Adebayo Akinfenwa struck twice as the Cobblers recorded a massive win at The Bescot Stadium this afternoon to keep alive hopes of a playoff place. The win lifts us to tenth in the table as Akinfenwa continued his superb start to his Cobblers career.
Poul Hubertz dropped to the bench after suffering from a viral illness all week and was replaced by Ian Henderson in the starting line-up. Daniel Jones returned to the squad after rejoining the club from Wolves this week.
The home side started well and had chances through Ian Roper and veteran striker Tommy Mooney but it was the Cobblers who took the lead after just eight minutes as Akinfenwa scored with a superb opener. The big man controlled the ball from a high pass down field and spotted keeper Clayton Ince off his line before lobbing the ball over him from range.
Shortly after the goal, Jason Crowe was taken off injured, replaced by Giles Coke before the substitute shot over the bar with a good effort. The home side didn’t look like getting back into the game and the Cobblers seemed in control as the first 45 came to an end.
Mark Bunn was called into action mid way through the second half as Mooney met the ball with a bullet header but Bunn was equal to it. But just a couple of minutes later we were further ahead as Akinfenwa met a Danny Jackman cross with a header to double the Cobblers’ lead.
Lee Holmes shot wide from a free kick as Walsall tried to get a way back into the game before Mooney shot over the bar. He then had another header saved well by Bunn in the Cobblers goal as the game drew to a close and the Cobbler held out for an excellent away success and inflicted Walsall’s first home defeat in five months.
The win means that the Cobblers are now just four points off a playoff place and travel to Bristol Rovers on Wednesday evening knowing that another three points would keep us well in the hunt for an unlikely finish in the top six.
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