Cobblers: "Shambolic" Northampton Town lose
Fifty-nine Northampton Town supporters made the trip to Victoria Park last night only to see their team surrender in nine second-half minutes that saw the home side score four times.
The Cobblers failed to make it a hat-trick of cup wins against teams that play in blue and white, exiting the Johnstone's Paint Trophy at the first hurdle.
They never really looked like scoring and it was only the display of Chris Dunn in the visitors' goal that prevented this from being a defeat by a greater margin.
The hardy band of travelling fans will have had plenty to think about on the journey home.
And manager Ian Sampson even more – this was the team's worst performance of the campaign to date.
They lined up in an adventurous 4-4-2 formation with Kevin Thornton and Michael Jacobs playing on the opposite flanks to their respective preferred foot.
And it was the latter than produced the first shot on target for the visitors, although it came after an early flurry of Hartlepool pressure.
Seb Harris was also given his full debut and marked it on 15 minutes with a foul coming straight through Adam Boyd to leave the striker pole-axed on the ground.
In fact, despite the home side enjoying a plethora of chances, Harris acquitted himself well, using his height and good springing ability to win several aerial balls in the visitors' box.
As well as that, he was composed on the ball when under pressure, and only once failed to complete a clearance from the back.
The wing duo combined to good effect on the 22-minute mark with Thornton flighting in a ball to the back post that Jacobs just failed to meet with his head on the stretch.
But it was Hartlepool who were having the majority of the play, drawing the recalled Chris Dunn into a string of saves and having what looked like a good claim for a penalty waved away when Paul Rodgers tangled with Boyd.
A combination of Abdul Osman and Steve Guinan bundled the ball into the net at the back post but were adjudged to have fouled a defender in doing so, while at the other end Dunn again repelled a fierce shot, this time from James Brown.
Neither side seemed to be taking much of a gamble but as the clock ticked towards the game's final quarter the home team found the breakthrough.
A cross came all the way to the back post where Hartlepool left-back Evan Horwood produced a composed side-footed volley to place the ball beyond Dunn's right hand.
Clever play by Horwood then saw the hosts double their lead, the full-back feigning to strike a free-kick but instead rolling it to Antony Sweeney, who took a touch in the 'Javier Zanetti' position and slotted past Dunn.
Two became three almost instantly as a bouncing ball wasn't cleared and Andy Monkhouse rattled in from 16 yards.
Substitute Denis Behan then added a salt-rubbing fourth after Northampton failed to win both a first and a second ball from a long launch upfield.
It was suggested the supporters who made this journey should be given free tickets to the Carling Cup tie at Liverpool later this month.
For backing their team right up to the end last night they probably deserve free season tickets, too.
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Weather for Kettering
Sunday 27 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 10 C to 25 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: East
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Temperature: 12 C to 24 C
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