Cup Final Number One: Burton v Cobblers

Burton Albion v Northampton Town
League Two
Tuesday, April 5th 2011

The importance of tonight is so high that the old “cup final” quotes are doing the rounds with Gary Johnson using the description to get an atmosphere going this evening at Burton. The difference is that cup final defeats usually just leave you dejected at being runners up, not staring at an uncertain future that would hang in the balance should the result go against you.

The target of winning for the first time in thirteen is less important than winning meaning what it would mean tonight. That being some breathing space and seven points worth of a gap between ourselves and Barnet going into the final six games of the season. It all adds up to a tense, nail biting evening whether you’re at The Pirelli Stadium or not.

We only have to cast our minds back to two recent games between the sides to know that we could be in trouble. Two out of the three meetings we’ve had since Albion rejoined the league have ended 3-2 to the Brewers (the other a 1-1 Sixfields draw) and on both of those occasions we’ve found ourselves three down in the first half.

So Plan A will be to score first, to get in the game and not collapse to leave ourselves frantically fighting back. Plans B and C, probably even D could be needed but it’s fair to say we need this. Burton will feel exactly the same though as their mid-week win last week was cancelled out by Barnet’s 4-1 victory on Saturday at the Pirelli. A win for them and they’ll see themselves as pretty much safe with a couple more games in hand to follow.

The Cobblers look set to be without Andy Holt, someone we really need in this sort of games and are definitely without another, in Ryan Gilligan who will be out for the rest of the season. Gary Johnson has indicated that changes could be made so that could mean Leon McKenzie returning to the starting line-up.

A bonus story line to the evening of course is the return to Burton of Shaun Harrad who will hopefully score the customary goal against the former club. Harrad missed out on a quick fire appearance against his old mates when he was suspended for the game at Sixfields that cost Sammo his job back in March but will be fired up to get stuck in tonight.

Burton have Russ Penn back from suspension this evening after sitting out of the last two games. Penn picked up his tenth booking of the season in the 3-0 reverse at Oxford but is back in contention tonight to leave Paul Boertian as their only absentee.

The thing spurring them on tonight is the thought of going above Town with victory and the hopes of burying the shocking 4-1 home defeat to Barnet at the weekend.

Steve Kabba’s return to his old club was the catalyst for Barnet’s success on that day...if only Shaun Harrad can do the same then we will all sleep a lot easier tonight!

Tonight’s other League Two action

Wycombe’s ambitions of catching Chesterfield must surely now be ending but they can take a step towards League One football with victory at Hereford this evening. Wanderers kept up the pace with a 2-0 home win over Stockport on Saturday and with most around them picking up points it was a crucial three points. More of the same tonight and they’ll be well on the way to automatic promotion. Hereford won’t want to be reminded of their last outing in mid-week, a 4-0 reverse at Accrington last Wednesday but they did pick up a decent point at Gillingham on Saturday.

Accrington themselves know that a draw will be enough to take them into the top seven on goals scored but victory tonight against Southend would be an eighth straight home win in the league. The Shrimpers have disappointingly slipped away from the top seven over the last few weeks and tonight surely is their final chance to get back in the thick of things. If they can upset the form book and take home three points from the game, they would be back in the top half and six points from the top seven.

The final game of the night sees two sides moving away from the relegation zone clash at Moss Rose. Macclesfield won at Bradford back in November and the two sides meet again tonight. The Bantams have Peter Jackson in charge now and despite a good start to his reign, two defeats recently have got the nerves jangling again and his side will be desperate to put their fears finally to bed. Macc are two points better off but have lost their last three games, making tonight a crunch one for two teams clambering for a final move away from the bottom.

The "R" word worries return as Town lose at Stanley

Accrington Stanley 3-1 Northampton Town
League Two
Saturday, April 2nd 2011

Worried yet? Another weekend goes by, another defeat, another win for the accelerating Barnet under Martin Allen. Where’s the next win going to come from? More importantly, can we possibly do what the Bees did and win at Burton ion Tuesday night to start putting these doubts to bed.

Another frustrating and capitulating afternoon is the reason for these fresh concerns as Accrington tore us apart in a first half show that unfortunately mirrors past performances from this season. Michael Jacobs’ well taken free kick in the second 45 meant nothing more than consolation for the travelling fans that are starting to grow weary as an incredibly big game looms on Tuesday at The Pirelli Stadium in Burton.

That was the venue last season where it all went tits up for Stuart Gray as his side were three down by the break. Ian Sampson also lost his job after this season’s first meeting with the Brewers, again seeing his side drop three before any sort of response began.

It’s fair to assume that Gary Johnson won’t go the same way should we lose tomorrow but it’s beginning to look an ever desperate situation and the positive nature of the two previous draws just wasn’t matched in a poor showing at Accrington.

Stanley themselves are bombing towards the playoffs and with a seventh straight home win behind them they now face Southend at home on Tuesday night knowing that a win would lift them into the top seven and incredibly to within three points of the automatic promotion places. Ian Craney did most of the damage against the Cobblers by slotting in a rebound before getting a touch to Jimmy Ryan’s shot to double the advantage. Sean McConville completed the rout on 35 minutes and left us chasing another huge deficit but giving his side real hope of a promotion challenge.

Meanwhile, the Cobblers lick their wounds once more and what we would give now for any sort of result at Burton. It’s not just about the monkey on the back any more, not just about getting a win for winning’s sake. The future of the club is well and truly on the line and my finger nails won’t be able to take much more if that win doesn’t come at the Pirelli.

