The Cobblers recorded a fantastic Bank Holiday victory at Sixfields to surely end any fears of relegation and to stop Scunthorpe from gaining promotion on this occasion.
Kenny Duchar came back into the starting line-up to partner Simon Cox in attack. Andy Kirk dropped to the bench for the visit of the league leaders, who knew a victory would seal promotion to the Championship should Nottingham Forest slip up against Rotherham.
Before the game, Cobblers fans had marched in their hundreds in protest to the latest council delays to the Sixfields redevelopment and Counciller Hadland didn't last long in trying to reason with the fans before being booed off!
On the pitch, the Cobblers started brightly and were rewarded on 15 minutes when Alex Pearce notched his first senior goal from a David Hunt corner. That's right, we SCORED from a corner! David Hunt replacing Brad Johnson on the set pieces paid immediate dividends and the Cobblers had the lead.
Kenny Deuchar could and should have made it two mid-way through the first half when Johnson's cross was met by the big Scot but he somehow missed from just a few yards out. Deuchar also had a header cleared off the line in an eventful first half that also saw Chris Doig limp off to be replaced by Sean Dyche.
So a half-time lead for the Cobblers and deservedly so as the visitors were stunned at Sixfields but it wasn't long before the Iron found a break through themselves. Prolific striker Billy Sharp stabbed home an equiliser to bring the teams level after Simon Cox and Bradley Johnson went close for the Cobblers.
With the teams level you usually expect us to crumble and that may well have happened just a few months ago but this is a gutsier side than before the turn of the year and we managed to keep up the tempo.
Andy Holt's header brought a good save from Crosby in the Scunny goal before Deuchar again went close with his own knock down. Ryan Gilligan went agonisingly close late on in a goalmouth scramble and it looked as though the points would have to be shared until the most dramatic of finales. Jordan Robertson's cross went right along the box and Bradley Johnson was at the far post to steer the ball home to spark jubilant scenes of celebration inside Sixfields. Johnson was given his second yellow card for overcelebrating but the game was over and the Cobblers had finally beaten a side gunning for promotion.
Scunthorpe were poorer than expected but full credit to the Cobblers for pulling this one out the bag. We can now guarantee safety with a win at 4th place Blackpool on Saturday and this win must surely instill the belief in the team that anything is possible!
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