Morton doubles up as brilliant Cobblers set up Wembley play-off final with stunning fightback at Cheltenham

Trailing 2-0 after the first leg, it was mission improbable for the Cobblers and few gave them a sniff but they produced a spectacular performance, deservedly winning the game 3-0 and the tie 3-2 overall to set up a play-off final clash with Exeter City.

Cobblers improved out of sight from the first leg and they couldn't have wished for a better start when Vadaine Oliver headed home Nicky Adams' cross inside nine minutes.

The visitors were on top for much of the first-half and should have gone into half-time all square in the tie, but they were not to be denied following a scarcely believable second-half.

Callum Morton scrambled in from a corner to bring the tie level and, not content with that, Town sensationally went ahead through the same man.

It was a chaotic, frenetic, nerve-shredding final 20 minutes, including seven agonising minutes of injury-time, but Northampton, full of guts, commitment and sheer willingness not to concede, kept Cheltenham at bay to book their place in next Monday's play-off final at Wembley.

There had been question marks over Keith Curle's team selection before kick-off but he was fully justified by a brilliant all-round team performance - and now he'll have an opportunity to win his first promotion as a manager.

James Olayinka, impressive in the first leg, surprisingly dropped out of the team and was replaced by Sam Hoskins, who returned from suspension to start in the free role behind Oliver and Callum Morton.

Cobblers needed a good start and they got just that with only nine minutes played.

After a couple of half chances for Hoskins and Callum Morton, the visitors were right back in the contest when they worked the ball nicely for Adams and his peach of a cross was headed into the bottom corner by Oliver.

Town were a different team from the first leg and had their hosts rattled and on the back foot with a more attractive brand of football as Alan McCormack ran the show from midfield.

He sent a couple of long-range shots sailing over while Adams saw a shot blocked and Hoskins' skewed an effort wide via a deflection.

Cheltenham settled and stemmed the tide following their nervy start but they were struggling to create clear chances with Jonte Smith unable to hit the target on a couple of occasions.

Cobblers remained a constant threat throughout the first-half and they really should have been at least level by half-time following two late chances.

Both fell to Oliver, the first easily saved by Owen Evans after a neat move, before, unmarked, he headed Charlie Goode's superb cross over the crossbar.

That felt a crucial moment in the tie but Cheltenham continued to be rushed into mistakes in the second-half and another chance for to Oliver when he shot straight at Owen Evans from an acute angle.

But it was most definitely game on 10 minutes later when, remarkably, Town levelled things. Morton's initial shot was deflected wide but his name was soon on the scoresheet when Ben Tozer's header ricocheted off him and into the net.

That set up a tantalising final half-hour and Cobblers by no means retreated into their shells as they remained the better, more threatening side, winning a succession of corners, free-kicks and attacking throw-ins.

Then, almost unbelievably, the visitors completed the turnaround.

With 12 minutes to go, a mix-up at the back allowed Hoskins to nip in and although his initial shot struck the post, Morton was left with a simple tap-in.

Chris Hussey sent a free-kick over as Cheltenham frantically sought an equaliser, but Northampton could have been out of sight with seven minutes to go when Morton broke away and was denied by Evans.

It was a nail-biting finish but Cobblers defended heroically to thwart Cheltenham, surviving seven minutes of stoppage-time, and set up a meeting with Exeter City at Wembley next Monday.

Match facts

Cheltenham: Evans, Raglan (Nichols 81), Tozer (c), Boyle, Long, Thomas, Doyle-Hayes (Ince 62), Broom (Addai 62), Hussey, Smith (Reid 45), May

Subs not used: Lovett, Clements, Debayo, Greaves, Sheaf

Cobblers: Arnold, Goode, Turnbull, Wharton, Harriman, McCormack (Olayinka 71), Watson Adams (Martin 85), Hoskins, Morton, Oliver (Smith 84)

Subs not used: Cornell, Lines, Anderson, Marshall, Warburton, Williams

Referee: Leigh Doughty