The Cobblers headed into April with a nervy end of the season ahead. At the turn of the year, Stuart Gray was looking at another safe season in League One looking very likely but a downturn in fortunes left us battling against the drop in a dramatic April.
The first game of the month was scheduled to take place at Sixfields against Scunthorpe but with The Iron making it through to the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy Final at Wembley we didn’t play for ten days following the dismal defeat at Yeovil. It was destination Bristol on good Friday and once again the Cobblers fell to a single goal defeat at the Memorial Ground against Bristol Rovers. After a poor game, Jo Kuffour’s goal was the difference and we remained in the bottom four over the Easter weekend.
Southend were the visitors on Easter Monday and they came away from Sixfields with all three points. Jean-Francois Christophe gave the Shrimpers a 38th minute lead before Adebayo Akinfenwa struck back five minutes after half-time. But a quick-fire double from Theo Robinson and former Cobblers loan man Lee Barnard put the visitors three goals to the good and loanee Aleksander Prijovic’s goal ten minutes from time wasn’t enough for Town.
The following week saw a trip to Leyton Orient bring us real hope again. At half-time, Jason Crowe’s own goal along with results elsewhere seemed to be hammering a massive nail in the relegation coffin. But a stirring response in the second half saw Bayo, Prijovic and another loanee, Ikechi Anya all find the net and turn the game dramatically and earn a massive away win.
More was to follow the Tuesday after that with the rearranged game with Scunthorpe United providing another thriller. Crowe scored in the right end to give the Cobblers the lead but Liam Trotter levelled the scores on the stroke of half-time. A penalty from Grant McCann had Scunny in front but Anya scored for the second time in a week to bring it back to 2-2. Matt Sparrow hit a third for his side as the game went from one end to the other with the fate of the Cobblers hanging in the balance. With fifteen minutes to go, Mark Hughes rose to head home a corner and we had salvaged a point, meaning the destiny was back in our hands.
Victory against Hereford the following Saturday, handed to us by goals from Andy Holt and Crowe once again led to a tense final home game of the season against “neighbours” MK Dons. With the Cobblers needing a point to guarantee safety based on a good goal difference, it was a nervy affair but it was settled by Aaron Wilbraham’s first half goal and all that was left was a final day of the season trip to Elland Road as three sides fought it out for League One survival...
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