So with one final game to go, the Cobblers were still in control of their own destiny. A single point at Leeds on the last day of the season would guarantee safety with Brighton and Carlisle awaiting any slip up. Brighton played host to Stockport County whilst Carlisle faced Millwall at Brunton Park as the Cobblers headed to Elland Road.
The news wasn’t good from the very start as Carlisle scored after just seven minutes. Nerves in the away end jangled as the news came through and we tried to urge our players for one final effort against one of the toughest sides in the league. Leeds were in no mood to be charitable though and took the lead on the stroke of half time as Luciano Becchio headed home a left wing cross...we were in big trouble. With Brighton drawing, enough for them to leapfrog us, and Carlisle winning against Millwall it was looking bleak.
The second half in our game was a mere formality and after Jermaine Beckford’s goal on the hour mark all ears were out for the other games. Carlisle had already scored a second and were nearly out of sight so it was down to Brighton and when a cheer went up with twenty to play, we thought Stockport had scored. Alas, no, it was Brighton that had taken the lead and with the Seagulls needing just a draw it was all over. A third goal for Leeds through Robert Snodgrass in stoppage time hammered the message home that we were down and well and truly out of League One.
From mid-table in December to relegated in May, the story of our season will be one of the more agonising in years to come. Here’s hoping that next season’s Season in Review will be a lot more positive and words of celebration come from all over the town. What we felt at Elland Road will take a long, long time to get over but what better way than bouncing back at the first attempt?! We know we never do things easily so here’s to more Cobblers drama in 2009/10...
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