Impressive Sowerby just makes Cobblers tick on his return from injury

If Cobblers fans were asked to pick their player of the season at this very moment, you would receive a selection of different names in reply.

Goalscoring supremo Fraser Horsfall, assist-king Mitch Pinnock and dependable goalkeeper Liam Roberts would be the frontrunners. Jon Guthrie, Ali Koiki, Aaron McGowan, Shaun McWilliams and Sam Hoskins are also worthy candidates.

One player unlikely to get much of a look-in is Jack Sowerby. In some ways, though, that rather typifies the understated manner in which he goes about his business in the heart of Town’s midfield.

It is sometimes the case that a player is only truly appreciated when not in the team and that has certainly applied to Sowerby in recent weeks.

He missed three games with a knee injury and in all three Town struggled, returning just two points against bottom-half teams.

But he was back against promotion rivals Tranmere on Saturday and contributed to a more controlled and dominant performance.

Sowerby is not a flashy player but he does the basics so well and just brings an element of calmness to proceedings in the fight for midfield control. Indeed, it was perhaps no coincidence that the team suddenly wobbled after he was taken off with 15 minutes left.

Cobblers' win percentage with Sowerby in the team this saason is over 50. Without him, it drops to below 30.

“I’m all good,” said the 26-year-old. “I came off near the end but that was just precautionary and I should be fine for Saturday.

“I really enjoyed myself out there. I thought we played some good football in the first-half and possibly could have been a few more goals in front but I was happy to be back on the pitch and it’s a massive three points for us.

“Obviously Tranmere are just behind us in the table so we knew how important it was to get the win.

“They were always going to stick it on us a bit more in the second-half and the conditions didn’t help with the wind against us but the boys grafted until the end and we saw the win out.”

For 75 minutes, the Cobblers were in total control.

Fraser Horsfall’s headed brace in the first-half was added to by an exquisite finish from Mitch Pinnock midway through the second.

But on the day they marked their 125th birthday, Northampton were never going to make life easy.

Fighting against the elements, and with legs tiring, Tranmere scored two late goals to set up a tense finish.

“The wind was blowing all over the place so you didn’t know where the ball was going to go, and we were kicking into it in the second-half which made it difficult,” admitted Sowerby.

“I think our decision-making didn’t help. Obviously the wind played a part but they got a lucky break for the first goal, the ball ricochets to them and they tap it in.

“They had the momentum but we just had to hold out and made sure we got the win.

“It wasn’t pretty at times but we dug in and the main thing was three points because it’s a massive win.”

More than 7,000 fans rocked up to witness a special day on and off the pitch at Sixfields, the biggest attendance of the season.

“The atmosphere was magnificent,” added Sowerby.

“We could hear them before the game and then when we came out it we looked around and saw the ground was full and they cheered us on right until the end.

“I think we put in a good performance and hopefully they liked what they saw and will come back again.

“We won’t get ahead of ourselves. We just want to pick up as many points as we can. We have seen this season that no game in League Two is ever easy but I’m sure the gaffer and his staff will come up with a plan for us to go to Carlisle and get the win.”