Woeful Cobblers slip closer to relegation zone after dismal Sixfields defeat to Rotherham

The out-of-form Millers sacked manager Steve Evans on Sunday after being thrashed 4-0 by third-from-bottom Crawley 24 hours earlier and yet they ran all over their slapdash, error-strewn hosts in a one-sided first half at Sixfields.

Town played with no shape or cohesion and were lucky to still be in the game at half-time, trailing only to Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu’s goal, but despite a marginal improvement in the second half, Sam Nombe capitalised on more slapdash defending to put the game to bed.

With Burton beating Leyton Orient, Cobblers are only four points from the drop and have played a game more, placing extra importance on an already huge game at rivals Peterborough on Saturday.

Kevin Nolan mixed things up with his team selection following Saturday’s draw at Cambridge with TJ Eyoma, Luke Mbete and Akin Odimayo recalled in place of Aaron McGowan, Nesta Guinness-Walker and Tom Eaves, all of whom dropped to the bench.

Town started with no out-and-out striker as Sam Hoskins led the line, supported by Cameron McGeehan and Tyler Roberts, but the home side started poorly and were lucky not to be behind inside just six minutes when Hakeem Odoffin had the goal at his mercy after a misplaced clearance, only to shoot tamely into the gloves of Lee Burge.

Cobblers were simply not at the races throughout the first half and Odoffin saw another chance come his way when left unmarked from a free-kick but his header didn’t have the power to beat Burge.

Burge was far too busy for Nolan’s liking and he made his best save yet when at full stretch to deny Nombe, however the goalkeeper could do nothing about Rotherham’s 22nd-minute opener from the resulting corner.

The initial cross was cleared but the ball came out to Louie Sibley and his shot seemed to be heading wide until Mpanzu stuck out a foot and wrong-footed Burge with an instinctive finish to give United a deserved lead.

Town’s back three had never previously played together and it was very much showing as sloppy errors and poor discipline continue to give Rotherham the upper-hand, with further chances going begging.

In attack, the hosts were predictable and one-dimensional and offered zero threat, often going long with aimless and harmless long balls, to give the Millers an easy ride to half-time.

Nolan resisted the urge to make changes at the break and his side did at least have a shot after the restart, though McGeehan’s effort was never going to trouble Cameron Dawson.

The Rotherham goalkeeper did have to be at his best a few minutes later, however, when he stuck out a superb right hand to divert Hoskins’ shot wide of the post after McGeehan had robbed a defender.

Cobblers were finally starting to apply some sustained pressure but proved to be brief as Rotherham weathered the storm and then hit their hosts with a sucker-punch in the 65th minute.

Odimayo conceded a cheap corner and Town defended it terribly, the low delivery somehow allowed to reach the middle of the box where several defenders missed their clearances before Nombe poked in from virtually on the goal-line.

Hoskins should have immediately halved the deficit but glanced Mbete’s cross beyond the far post before Nolan sent on Eaves and Dara Costelloe in the desperate hope of rescuing something from the game in the last 20 minutes.

There was no real sense that a comeback was likely though and Rotherham duly saw things out with little fuss, before the full-time whistle was met with boos by many frustrated home supporters.

Match facts

Cobblers: Burge, Eyoma (Guinness-Walker 82), Dyche, Mbete (Costelloe 71), Odimayo, Pinnock, Perry, Taylor, McGeehan, Roberts (Eaves 71), Hoskins (capt). Subs not used: Tzanev, Baldwin, McGowan, Hondermarck

Rotherham: Dawson, Rafferty, Kelly, James, Odoffin ©, Mpanzu, Powell, Wilks (Clarke-Harris 82), Sibley (Hugill 73), Humphreys, Nombe (Holmes 90). Subs not used: Phillips, Hull, Duncan, Richardson

Referee: Scott Simpson

Attendance: 5,720

Rotherham fans: 339