The Cobblers were well beaten at the Bescot Stadium this afternoon with injuries again hitting Stuart Gray’s side.
The Cobblers started with Leon Constantine and Karl Hawley up front after Adebayo Akinfenwa was ruled out of the entire squad through injury. New loan signing Scott McGleish started on the bench in his second stint at the club.
In a scrappy start to the game, Ryan Gilligan volleyed over the bar before an Andy Holt flick on caused problems for Walsall keeper Clayton Ince who almost dropped the ball before grasping it at the second attempt. The game was failing to get going in a strong wind but the home side took the game by the scruff of the neck with fifteen minutes gone.
Chris Palmer collected the ball on the wing and cut inside before unleashing a rocket of a shot into the top corner with Frank Fielding having no chance at all in the Cobblers goal. To make things worse, Abdul Osman was receiving treatment on the sidelines when the goal flew in and Liam Dolman had to replace him in a reshuffle for the Cobblers.
Just a couple of minutes later, Michael Ricketts headed over but it wasn’t long before the home side were 2-0 up. A corner caused problems for the Cobblers and Anthony Gerrard got the final touch on the ball to double the Saddlers’ lead. The Cobblers were shaky at the back and could so nearly have been three down on the half hour mark but Chris Palmer’s free kick was saved by Fielding.
In a rare Cobblers attack, Karl Hawley picked up the ball after a good spell of possession but shot well over from distance. A couple of minutes later, Ryan Gilligan did well to create a cross into the box but neither Leon Constantine or Karl Hawley could get on the end of it.
In one of the final attacks of the half, Dwayne Mattis had a turn and shot blocked by the Cobblers defence but after having a chance to counter attack we gave the ball straight back to the hosts. In a move that summed up the first half, Leon Constantine blasted over the bar from long range and we went in 2-0 down at the break.
The second half began how the first had ended with the home side on top and another dangerous corner was swung in. Jabo Ibehre flicked it on but it just missed Michael Ricketts on the far post who couldn’t quite connect and the ball rolled out for a goal kick. From another Chris Palmer set piece, this time a free kick, Ricketts volleyed over the bar.
The Cobblers won a free kick with ten minutes of the half played but Danny Jackman curled straight into the goalkeepers’ arms. Scott McGleish then came off the bench to replace Jackman in his Cobblers return to a good ovation from the travelling support.
The game was near enough over on the hour mark as Troy Deeney made it 3-0 following the Cobblers failing to clear their lines and Frank Fielding dropping the ball. Ryan Gilligan and Leon Constantine squared up to each other in anger after the goal went in as the players lost their heads a little with the game going totally the wrong way.
The Cobblers had a goal back with twenty minutes to play with Leon Constantine netting his first goal since the opening day of the season to give Stuart Gray a little bit of hope.
We had claims for a penalty turned down just a couple of minutes after the goal but after Scott McGleish appeared to be pushed, the referee waved away any claims from the Cobblers players and fans. Alex Dyer then came off the bench to replace Ryan Gilligan.
As the Cobblers pressed forward, Giles Coke went agonisingly close to making it 3-2 as his shot crashed against the cross bar and McGleish failed to convert the rebound with time ticking away. The bar was rattled once again in the final minute of the game as Constantine headed against the woodwork. From the resulting corner kick, Liam Dolman had an effort scrambled away.
Andy Holt had a volley blocked in stoppage time but that was that and the Cobblers couldn’t get back into the game late on with Constantine’s goal coming too late despite an onslaught on the Walsall goal in the final twenty minutes.
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