Hoskins on the spot as Cobblers claim crucial win over promotion rivals Mansfield

Despite their long list of absentees, and although Mansfield should have been fresher having had the weekend off, Northampton were the better team from start to finish and thoroughly deserved all three points to move within a point of the automatic promotion places.

Cobblers played well in the first-half and were worth their lead at the break following Sam Hoskins’ 19th goal of the season, which came from the penalty spot.

Mansfield began to rally in the second period but their momentum stalled when Stephen Quinn saw red for a wild, inexplicable two-footed challenge and from then on Town were in control and really should have won by a greater margin.

It was an impressive all-round performance from the injury-ravaged Cobblers, arguably one of their best of the season in the circumstances, and for all the recent negativity, that’s now only one defeat in 10 games.

Max Dyche made just his second league start of the season and his return to the side meant a change of formation to three at the back.

Will Hondermarck also came in with Josh Eppiah injured and Mitch Pinnock absent due to the recent birth of his newborn baby.

Cobblers were missing 10 first-team players in total, which meant teenage midfielder Peter Abimbola and academy youngster Reuben Wyatt were both needed to fill the bench.

The home side made a steady start at Sixfields and they were first to threaten after 12 minutes when Hondermarck released Hoskins and he streaked through on goal, but his desire to cut back onto his right foot allowed James Perch to recover and make the block.

The first-half was a game of cat and mouse, Cobblers playing a lot of passes between Marc Leonard and the centre-backs as they tried to draw Mansfield onto them before breaking quickly, and that tactic bore fruit with the opening goal on 28 minutes.

Mansfield’s high-line always looked vulnerable and Cobblers exploited it when Jack Sowerby threaded a pass through to Louis Appéré who attempted to go round goalkeeper Christy Pym but was tripped as he did so.

Hoskins made no mistake from the spot, dispatching confidently for his 19th of the campaign.

The visitors had an excellent chance to hit straight back but Ollie Clarke poked wide after breaking through the heart of Town’s defence before Danny Johnson’s header deflected into the arms of Lee Burge.

Mansfield finished the first-half better than how they started it but Cobblers went close to a second straight after the restart with Hoskins’ shot well blocked by a defender.

The most predictable thing all evening then happened as Appéré picked up a leg injury and had to be replaced by Kieron Bowie, and he was immediately into the action as tempers boiled over.

Quinn felt he should have been awarded a free-kick but he didn’t get it and the red mist descended as he launched into a wild two-footed challenge on Bowie right in front of the west stand dugouts.

Referee Geoff Eltringham wasted no time in whipping out the red card.

Despite that, a mistake from Dyche presented Rhys Oates with a decent chance to level but Burge denied him before Hoskins blazed over at the other end.

Cobblers had further opportunities to put the game to bed as Tete Yengi cleared the crossbar, Pym thwarted Bowie and D'Margio Wight-Phillips volleyed into the side-netting, but one goal would be sufficient for all three points.

Match facts

Cobblers: Burge, Sherring, Guthrie ©, Dyche, Lintott, Haynes (Yengi 77), Sowerby (Wright-Phillips 83), Leonard, Hondermarck, Hoskins, Appéré (Bowie 59)

Subs not used: King, Osew, Abimbola, Wyatt, Yengi

Mansfield: Pym, Harbottle, Kilgour, Perch, Clarke ©, Wallace (Boateng 28), Quinn, Akins, Bowery, Keillor-Dunn (McLaughlin 64) (Law 82), Johnson (Oates 64)

Subs not used: Flinders, Anderson, Gale

Referee: Geoff Eltringham

Attendance: 6,301

Mansfield fans: 1,039