Depleted squad falls to defeat

Gillingham 1-0 Northampton Town
League Two
Saturday, January 15th 2011

When you're struggling for strikers and facing a trip to one of the most in form sides in the league it certainly doesn't help to have another forward fall injured just before the game. But Billy Mckay was added to the injury list before this one and it was an unusual front pairing of Andy Holt and Courtney Herbert that would try to break down Gillingham.

But the only goal of the game came from a player and an entity that we so crave right now, an in form striker, Cody McDonald. Bayo Akinfenwa would come off the bench to play against the Cobblers but it was McDonald, scorer of a hat-trick last weekend in a 5-0 win at Stockport, that took home the glory as the Gills leapt into the playoffs thanks to some fine form.

Indeed this was their sixth win in seven games and it's been a significant rise to pronimence since the last time we met back in October with Andy hessenthaler having the magic touch once again at the Priestfield Stadium.

The Cobblers will reflect on a decent effort against the odds though and there was a debut for Greg Kaziboni, replacing Herbert, in the second half. The likes of Malachi Farquharson and Mihai Gherasim were on the bench, further emphasising the need for the fresh blood that looks likely to come in next week.

The goal that won it was simple enough with McDonald latching on to a downward header from a long free kick to score from fifteen yards. The Cobblers deserve some credit for staying in it though and half chances fell to Nathaniel Wedderburn and Michael Jacobs but it just wasn't to be.

It's easy to blame injuries but the fact that both McKay and McKenzie were missing was crucial here. Add to the squad Francis Laurent and Calvin Zola who should be completing moves over the next few days and it should look a whole lot brighter.