Late Hoskins stunner salvages Cobblers a point against rivals Mansfield Town

Sam Hoskins scored a stunning volley just two minutes from full-time as Cobblers rescued a dramatic late point against Mansfield Town on Boxing Day.

Town had been comfortably the better side for 83 minutes at Field Mill but looked set to go home empty-handed after Will Swan came off the bench to give Mansfield a somewhat fortunate lead with only six minutes left to play.

But Hoskins, as he has done so many times this season, again came to Northampton’s rescue a mere four minutes later and this was one of his best of the campaign to date, magnificently volleying home Mitch Pinnock’s cross Paolo Di-Canio-esque.

With more than half the campaign to go, Hoskins already has his best goal return for a season and his terrific late strike ensured Cobblers stretched their unbeaten run to nine league games.

Jon Brady stuck with the same starting XI that beat Carlisle United last time out and his side threatened an opener with only 20 seconds on the clock but Kieron Bowie could not quite bring down Jon Guthrie’s through ball before Mansfield smothered away Sam Hoskins’ shot.

Town had started well at Field Mill and they were close again when Ben Fox’s shot deflected off a defender and looped narrowly over the crossbar, and then Hoskins rippled the side-netting with a free-kick from 20 yards.

Louis Appéré threatened to get in behind the Mansfield defence on several occasions but twice the ball would not sit for him and although Cobblers remained well on top, they were unable to make their superiority count.

The best chance of the first-half inevitably fell to the away side but again they were left frustrated after Fox, all on his own eight yards out, completely fluffed his attempted finish from Shaun McWilliams’ excellent pick-out.

By contrast, Mansfield would have felt relieved to get into half-time on level terms after barely putting together a meaningful attacks in the first 45 minutes, and it was more of the same when play got back underway.

Appéré’s effort from the edge of the box took a nick off a defender and flew just over before Hoskins made space for a shot with an excellent first touch, but he was at a tight angle and Christy Pym made the save.

It had taken them almost an hour but finally Mansfield’s attack showed some signs of life and the second-half turned into a more even contest, although Hoskins did force Pym into another routine stop.

Brady rung the changes to try and regain control, making all five substitutions and switching between three and four at the back, and a freshly introduced player so nearly made the breakthrough with Josh Eppiah drilling a low shot just past the post.

There was a grim sense of inevitably about where this game was going given Town’s inability to turn dominance into goals and their worse fears were realised with six minutes to play. The goal was a messy one as a corner ricocheted about in the box before falling kindly for Swan to surely win the game.

Cobblers, however, have shown their resolve time and again this season and they did so again to snatch a thoroughly deserved point. Pinnock delivered a wonderful cross from the left-hand side but it still needed finishing and Hoskins obliged, leaping off the ground with both feet before volleying home what proved to be a point-winning goal.

Mansfield: Pym Gordon, Hewitt, Harbottle (Hartigan 15) Hawkins ©, McLaughlin, Maris, Quinn (Clarke 69), Boateng (Perch 45), Lapslie (Swan 45), Oates

Subs not used: Flinders, Wallace, Akins

Cobblers: Burge, McGowan (Eppiah 79), Sherring, Guthrie ©, Odimayo, McWilliams (Sowerby 79), Leonard, Fox (Magloire 68), Hoskins, Bowie (Pinnock 68), Appéré *Hylton 79)

Subs not used: Maxted, Haynes

Referee: Benjamin Speedie

Attendance: 7,301

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