Gray's tenure on a knife edge as Barnet take the points

Northampton Town 1-3 Barnet
League Two
Friday, 4th September 2009

If Stuart Gray was given ten games to prove that he is the man to take the Cobblers back into League One then he’s quickly running out of time after a defeat that shot us right back down to earth and the parallels between Gray’s opening of the season to Martin Wilkinson’s ill fated start are becoming strangely apparent.

Last time we were relegated into this league, Wilkinson took charge with a wealth of talent as his disposal but started with a 1-0 defeat at home to newly promoted Torquay. Whilst the Macclesfield game didn’t end in a loss it was as good as in a game that we should be taking maximum points from. Another defeat the following week at York didn’t help matters, a la the single goal reverse at Chesterfield this time around. Then came a run of three wins in a row. We all thought the tide had turned, that the season had finally began and that the promotion bid could start. Sound familiar? (see 2009/10’s two game winning ‘streak vs Accrington and Bournemouth). It all went wrong from there, with a 3-1 lead at Cheltenham let slip as we conceded three in the last ten minutes to lose 4-3...last weekend’s shipping of three in ten at Burton, anyone?

Last night Stuart Gray got to the point, if we’re to stick to the comparison, of having five games to go. Win against Barnet and, combined with a win in midweek, he’d be breathing again. As it was, Barnet wanted it more and ended up sitting pretty on top of League Two for the night at least.

Gary Mulligan had kept his place in the starting line-up after impressing in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy win at Wycombe in mid-week whilst Bayo returned to partner him up front, replacing Abdul Osman. The story began brightly enough in the first Friday night game of the season with Mulligan breaking away early on only to be penalised for handball.

After a quiet opening, it was the Cobblers who struck first and all was happy at Sixfields. Ben Marshall broke into the box and blasted a deflected shot into the net via a deflection. Ismail Yukubu headed over in Barnet’s best effort of the half but it was looking comfortable as we went into the break a goal up.

It was there that things began to go wrong. Barnet were soon level after the second half kicked off with a free kick placed beyond the reach of Chris Dunn, Ahmed Deen the scorer as the visitors drew level. Marshall went close to putting us back in front at the other end but we never sustained the pressure and were caught out as Barnet took the lead.

Veteran striker Paul Furlong volleyed home well from a left wing cross and suddenly the Cobblers were behind in a game that looked so positive before half-time. A defensive nightmare rounded off the game in the worst possible way as Chris Dunn was embarrassed again following last week’s howlers at Burton. A header back to him from Dean Beckwith had Dunn hesitating and John O’Flynn chased it down and got to the ball first to make it 3-1 and game over.

A more than disappointing night at Sixfields then and the Cobblers boss won’t be sleeping easily this weekend. If this pattern of mirroring 2003/04 continues and Gray stays to see out September then we’ll win our next game and he’ll have a bit more time. Pity that it’s away at Notts County...