Down to earth at Moss Rose

Macclesfield Town 2-0 Northampton Town
League Two
Saturday, October 2nd 2010

If ever there was a setting to bring the Cobblers crashing back down to earth after the last couple of weeks then this was it. Moss Rose, usually a happy hunting ground for us, was this time the venue where we realised that we need to get tough again and realise we are in League Two.

The Chesterfield game on Tuesday night ended in defeat of course but a good display combined with a smash and grab victory for the Spireites still had us cursing our luck rather than taking notice of problems. Yesterday's defeat, however, handed to us by an ever improving Macclesfild side (this their third win in five games) will give Sammo his first few headaches of recent weeks.

In a dull game, we needed to step up to the less glamorous and comfortable arena but it was the hosts that settled and played their game to deservedly take home the win that helps them to leapfrog the Cobblers in the table.

It still seemed relatively out of the blue that the Silkmen took the lead when a controversial corner ended up, of course, with a goal when Hamza Bencherif finished well. The only reply from the Cobblers was a half chance that flashed wide from new loan signing Josh Parker who came in for Paul Rodgers on the right wing in Sammo's only change.

The second half started quietly but build into a better spell for us with Michael Jacobs having a few through balls blocked and Liam Davis shooting just over the bar. But it clearly wasn't to be a our day and a towering header from Maccs' Nat Brown finished us off and we were sent home to reassess our league form once more.

The major concern here is the question of whether the Cobblers can pick up their games at the so called "smaller" teams of League Two. The question will appear next week with a trip to Cheltenham Town. Another performance like this one and we'll be starting to look worrying at the wrong end of the table!