It was a long trip north for the Cobblers this weekend as the trip to Carlisle produced a point that does nothing to ease the pressure on Stuart Gray’s side at the bottom of the table. The positive note was the we came from behind to earn a draw after the home side had taken an early lead and we now go to Yeovil on Tuesday night in a good old fashioned six pointer.
Scott Vernon started up front in place of Aleksander Prijovic with Jared Hodgkiss making his Cobblers debut at right back. Chris Doig was a surprise inclusion after recovering from injury whilst Mark Hughes dropped to the bench.
After a quiet and nervy start to the game, Luke Guttridge smashed the ball against the post following good work from Giles Coke and Adebayo Akinfenwa in the build up. The ball was cleared to safety and we would live to regret that chance as Carlisle went up the other end to take the lead.
The Cobblers failed to clear a cross into the area and Lewis Neal found space tp drive the ball home past Chris Dunn in the Town goal. With Yeovil leading Swindon, at that point we were staring down the barrel of a place in the bottom four.
Liam Davis saw his shot hit the underside of the cross bar but it was Guttridge, who had earlier struck the woodwork himself, that drew us level minutes later. Davis sent in a good effort which the hoe keeper failed to deal with first time and Guttridge took his opportunity to finish and equalize vitally for the Cobblers.
It was Carlisle who started the second half better and Danny Jackman had to be alert as he cleared a goal bound effort off the line from the scorer Neal. Cleveland Taylor then headed wide as the pressure mounted.
Danny Graham volleyed over as Carlisle looked to press more but from then on in neither side could take the opportunity to win the game with Danny Jackman’s free kick the closes we came to nicking it mid-way through the half.
So it’s a point that sets up the midweek trip to Yeovil well with the Glovers beating Swindon 1-0, meaning that we lead them by just goal difference going into the game. Whether or not this was a point gained or two points dropped will only be discovered at what’s likely to be a very, very nervy Huish Park on Tuesday.
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