had been very little in it for so much of the first half but Cobblers finished strong and could easily have taken a lead into the break after going close on several occasions.

Tom Eaves led the line effectively and his good hold-up play created confusion in the home defence before the ball dropped to Samy Chouchane, whose first-time effort from the edge of the box bobbled agonisingly wide.

Then, in stoppage-time, Chouchane whipped a dangerous cross into the box and Cameron McGeehan was so close to converting, denied by Mal Benning’s goal-line clearance, before Aaron McGowan’s effort was also smuggled away by a defender on the line.

McGowan glanced the subsequent corner onto the roof of the net and it remained goalless at the break, and it was more of the same for the first 15 minutes of the second half until the game burst into life with two goals in the space of four minutes.

Shrewsbury’s opener on the hour came out of nothing as a long ball dropped to John Marquis and whilst his initial shot was well saved, the rebound fell to Pierre and he finished first-time.

The Cobblers response, however, was instant. Eaves won a free-kick on the right and Chouchane delivered a wonderful cross that was just begging to be turned home and McGeehan obliged, volleying home right in front of the away supporters.

There were 25 minutes left for either side to grab a winner and Town arguably looked the more likely to find it for a period although Shrewsbury continued to threaten from set-pieces, but injuries, odd refereeing decisions and a lack of quality prevented either side from building up a head of steam.

Northampton’s injury troubles were summed up when substitute McCarron had to come off due to an ankle injury, replaced by Jack Baldwin, who himself only lasted a few minutes before going off having taken a blow to the face.

All those incidents meant nine minutes of added time were played and right at the end of those, Guinness-Walker went down with a leg injury. He finished the game, which ended all square, but couldn’t put any weight on his right leg and had to be helped from the pitch by two people.

Shrewsbury: Blackman, Hoole, Benning, M Feeney, J Feeney, Pierre, Gilliead, Perry (Rossiter 69), Castledine, Lloyd (Bloxham 69), Marquis © (Kayode 69)

Subs not used: Savin, Ojo, Nurse, O’Reilly

Cobblers: Tzanev, McGowan, Guthrie ©, Eyoma, Odimayo (McCarron 58) (Baldwin 82) (Willis 90), Guinness-Walker, Chouchane, Hondermarck, McGeehan, Pinnock, Eaves

Subs not used: Dadge, Wyatt, Dobson, Obiagwu

Referee: Sebastian Stockbridge

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