After a good October that saw the Cobblers lose just one game, November was a more mixed month with an FA Cup tie took to a replay and an incredible couple of games with Leeds in the space of a week.
The month kicked off with a disappointing defeat at Walsall as goals from Chris Palmer, Anthony Gerrard and Troy Deeney had the hosts 3-0 up just after the hour mark. Leon Constantine struck with twenty minutes to go with only his second goal of the season but little did we know that this would be his last goal in Cobblers colours.
The following Friday night saw us thrust into the national spotlight as the FA Cup First Round game at Leeds was being screened live by Setanta Sports. Scott McGleish had just rejoined the club on a month’s loan and had played at Walsall but netted his first goal back at the club early on to stun Elland Road. Giles Coke was sent off just before the half hour mark and a controversial penalty, finished by Andy Robinson, drew the home side level. But a brave performance by the Cobblers’ ten men meant that the game would go to a replay.
Back in the league and Oldham claimed all three points from Sixfields just two days before the cup replay as Andy Lidell scored from the spot with fifteen minutes to go to give the visitors all three points.
And so to the Leeds replay and Setanta again sent their cameras down to take in the game. This time though, we were totally outclassed and Jermaine Beckford scored four times to sink Stuart Gray’s men and send us crashing out of the competition. Leeds were three up within forty minutes through Beckford, a Mark Hughes own goal and a Ben Parker strike. Jason Crowe pulled one back before the break but Beckford had time to net another one to make it 4-1 at half time. He added his fourth ten minutes after the restart and Crowe’s late consolation barely raised a cheer as Leeds ran out 5-2 winners.
We would bounce back in the league a few days later though as second half goals from Danny Jackman and Ryan Gilligan secured the Cobblers’ second away win of the season at struggling Hereford United.
That win was followed up on the Tuesday night by a stunning 2-1 win over Leeds at Sixfields just a week after the 5-2 defeat to the same side in the F.A. Cup. Stuart Gray’s men took the lead through Liam Davis’ well hit shot from outside the area but Leeds looked to have earned a point through that man Beckford again. But on loan striker Nicholas Bignall was on hand to head home a dramatic winner with three minutes to play and we had recorded a famous victory.
November didn’t end as well with Colchester taking all three points at Sixfields in a 2-1 win. After two headed goals from Clive Platt and former Cobblers man Paul Reid, Danny Jackman scored with a long range free kick that deflected in but it wasn’t enough as we ended the month on a poor note.
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