Confident Cobblers in cruise control as Crawley are swept aside at Sixfields

A one-sided first half performance was rewarded with a two-goal lead as the terrific Tariqe Fosu lashed in an opener before former Town academy player Jay Williams marked his return to Sixfields by scoring an own goal.

Crawley were all possession and no bite and Mitch Pinnock's well-taken third meant the points were effectively wrapped up early in the second half as Cobblers eased their way to the type of comfortable victory you rarely see at this level.

It completes a fine week for the team, seven points from three games, and moves them up to 17th in the Sky Bet League One table, four points above the bottom four ahead of Tuesday's trip to Lincoln City.

Jon Brady freshened things up by recalling Samy Chouchane, Tyler Roberts and Tariqe Fosu in place of Jack Sowerby, Sam Hoskins and Tom Eaves, all of whom dropped to the bench.

Cobblers started brightly without creating anything clear-cut as Roberts blazed over from range and a strong bit of defending prevented Cameron McGeehan from turning in a low cross.

The hosts did then carve out a glorious opportunity to break the deadlock as Chouchane’s wonderful pass sent Roberts through on goal on 10 minutes and he did the hard bit in rounding goalkeeper Jojo Wollacott, only to hit the side-netting with the goal at his mercy.

Thankfully, that miss did not haunt Town for long and they moved ahead with 16 minutes played.

Crawley’s decision to leave one defender against two attackers from a corner proved their undoing as Chouchane took a quick one to Fosu and he had oceans of space to pick his spot, duly firing low and hard into the bottom corner.

The pattern of the first half was Crawley patiently keeping possession and Cobblers sitting in their shape, and the visitors did enjoy a good spell after the goal with Josh Flint almost forcing an equaliser.

Cobblers were a constant threat though and Fosu released Roberts for a decent chance, denied by the legs of Wollacott, before Lee Burge made his first save of the afternoon at the other end, beating away Harry Forster’s 20-yard strike.

Town’s second arrived on 29 minutes and again it came from a corner. Mitch Pinnock’s deep delivery floated over nearly everyone, including Wollacott, and was forced over the line by a combination of bodies at the back post with the last touch coming off Williams.

Cobblers were in control but Crawley had shown enough to suggest they were not out of the game and Akin Odimayo’s loose touch presented them with a chance to halve the deficit shortly before half-time, however he redeemed himself by blocking Flint’s low shot.

The visitors had virtually all of the ball in the first few minutes after half-time and one dangerous moment had Burge in trouble, but Cobblers made it three with their first attack of the half, Ben Fox releasing Fosu and his ball eventually finding Pinnock at the back post and he finished in style.

The hosts then tried to walk in a fourth when all of Fosu, Pinnock and Roberts turned down shooting opportunities before Brady, who was watching from the stands, turned to his bench as Eaves, Hoskins and Tyler Magloire all came on.

Crawley continue to monopolise possession and a shooting chance did drop to Jeremy Kelly at the back post but he blazed wastefully over which typified their bluntness in the final third.

The away side were toothless in attack and ponderous at the back and could have been punished further had Cobblers been more ruthless, but amid the busy run of games, they were more than content to take their foot off the gas and see out the remaining minutes with little fuss.

Match facts

Cobblers: Burge, Odimayo (Magloire 65), Baldwin, Guthrie ©, Guinness-Walker (McCarron 89), Fox, Chouchane (Hondermarck 79), McGeehan, Pinnock, Fosu (Hoskins 65), Roberts (Eaves 65). Subs not used: Tzanev, Sowerby

Crawley: Wollacott, Barker, Anderson (Camara 45), Forster, Kelly, Williams ©, Flint (Hepburn-Murphy 49), Mullarkey, Ibrahim (Tanimu 79), Darcy (Holohan 78), Swan (Showunmi 87). Subs not used: Roles, Adeyemo

Referee: Thomas Kirk

Attendance: 6,445

Crawley fans: 320