In the final part of the season review, we look back on April and May and a satisfying end to an up and down season as the Cobblers fans stage a protest march, we defeat the champions and end up all looking very smart in doctors coats!
The first game in April took us to another one of our relegation rivals. Victory over Leyton Orient at Brisbane Road would further distance us from any fears of the drop. And victory it was. Simon Cox opened his Town account with a classy finish early on before an own goal from Aiden Palmer just before half-time sealed a massive win for the Cobblers, just over a year since we had won a League Two promotion six pointer on the same ground!
Bank Holiday Monday followed and it turned out to be arguably the most memorable day of the 2006/07 season for those who were a part of it. In the build up to the game against league leaders Scunthorpe United, Cobblers fans marched in mass from the Guildhall to Sixfields in protest at the lack of progression in the Sixfields redevelopment saga. On the pitch, Scunny were looking for the win that would confirm their promotion. Thankfully, we had other plans. Alex Pearce headed home his first goal for the club since joining on loan from Reading before Billy Sharp’s second half equalizer made for a tense finale. In stoppage time, Bradley Johnson swooped to send Sixfields barmy as his right footed winner sealed a fantastic victory for the Cobblers.
By the end of the Scunthorpe game, we were in a comfortable enough position to be sure that any result at in-form Blackpool would be a bonus and defeat wouldn’t be the end of the world. It was pretty good fortune that we weren’t expecting a lot as despite a first half effort from Cox, the Tangerines stormed back with four in the second half. Chris Brandon grabbed a brace while the other goals came from a Wes Hoolahan penalty and a Sean Dyche own goal!
Back to Sixfields and we knew we would be assured of safety with a win over Chesterfield and although the game won’t be remembered for much, Simon Cox’s late goal meant that we would be playing League One football again in 2007/08- something that looked particularly unsure at times.
The final two games were cause for celebration for different reasons. In the final game of April and the last home game of the campaign, Ian Taylor brought his professional playing career to an end in an emotional farewell-coming off the pitch to a standing ovation mid-way through the second half and throwing his boots over his shoulder upon arrival of the bench! The result, a 1-1 draw with Huddersfield Town, saw Andy Holt give the Cobblers the lead before David Mirfin hit a leveler in the 75th minute.
As we celebrated the final day of the season at Doncaster, a genius idea was constructed on Sixfields Boys (http://www.ntfc.org.uk/) as fans organised “White Coat Day” in tribute to the good doctor, Kenny Deuchar who would be playing his final game in a claret shirt. Deuchar featured as a second half substitute with the Cobblers 2-1 down thanks to Craig Nelthorpe and Gareth Roberts goals either side of Jason Crowe’s response for the Town. Deuchar’s presence paid immediate dividends as Mark Hughes found space in the area to head home a long throw-in and draw us level at 2-2 and to round off the season in a good manner.
And so the 2006/07 season drew to a close and after a rocky spell before Christmas and the uncertainty surrounding the future of Sixfields, it turned out to be a positive second half of the season as Stuart Gray came in and turned everything around for the better. Player of the season quite rightly went to the excellent Mark Bunn, whose constant man-of-the-match showings kept us in many a game.
And so what for the 2007/08 season? What will we be writing about and debating come this time next summer? With Stuart Gray given an entire summer and a full season ahead it could be a very interesting campaign and one that’s been anticipated more than a lot of the previous seasons. The signings of Danny Jackman, Ian Henderson, Colin Larkin and Giles Coke seem positive while hanging on to players like Jason Crowe, Brad Johnson and Mark Bunn shows real ambition from the club.
There’s under four weeks to go now…bring it on!
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