The score of 2-2 and penalties was the theme of the week for both clubs so it was fitting that both of these features came about as the Cobblers drew with Brighton on Saturday.
Stuart Gray made two changes from the side that drew at Sunderland before losing on penalties as Leon Constantine and Giles Coke were replaced by Adebayo Akinfenwa and Karl Hawley. Frank Fielding kept his place in goal after the Blackburn keeper replaced Chris Dunn in midweek.
After a good start by the Cobblers, including a disallowed Akinfenwa goal, Hawley had a good chance when he rounded Brighton keeper Michael Kuipers only to see the stopper get back just in time to deny him.
It took until the twentieth minute for Brighton to get a foothold in the game as Andrew Whing curled their first effort just wide of the post. Just after the half hour mark, Abdul Osman broke away and Luke Guttridge collected the former Gretna man’s pass. Guttridge’s’ ball over to Colin Larkin and Larkin sent in a good shot that Kuipers had to beat away as we came close again.
Akinfenwa shot over the bar from a Guttridge free kick but it was the visitors who took a surprise lead against the run of play on the stroke of half-time. Joe Anyinsah was adjudged to have been brought down by Jason Crowe and Glenn Murray stepped up to convert the penalty and give Brighton the half-time lead.
After Karl Hawley was denied a spot kick at the other end just inside the second half, Jason Crowe went close. After playing a good one-two with Akinfenwa, Crowe sent a good shot wide of the post. Leon Constantine and Danny Jackman were then brought on for Colin Larkin and Andy Holt as Stuart Gray looked to get back into the game but it was Brighton who had the next effort with a Colin Hawkins free kick sailing over Fielding’s bar.
But the Cobblers had a deserved lead with fifteen minutes to go. After Giles Coke came on for Abdul Osman, Danny Jackman played in Karl Hawley and Hawley’s ball in was controlled well and finished by Akinfenwa to get us back into the game.
From then on it looked like the Cobblers would be the only winners as Liam Davis forcing Kuipers into a good save and referee Mr Hall angering the home fans with another turned down penalty appeal. But it looked as though Brighton would go home with all three points as Murray scored in stoppage time to put them back in front.
But there was more drama to come on as the Cobblers threw everything back at Albion. We won a late, late corner and even Frank Fielding came up to try and add confusion to the mix. The tactic worked and Akinfenwa headed home Jackman’s corner to equalise.
It was the Cobblers that were denied in midweek with a late, late equaliser but this time out we were celebrating as Bayo swooped to give us a share of the spoils. It’s now on to Crewe next weekend and this performance gives us hope of finally chalking up our first league win since the opening day of the season.
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