Opposition view: Lincoln City boss Mark Kennedy 'absolutely gutted' but 'really impressed' by Cobblers after draw

Although ‘absolutely gutted’ by the nature of it, Lincoln City manager Mark Kennedy admitted he ‘couldn’t argue’ with the outcome of Tuesday’s dramatic League One fixture at Sixfields after being ‘really impressed’ by Northampton’s performance during the 2-2 draw.

Cobblers were the superior side pretty much from the first whistle to the last, racking up 19 shots to Lincoln’s six and enjoying 65 per cent of possession, and yet Reeco Hackett-Fairchild’s magnificent first half strike and a 78th-minute header from Paudie O’Connor had the visitors on course for all three points.

But Town kept going and they were rewarded with a fully-merited point as Louis Appéré finished well four minutes from time before Sam Hoskins volleyed in an equaliser deep into stoppage-time.

"I'm gutted, absolutely gutted," admitted Kennedy. "But you have to take the emotion away from the game and look at the bigger picture. You're 15 seconds from being euphoric and there being high-fives and back slapping, and it would have been an amazing start to the season, but when I get away from that, and without sounding silly, I think it's a good point on the road.

"It's a good point after a good win at the weekend. We've had a tough start to the season with a lot of away games but to be honest I was really impressed with them (Northampton) tonight, really impressed. I've seen their previous games and they've actually played very well but haven't come out on the right side of the results so good luck to them. Jon (Brady) will say he deserved a point and I probably can't argue with him.”

Asked if he had any complaints over the amount of stoppage-time that was played, with Northampton’s equaliser coming in the 98th-minute after six were added, Kennedy said: "What's that going to achieve? If I talk about that it just makes me sound like a bitter man and I'm definitely not bitter.

"I thought we were very good with how we dealt with their pressure for most of the game and I thought we looked dangerous on the counter-attack and we were very clinical, but it’s really disappointing to concede twice. The second one is a bit unlucky because it's a deflection from a cross and it could have landed anywhere, but it’s one hell of a finish.

“We made the change at half-time because I thought we struggled with them. We were 4-4-2 out of possession but it turned into 3-5-2 and it wasn’t really working. It’s a bitter pill to swallow and the lads are down but that’s football and I’m not interested in people sulking and moaning. We are very lucky and privileged to do what we do and there’s no better job in the world so it won’t be hard for me to pick the players up.”