If three defeats in a row and an ever faltering league positioning before this game was worrying then this evening all Cobblers fans will be sitting nervously anticipating an end of season that could bring the ultimate disaster. Another defeat, this time at home to Walsall, took us to within two points of the bottom four with one of the teams chasing us, Brighton, to play at the Withdean on Tuesday night.
Stuart Gray promised changes to his side after the defeats that preceded this one and Ron-Robert Zeiler took Chris Dunn’s place in goal for his first start in a Cobblers shirt. Ryan Gilligan came in for Abdul Osman in midfield while Paul Rodgers was rested as Alex Dyer made a rare start in midfield.
Walsall made their intentions clear from the off and began the game the better side. In their first effort on goal, Sofiene Zaaboub shot over the bar. That sparked the Cobblers enough to create their first real chance of the game as Andy Holt’s long throw was headed wide by Mark Hughes. Alex Dyer did well to create a chance for Billy Clarke moments later but Clayton Ince in the Walsall goal did well to beat the ball away.
The Cobblers could so easily have gone in a goal up at the break, something that could well have impacted the game enough to turn it in our favour instead of the visitors’. Danny Jackman’s corner caused problems and both Clarke and Adebayo Akinfenwa had chances in a scramble in the visitors’ penalty area.
After a promising end to the first half, all seemed to fall apart after half-time with chances few and far between and it would take a break away from Walsall to eventually settle this game. Substitute Colin Larkin, a mid-half replacement for Clarke, had one of our only efforts on goal by shooting into the side netting and we should perhaps have seen it coming as the time wore on.
Inevitably, Walsall went on to take the lead with seven minutes left on the clock. Stephen Hughes picked up a fine ball from veteran striker Michael Ricketts and beat the offside trap to finish well past Zeiler and shoot another bullet into the heart of the Cobblers’ season. As we tried in vain to get back into the game, gaps appeared at the back and The Saddlers found space to finish us off in stoppage time. Substitute Jabo Ibehre broke clear of the Town defence to end the game as a contest and Sixfields spilled out with not a lot of the 4,000 home fans left in the ground as the game came to an end.
Worse news was to follow as the scores came through to tell us that the three teams below us won and we were now just two points clear of the bottom four. Worryingly we take on Brighton on Tuesday night and with a poor record at the Withdean, concern would be an understatement as the season enters a vital stage.
Players need to start fighting, start caring and start playing like they want to be in a Cobblers shirt again next season. Because the fact of the matter is that we’re now well and truly in a relegation battle.
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