Cobblers fight back to earn draw

Northampton Town 2-2 Bradford City
League Two
Saturday, October 3rd 2009

After the 3-1 midweek success over Rotherham came a fight back full of character and heart, traits always present from Sammo the player and now seemingly installed in Sammo the manager. The top job crept closer to the former defender’s grasp but it could have so easily slipped from his grasp as Bradford let slip a two goal lead to allow us back in late on.

It was a stirring recovery from the Cobblers, one that we certainly wouldn’t have seen a few months ago, with John Johnson heading home an equaliser in the last minute to send us home happy with a good week at the office.

Sammo was without Adebayo Akinfenwa and Dean Beckwith so young Courtney Herbert started once more after shaking off a rib injury. Chris McCready slotted in at the back in Beckwith’s absence. Bradford’s vocal travelling support were in full voice from the off, a proud Yorkshire fallen giant still standing as they look for promotion this season.

But it was the Cobblers who made the more impressive start. A battling and gallant opening saw us pick apart the visitors with short passes in the absence of Bayo and it worked wonders despite the end product not always being there. Luke Guttridge had a chance at the back post with a header that a fit and willing Akinfenwa would surely have put away whilst Herbert was causing problems with his pace once more and came close to making it two in a week.

You felt that we needed to score during the opening twenty minutes while we were on top but when that didn’t materialise the game took a worrying turn in the opposite direction as Bradford came more and more into the game as the half went on. In the end, we were happy with the half-time whistle and a chance to regroup.

The break didn’t stop the Bantams’ pressure though and they came out of the blocks flying in the second half, leading to a deflected goal five minutes in. Simon Ramsden’s shot cruelly struck a Town boot and the ball looped over the unfortunate Chris Dunn to send the hoards of Bantams into hysteria. Shell shocked by the goal, the Cobblers were wounded and Bradford struck again just four minutes later as Michael Boulding beat the offside trap to fire home what looked to be the sealer.

It was frustrating stuff with all the hard work of the early exchanges turned to dust in a matter of moments and it looked as if there would be no saviour. Cue the unlikely hero, Alex Dyer, a 70th minute substitute for John Curtis. Dyer grabbed hold of the game and immediately looked as if he could produce something.

That, he most certainly did but even his 77th minute well placed volley of a goal that looped in didn’t seem to be enough to salvage anything with desperate long balls late on and a flurry of corners and free kicks coming to nothing in the high winds of Sixfields. But then, late, late in the day it was John Johnson’s moment to savour.

The on loan Middlesbrough mad stooped to nod home a free kick and grab a delightful point from what looked like a certain defeat. The Bantam army fell silent for the first time and it could even have been more. It would have been greedy to hope for Ryan Gilligan’s low drive into the box in stoppage time to hit someone and go in but at the same time it was a relief to hear the final whistle with Bradford threatening to counter attack with pace.

So a point it was and a very entertaining one at that, with a frantic finish more suited to a match late in the season with points being scrambled for but this point could yet be part of a turn around that lands Ian Sampson with the position he desires.

Onwards to another Tuesday night outing, this time it’s the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy Second Round as we welcome league leaders Bournemouth to Sixfields.