Spirited Cobblers pick up brilliant away point after frustrating promotion-chasing Bolton

Town put in a disciplined and hard-working defensive shift after travelling three hours up north for a midday kick-off, and they weren’t without their moments on the counter-attack either in a textbook away performance as Kevin Nolan’s side started 2026 with successive 0-0 draws against top six opposition.

After Cobblers hit the woodwork early on, Bolton dominated the ball and territory in the first half but the visitors both defended well and rode their luck at times to reach half-time on level terms.

The pattern remained the same in the second half but for all Bolton’s possession, Northampton continued to defend with real heart and spirit to make it back-to-back clean sheets, ensuring they remain out of the League One relegation zone.

There was more rotation from Kevin Nolan, who made four changes from the New Year’s Day draw with Stockport as Jon Guthrie, Joe Wormleighton, Sam Hoskins and Jack Vale replaced Jordan Willis, Kyle Edwards, Kamarai Swyer and Tom Eaves.

The game initially went with expectations as Bolton totally dominated possession in the first 10 minutes and posed problems for Cobblers, particularly through the trickery of Brighton loanee Amario Cozier-Duberry.

But Cobblers didn’t buckle in the face of early pressure and they were the team that then came within inches of an opener via Terry Taylor, whose wonderful 10th-minute curler from 25 yards clipped the top of the crossbar.

The visitors followed that with their first spell of sustained possession before Bolton quickly came back into it, and Town were relieved to hear the referee's whistle midway through the opening half when Mason Burstow’s header was ruled out for a foul on Ross Fitzsimons.

The home side’s set-pieces were a constant issue for Northampton’s defence though and another one saw Richard Taylor glance wide from barely three yards out before Kyle Dempsey did likewise a few minutes later.

Bolton were starting to turn the screw and a further opportunity went begging when Cozier-Duberry side-footed wide from the middle of the box, while Town’s increasingly rare forays forward led to nothing of substance.

However, whilst Wanderers saw more than 70 per cent of the ball in the first half, they found no way through and Cobblers survived until the break.

After more of the same in the early stages of the second half, Nolan clearly felt the need for fresh legs so on came Eaves and Vale and off went Elliott List and Vale.

Bolton were probing without creating too much, although Burstow did clip the outside of the post from distance and Fitzsimons parried away Dempsey’s dangerous low cross.

Town were gradually dropping deeper and deeper and coming under more and more pressure, and that forced Nolan into another change with Willis on for Max Dyche, but it did little to stem the tide.

That said, there were moments for Cobblers on the counter-attack, one of which saw Edwards release Hoskins and he had space ahead of him but couldn’t get the ball out of his feet before firing over.

The away side were doing a good job of frustrating home supporters and they looked just as likely to score a goal as the clock ticked into the final 10 minutes, nearly doing so when Eaves slashed wide.

Dempsey skied over after good interplay on the edge of the box before Bolton camped themselves inside the Cobblers penalty box for five nervy minutes of stoppage-time, but the visitors refused to buckle as they picked up an excellent and deserved point on the road.

Bolton: Miller, Christie (Osei-Tutu 76), Toal ©, Johnston, Taylor (Conway 58), Erhahon (Randall 58), Sheehan, Cozier-Duberry, Dempsey, Cissoko (Gale 67), Burstow (Dalby 76)

Subs not used: Sharman-Lowe, Simons, Gale

Cobblers: Fitzsimons, Dyche (Willis 65), Guthrie ©, Guinness-Walker, Wormleighton, Perkins (Swyer 80), Campbell, Taylor, Hoskins, List (Edwards 56), Vale (Eaves 56)

Subs: Burge, Burroughs, Jacobs

Referee: Alex Chilowicz

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