Injury-hit Cobblers left looking over their shoulders after falling to defeat at Stockport County

Cobblers were hampered by injury and illness as they suffered back-to-back defeats for only the second time this season when beaten 2-0 by Stockport County at Edgeley Park on Saturday.

The first-half was an even contest between two good teams but despite creating more chances, Town found themselves behind at the break after Antoni Sarcevic finished off an excellent move from the home side.

The visitors briefly rallied at the start of the second-half but failed to convert a sustained period of pressure into an equaliser and Ryan Johnson’s header with 20 minutes to play wrapped up victory for Stockport.

The defeat was the first time Town have lost by more than one goal this season and it leaves them in an increasingly perilous position in third. That’s now three defeats in four games and unless results improve quickly, sooner or later they will be caught and overtaken by the teams queuing up behind them.

Cobblers were already struggling with injures before the game and their problems continued to pile up with Sam Sherring and Aaron McGowan both forced in the second-half.

The club announced Tom King’s arrival from Salford City on a contract until the end of the season only an hour or so before kick-off and with first-choice goalkeeper Lee Burge sidelined by a calf injury, he was thrown straight into the team.

Manager Jon Brady was dealt another major blow when captain and defensive mainstay Jon Guthrie pulled out due to illness. Young centre-back Max Dyche took his place at the heart of defence while Jack Sowerby came into central midfield and Louis Appéré returned to lead the line.

With Shaun McWilliams also absent, Cobblers were essentially missing the spine of their team but they made an enterprising start at Edgeley Park and were close to an early lead when Sam Hoskins nearly caught out Ben Hinchliffe with an opportunistic effort from a tight angle.

The visitors lined up 4-4-2 with Ben Fox playing as a narrow right-sided midfielder and Hoskins up front alongside Appéré, and whilst Stockport edged possession and territory, there were gaps for Town to exploit on the break.

Fox saw a shot blocked and Sam Sherring headed over from a corner, but the game’s first big chance came at the other end when, midway through the half, Myles Hippolyte slipped in Kyle Wootton who failed to hit the target.

The Cobblers continued to carry a real threat in attack though and Hinchliffe had to be alert when reacting quickly to beat away Hoskins' first-time volley from Aaron McGowan’s excellent cross.

However, Stockport then hit the front with a goal that was well-worked from their point of view but a poor one to concede. Town lost a couple of 50-50 battles in the middle of the park and were subsequently short on numbers at the back as Will Collar set up Wootton whose clever back-heel presented a simple finish for Sarcevic.

Cobblers replied with a nicely-crafted move of their own but unlike Sarcevic, Hoskins could not apply the finish as he blazed over 10 yards out after a lovely flick by Appéré.

Ryan Rydel’s long-range rasper almost deceived King and Paddy Madden’s shot was close to deflecting in as Stockport threatened a second before half-time, but Hinchliffe came to their rescue within minutes of the restart.

He denied Cobblers a brilliant equaliser with a fantastic reaction save after Hoskins connected sweetly with left-footed volley from Mitch Pinnock’s looped pass.

The visitors had Stockport on the rack in the early stages of the second-half as they won a succession of corners and pinned the hosts back, but they could not force an equaliser and eventually their pressure waned.

Stockport responded through chances for Myles Hippolyto, who shot just wide via a deflection, and Madden, and Brady felt the need to make an alteration by sending on Josh Eppiah. He was forced into a second change straightaway as Sherring limped off, replaced by Ali Koiki.

But his best-laid plans went out of the window within seconds as Stockport scored the crucial second goal when Johnson firmly planted home a header from Sarcevic’s in-swinging corner.

Despite the subsequent introduction of Kieron Bowie and Danny Hylton, that goal completely took the wind out of Town’s sails and there was no way back, if anything Stockport almost made their victory more resounding with Hippolyte blasting wide late on.

Stockport: Hinchliffe, Wright, Byrne, Rydel, Hippolyte, Johnson, Croasdale, Sarcevic, Collar (Camps 88), Madden © (Knoyle 61), Wootton (Olaofe 80)

Subs not used: Jaros, Evans, Hussey, Lewis

Cobblers: King, McGowan © (Bowie 73), Sherring (Koiki 67), Guthrie, Odimayo, Sowerby (Hylton 73), Leonard, Fox, Pinnock, Hoskins, Appéré (Eppiah 64)

Subs not used: Maxted, Lintott, Harrop

Referee: Rebecca Welch

Attendance: 8,732

Cobblers fans: 850