Sorry Cobblers soundly beaten by Championship-bound Cardiff in final away game

In effect this was a Championship-level outfit playing against a League Two team and that’s very much how it played out on the pitch. There was a huge gulf in class between the sides as Cardiff strolled into a three-goal lead at half-time.

Ollie Tanner got the ball rolling early on before Joel Collwill tapped in a second and then a shocking mistake by Jack Vale gifted Callum Robinson a third goal with only 36 minutes on the clock.

Cobblers were lucky insomuch that Cardiff showed mercy and somewhat took their eye off the ball after Tanner smacked in his fourth early in the second half, and that allowed Jake Evans to score a well-taken consolation within minutes of coming on.

But Yousef Salech came off the bench to bag a late fifth and rub salt into Northampton wounds. That’s now 10 straight defeats in all competitions – a club record – and a bottom-of-the-table finish almost certain.

There were three changes for Town’s final away trip of the season as Conor McCarthy, Kamarai Swyer and Vale all returned, with Jack Burroughs, Michael Jacobs and Tom Eaves dropping to the bench.

Home supporters were in buoyant mood following confirmation of their team’s promotion back to the Championship last weekend, but Cobblers made the brighter start and had two efforts on target in the first five minutes, Sam Hoskins’ long-range shot after just 12 seconds was held by Harry Tyrer before Cardiff’s goalkeeper tipped over Cameron McGeehan’s deflected strike.

Predictably, however, once those chances went begging it was inevitable that Cardiff would start to take control and pretty much their first serious attack led to an opening goal. It came on nine minutes when passive defending allowed Chris Willock to cross unchallenged and left unmarked at the back post was Tanner to fire in via the woodwork.

That set City on their way and the rest of the first half was one-way traffic. Lee Burge saved low down from Willock shortly at the end of a quick breakaway before the referee’s whistle spared the blushes of Town’s goalkeeper when he spilled a corner under minimal pressure.

But there was nothing to save the visitors on 19 minutes when Cardiff doubled their lead. Again Town were carved open on their right side and Rubin Colwill slipped in brother Joel to make it two.

It was now about Cardiff’s attitude and a question of how many they fancied with Burge making two further saves and Jon Guthrie almost diverting into his own net, all before the 25-minute mark.

An injury to Dylan Lawlor meant a break in play and that allowed Calderwood to gather his troops and make some tactical tweaks, with Swyer moving to right wing-back and McCarthy slotting into a back three.

That did help make Cobblers more solid but a horrendous mistake by Vale presented Cardiff with the easiest of chances to extend their lead nine minutes before the break. Vale was trying to pass the ball back to Burge but only succeeded in teeing up Robinson, who was all on his own in the box and duly slotted home.

Burge pulled off a couple of decent stops in what remained of the first half to keep it at three at half-time, and it came as no surprise when Calderwood made changes at the interval, hooking Vale and Swyer and replacing them with Elliott List and Kyle McAdam.

The pain continued early second half with Tanner afforded acres of room to rifle into the roof of the net for his second and Cardiff’s fourth, but Cobblers at least got themselves on the board courtesy of substitute Evans, who picked out the bottom corner with a fine finish after good pressing by McGeehan and Nesta Guinness-Walker.

With well aware of their respective destinies and heading in very different directions, the contest mostly fizzled out in the final 20 minutes, though Cardiff did have the final say through substitute Salech as he gleefully tapped in after the ball ricocheted to him in the box.

Cardiff: Tyrer, Kpako, Fish, Lawlor, Bagan, J Colwill (Robertson 55), Turnbull (Tankiewicz 86), R Colwill © (Salech 55), Tanner (Davies 65), Willock (Kellyman 65), Robinson

Subs not used: Trott, Ng

Cobblers: Burge, McCarthy, Dyche, Guthrie ©, Guinness-Walker, Campbell (Taylor 80), McGeehan, Swyer (McAdam 45), Hoskins (Evans 65), Fornah (Jacobs 80), Vale (List 45)

Subs not used: Fitzsimons, Eaves

Referee: Edward Duckworth

Attendance: 23,223

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