The Cobblers were comfortably beaten at Sixfields as Walsall won Round One of our double header before next weekends’ F.A. Cup Second Round tie. Goals from gave the Saddlers the victory and the defeat leaves the Cobblers in a rut of four straight league defeats, all coming without a goal scored.
New loan signing Dean Bowditch started on the bench as Poul Hubertz shook off his injury. Guy Branston returned to the starting line-up, replacing Liam Dolman in defence.
Brad Johnson and Michael Ricketts had the first real chances of the game but both the Cobblers man and the Walsall striker, formerly an England international, fired over the cross bar. Colin Larkin then had a good chance at the far post but, after being set up by Andy Holt, shot wide of the post.
Ten minutes before the break, Michael Ricketts was sent clear on goal and Mark Bunn had to rush from his goal to challenge him, just about managing to clear. Bunn was forced into saving the Cobblers again just minutes later and did well to stop a long range effort from Darren Wrack.
The visitors ended the first half on a high and got their reward for pressing the Cobblers back as Mark Bradley scored at the second attempt to give Walsall a goal at the perfect time in the final few seconds of the half.
The goal scorer was in the thick of the action once again after half time as his shot was saved well by Bunn while the Cobblers struggled to get back into the game with Brad Johnson shooting wide of the mark.
Stuart Gray made a triple substitution on the hour mark as Alex Russell took the field in a Cobblers shirt for the final time alongside Dean Bowditch and Daniel Jones. They replaced Andy Holt, Joe Burnell and Andy Kirk.
Poul Hubertz, Dean Bowditch and Mark Hughes all had good chances to level the scores just after the substitutions but it was the visitors who sealed the win and rounded off a disappointing day for the Cobblers with just four minutes remaining.
As the Cobblers looked to get back into the game, there were gaps appearing at the back and Ishmel Demontagnac finished off a good move by slotting home a ball from the first scorer Bradley.
So a disappointing afternoon as our home form has now considerably weakened with three straight defeats in the league at Sixfields to go alongside the 1-0 reverse up at Crewe last weekend.
With three of the top six to face in consecutive league games, it could be a bleak winter for Stuart Gray’s side. We’ll have to improve greatly if we’re to forget about this defeat by beating Walsall in the cup next week.
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