Grim afternoon at the PTS as toothless Cobblers slump to Accrington defeat

This was about as dominant a 1-0 victory as you are likely to find after Accrington created and missed a hatful of chances throughout the contest, which was in sharp contrast to the toothless attacking play of the home side.

The visitors could have won by a lot more but Jon Russell's second-minute goal was enough for their fourth league win from eight games this season.

Town were, in theory, chasing the game for 88 minutes following the early setback, but their attacking efforts totalled to a mere one shot on target and that was a straightforward stop for Stanley's underworked goalkeeper.

As expected Keith Curle rang the changes from Monday's shock FA Cup defeat with Jonathan Mitchell, Fraser Horsfall and Sam Hoskins the only starters to stay in the side.

Luka Racic, Joe Martin and Ricky Korboa were dropped from the squad altogether.

Curle had wanted to see a big reaction from his side but things could hardly have started any worse.

Only 90 seconds had been played when Dion Charles received the ball on halfway and picked out the run of Russell, who was somehow given the freedom of Town's half to charge through and slot past Mitchell.

Town responded to that shocking start by hitting the post through Hoskins' daisy-cutter as his free-kick caught everyone by surprise, but the visitors continued to play the better football and pose the greater threat.

Russell curled shot just wide of the far post and then Horsfall's last-ditch tackle prevented Charles from getting in on goal, while Hoskins lashed another free-kick a yard or two wide of the target.

The dangerous Charles was Accrington's chief threat and he twice went close, catching the outside of the post after cutting into the penalty box and then denied by the legs of Mitchell having once again got behind the home defence.

Town's best chance of the half arrived five minutes before the break but Horsfall shot straight at Toby Savin after Harry Smith's knockdown, and immediately the visitors spurned a glorious chance to double their lead, an unmarked Charles heading wide at the back post from a corner.

The second-half was slow to get going but Cobblers almost reaped the rewards from a short corner routine as Hoskins' eventual shot as blocked by a mass of bodies.

The home side were poor on the ball and therefore struggled to build any forward momentum.

Instead, it was Accrington who looked the likelier to score.

They almost did a couple of times as Joe Pritchard's free-kick was tipped over by Mitchell and then Cameron Burgess smacked the bar with a header.

Not once did Town test Savin in the second-half and Stanley really should have won by a bigger margin with Charles missing a late chance, but in the end that early strike was the difference.

Match facts

Cobblers: Mitchell, Bolger (c), Horsfall, Sheehan, Harriman (Holmes 70), Sowerby, Watson, Adams, Hoskins, Rose (Ashley-Seal 71), Smith

Subs not used: Arnold, Missilou, Roberts, Marshall, Chukwuemeka

Accrington: Savin, Nottingham, Hughes, Burgess, Butcher, Russell, Pritchard, Rodgers, Bishop, Conneely (c), Charles

Subs not used: Baxter, McConville, Uwakwe, Barclay, Sama, Fenlon, Mansell

Referee: Kevin Johnson