Curle has sympathy with relegated Yeovil (includes highlights)

The curtain was brought down on Yeovil's 16-year stint in the EFL but not before Tristan Abrahams and Jake Gray fired them into a 2-0 lead 25 minutes into Saturday's game, reviving hope of escaping the relegation zone in League Two.

But two goals in eight second-half minutes brought the Cobblers level and with no further addition to the score, victory for Macclesfield at Port Vale meant Yeovil's relegation was confirmed at the PTS.

"It's not a nice thing at all," said Curle. "We saw the elation of Bury last week with a team celebrating staying in the top three but on Saturday you felt for the professionals off the pitch and the work the staff do throughout the week and throughout the season.

"It's ultimately culminated in them being relegated and you finish what you've earned and unfortunately Yeovil haven't been good enough this season, over a period of time.

"They've changed a manager and that's what happens when clubs are down at the bottom.

"That's why I need to make sure I'm operating at the other end of the division and the players that represent myself, and the change that I'm trying to implement, have got that hunger and desire to be operating at the top-end of the division and then we go from there."

Cobblers skipper Aaron Pierre added: "It's part of the game. It's sad for them but for us we wanted to have a reaction and our main aim was to win the game.

"Unfortunately we didn't do that but we fought back in the second-half and the reaction was key."