Gutsy Cobblers make it back-to-back League One wins with victory over Reading

Cobblers secured back-to-back League One wins as they followed a superb first half performance with a gutsy, tense second to see off Reading 3-1 in a frenetic encounter at Sixfields on Tuesday.

Town came out flying out of the traps at Sixfields and Sam Hoskins put them ahead with his fifth goal of the season just 10 minutes in, largely thanks to a goalkeeping error, before Louis Appéré doubled the lead late in the first half.

The second 45 minutes followed a very different pattern as Reading dominated possession and applied plenty of pressure, and when Dom Ballard pulled one back with 25 minutes to play, the momentum was very much with the away side.

But though clearly tiring, Cobblers dug deep and refused to concede again, even after losing captain Jon Guthrie to injury, and the gloss was put on their fine victory by Mitch Pinnock’s stoppage-time strike.

That rubber-stamped a second win in four days and whilst Cobblers remain 17th, they now have 13 points from 10 games and are only three points off the top 10, five above the bottom four.

Jon Brady selected the same XI and bench as he did for the win over Exeter City on Saturday, and his side began on the front foot at Sixfields with Kieron Bowie and Hoskins both seeing early shots blocked by defenders.

The home side were rewarded for their fast start with the opening goal on 10 minutes. They broke at pace down the left-hand side where Appéré slipped in Hoskins and his shot from an acute angle somehow squirmed through David Button’s palms and into the net.

Town had all the early momentum as Appéré headed over from Marc Leonard’s free-kick and he also saw a decent penalty shout waved away, while Shaun McWilliams scuffed wide after beating two defenders.

Reading slowly worked their way into the game and were looking more and more dangerous as half-time neared, but the first period all hinged on what happened in the 37th minute.

At one end, Lee Burge brilliantly denied Reading an equaliser after a concerted period of pressure, reacting smartly to keep out Caylan Vickers, and within 30 seconds the ball was in the net at the other end.

Cobblers broke up field and Bowie simply had too much strength and power for the defender as he got into the box before squaring for Appéré, whose seemingly tame effort was again fumbled by the hapless Button.

That gave Northampton breathing space but they still needed to be wary and Burge’s services were again required before half-time when he was at full stretch to push away Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan’s low shot.

Cobblers lost their captain Jon Guthrie to injury six minutes after half-time and they were having to do a lot of work as Reading kept possession and probed for a way back into the game.

A fantastic last-ditch challenge from Marc Leonard prevented a clear sight of goal, but the visitors were back in the game with 25 minutes to play and it was another goalkeeping error as Burge wandered out of his goal, allowing Dom Ballard to pass into the net from 30 yards.

Bowie dragged wide from the edge of the box as Town sought to restore their two-goal cushion but they were coming under mounting pressure and at times needed some desperate last-gasp defending to thwart Reading, including Brough’s magnificent last-ditch challenge.

Simspon had a glaring chance to wrap things up at the end of normal time but his miss ensured a tense finish, although Town weren’t denied for a long and they did indeed make the win save when Pinnock beat Button after fantastic work by Hoskins, a goal that was greeted by a huge roar inside Sixfields.

Cobblers: Burge, Odimayo (McGowan 73) Sherring, Guthrie © (Monthé 52), Brough, McWilliams (Fox 82), Leonard, Pinnock, Hoskins, Bowie (Simpson 82), Appéré (Lintott 73)

Subs not used: Thompson, Haynes

Reading: Button, Dean, Savage (Hutchinson 45), Mukairu (Knibbs 45), Bindon, Wing, Abbey ©, Vickers (Ballard 61), Carson (Mola 72), Azeez, Ehibhatiomhan (Elliott 81)

Subs not used: Yiadom, Boyce-Clarke

Referee: Matt Corlett

Attendance: 6,550

Reading fans: 1,285