Hoskins at the double as Cobblers boost automatic promotion hopes

Town edged the first-half and Sam Hoskins’ 10th goal of the season – and 50th for the club – steered them into a narrow lead at the break before they effectively killed the game off with two goals in the space of three second-half minutes.

The impressive Appere pounced on a defensive mix-up to double the lead and he then slipped in Hoskins for his second and Town’s third moments later.

Cobblers also held off a late Harrogate rally to record their 21st clean sheet of the campaign, just two behind the club record of 23.

The victory goes a long way to securing a top-seven finish but it also puts Town back in the frame for a top three spot.

They remain fourth but there are now only two points separating themselves, Bristol Rovers and Port Vale. Exeter City were also beaten on Monday so can also be caught, especially as they still have to go to Sixfields.

Jon Brady had the luxury of being able to name an unchanged line-up and his side were inches away from a very early lead when Fraser Horsfall headed a Sam Hoskins corner onto the crossbar just two minutes in.

That might have set the tone for a dominant and one-sided affair but instead Town struggled to find their groove and were frustrated by the visitors, so much so it came as a surprise when Cobblers broke the deadlock with a well-worked goal shortly before the half-hour mark.

Ali Koiki’s deep cross was headed back by Josh Eppiah and Appere showed good composure to lay the ball off for Hoskins, who rolled calmly into the bottom corner.

Harrogate responded with their only chance of the first-half as Simon Power motored down the right flank and pulled the ball back for Luke Armstrong, but Hoskins blocked his shot and then Jon Guthrie did likewise from Josh Austerfield.

Cobblers could have stretched their lead before half-time with two chances falling to Appere, but both times he cleared the crossbar to keep the margin at only one goal at the break.

Appere saw another chance go begging just after the restart, this time thwarted by Joe Cracknell having cut inside his man and hit the target, and Eppiah would also have had a clear opening to score had he got Pinnock’s cross under control.

Appere was a constant thorn in Harrogate’s side and eventually got a deserved goal on the hour-mark.

Excellent pressing by Town forced a mistake in the visiting defence and a short back pass was latched onto by Appere, who rounded Cracknell and tapped into an empty net.

And Appere was once again involved as Cobblers wrapped things up just three minutes later.

He picked the ball up on halfway and threaded a perfect through pass for Hoskins and he finished confidently on his left foot for his second of the game.

Harrogate enjoyed their best spell of the game in the final 15 minutes with Jack Muldoon firing into the side-netting and Liam Roberts reacting smartly to deny Austerfield, but the game had long since gone.

Town duly held on and not only that, they kept another clean sheet, making it 21 for the season - only Rotherham United have more in the top four tiers of English football.

Match facts

Cobblers: Roberts, McGowan, Horsfall ©, Guthrie, Koiki (Mills 85), McWilliams, Sowerby, Pinnock, Hoskins (Pollock 85), Eppiah (Zimba 77), Appere

Subs not used: Maxted, Harriman, Kanu, Rose

Harrogate: Cracknell, Smith (Legge 22), Burrell ©, Thomson, Sheron, Austerfield, McArdle, Muldoon (Martin 76), Power, Diamond Armstrong

Subs not used: Beck, Ilesanmi, O’Boyle, Giles

Referee: Robert Lewis

Attendance: 5,168

Harrogate fans: 93