No doubts this time to earn three points
When Northampton Town beat Dagenham & Redbridge at Sixfields on Boxing Day, there were some doubts about whether Billy McKay's decisive goal had actually crossed the line.
In the return fixture, there were no such uncertainties.
John Johnson's thrashed finish – after a good piece of skill and pass in a tight area high on the right wing by Abdul Osman – was one of two quality moments in what was a poor game.
The other was a faith-affirming Chris Dunn save, the big keeper flying to his left to get a firm wrist to Peter Gain's stinging shot and send it over the bar.
So with this Cobblers team now unbeaten in 10 games, the burning issue remains: are they good enough to mount a legitimate bid for the play-offs?
During that spell they have faced some weak teams, notably beating Macclesfield Town and Darlington in the two away fixtures before
Saturday's trip to Essex.
Both were dispatched with varying degrees of comfort but so too were better sides from the division – namely Bournemouth and, at the weekend, Dagenham.
It was a game that could have been a draw, under previous managers and with less focus and drive among the playing staff.
This is a Northampton team, though, that has learned one vital lesson – how to win games when not playing well.
The home side were happy to rely almost exclusively on long balls from the full-backs into the channels while Ian Sampson's men never really
got going at all.
They conjured the two moments of class that settled a contest that could easily have gone awry.
Dean Beckwith was at the centre of the game's most controversial moment midway through the second half.
The home supporters, perhaps annoyed at their side's failure to take advantage of a string of corners immediately after the restart, were baying for a red card after the big centre-half blocked off Paul Benson on the touchline.
Having already been booked, Beckwith was fortunate to escape a second yellow because in the modern game such challenges normally result in a yellow card. But it was much ado about nothing and Benson was certainly not hurt.
Their frustration was magnified soon after when Johnson lashed in a fine goal that was fit to win any game. No intervention was needed by the linesman this time.
And then moments later, Dunn produced what may be the save of the season to preserve the three points.
Dagenham, perhaps sensing that if that shot wasn't going to go in then nothing they hit would, did not come close to scoring again.
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Weather for Kettering
Monday 13 February 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 2 C to 7 C
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Temperature: 5 C to 7 C
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