Elsewhere in League Two this weekend...

Steve Kabba was the man on the mark for Barnet as he hit four past his former side Burton to reignite the Bees’ hopes of avoiding the drop. Sam Winnall had given Albion the lead in the relegation six pointer but Kabba stunned them with an incredible performance after the break. Martin Allen will be relishing the challenge ahead of him and watching on for Tuesday’s action as the Cobblers travel to the Pirelli Stadium.

Meanwhile, Crewe were the team making all the headlines in League Two this weekend as they hit EIGHT past Cheltenham at Gresty Road. The win included hat-tricks for both Joel Grant and Clayton Donaldson with Ashley Westwood and Shaun Miller getting the others. Dario Gradi missed the game through illness but there’s nothing like eight goals to get the smile back on your face!

We won’t dwell on that too long just in case there’s some Cheltenham fans still lingering around the internet and trying to get some sort of reasoning back after that so we’ll move on to Chesterfield who are still eleven clear at the top after a 2-0 home win over Port Vale. The Spireites’ win, thanks to goals from Jack Lester and Deane Smalley, means that only a couple more wins will seal promotion.

Wycombe saw off Stockport, who look dead and buried now, to keep their promotion aspirations going. Lewis Montrose opened the scoring for the Chairboys before Scott Rendell netted from the spot. Meanwhile, Shrewsbury thumped Macclesfield 4-1 to stay third with substitute Lionel Ainsworth doing the damage with a brace.

Bury certainly didn’t let up either as they saw off Oxford 3-0 at Gigg Lane and they now face a crucial week in which they visit Sixfields and then play their one game in hand against Burton next Tuesday night. Stevenage still haven’t given up on the top three either and won for the sixth straight game, Bradford the victims this time around.

Torquay had keeper Scott Bevan to thank for a remarkable save with the game against Lincoln poised at 0-0 and the Gulls went on to win the game with a double assist from Craig Stanley to keep them in the running. Gillingham, meanwhile, lost ground after they were held at home by Hereford but the surprise of the day was Rotherham’s defeat at home to Morecambe as their bizarre couple of weeks went on.

Southend and Aldershot both stay in mid-table after a goalless draw at Roots Hall but the Shots came off better having completed an eighth game without defeat. Barry Corr nearly won it for the Shrimpers but his late effort hit the bar.

Odds against Town in search for win...

Accrington Stanley v Northampton Town
League Two
Saturday, April 2nd 2011

Two teams couldn’t be more opposite in terms of form, hope and short term ambition than when the Cobblers take to the field at expectant Accrington this afternoon. John Coleman has led his team through a winter of few games and many postponements, through a catch up period that seen them claw their way up the table and to a place where they can now genuinely call themselves playoff contenders.

The Cobblers, on the other hand, have been battling the elements from the start of that same cold spell. But it’s not the games called off that were the problem, it was the ones that made it to the final whistle without a positive result.

Stanley will go into kick off today with just one defeat in twelve games, Town of course on a run of eleven without a win. Our hosts have only been beaten three times in 2011, all to playoff or promotion contenders, during a period in which we’ve seen the wrong end of defeats to the likes of Macclesfield Town and Burton Albion.

So you would forgive anyone labelling Stanley as favourites for this one and momentum is certainly with them following a 4-0 home win on Wednesday night against Hereford United. They sit just three points off the playoffs with still one of those games in hand so will be desperate to keep this run going for a dramatic last push for a place in the top seven.

Terry Gornell should keep his place in the Accrington line up after scoring in the week with Rory Boulding set to take up a place on the bench.

The Cobblers are without Ryan Gilligan, whose season is now over after he was booked in for surgery on his troublesome ankle injury. Billy McKay is also still missing but Leon McKenzie could come back into contention. Striker Michael Uwesu could also be used after missing the signing on deadline for last Friday’s game against Torquay.

So two records at stake today and we need the form book to be turned completely on its head if that illusive, and very overdue, victory is to come.

Gilligan’s season over

Ryan Gilligan has confirmed that his season is over after deciding to have an operation on the ankle injury that’s been niggling away all season. Gilligan has played through the pain many times during this campaign but confirmed on his Twitter account:

“It’s not good. Operation on Thursday, then long three to four months rehab and recovery, so my season is unfortunately finished.”

Here’s wishing Gilly all the best in his operation and subsequent recovery!

Late drama as Brewers claim vital win

With ten minutes to go last night at the Pirelli Stadium, Burton Albion looked all set to remain just two points clear of the bottom two. Emile Sinclair had just headed in what looked likely to be the winning goal for Macclesfield Town against the Brewers with his second of the night. Sinclair had already put the visitors in front once, after just twenty two seconds, before Calvin Zola equalised for the home side just before half-time.

And when the Macc striker captured his brace, it was looking like another gloomy night for Albion. That was until Adam Boulder nicked a second leveller of the night for his side and in a dramatic last minute, Burton’s Jacques Maghoma was felled by Izak Reid in the area and suddenly there was a chance to win it. Step up Sam Winnall to break the hold of the Silkmen and break the hopes of Barnet, who are the visitors in a do or die meeting at the same ground on Saturday.

The Bees have a massive task to escape but they would have taken hope from another Burton defeat last night with the upcoming visit on the horizon but now Saturday’s encounter has become even more do or die than it already was.

At the other end of the table, Accrington Stanley trounced Hereford 4-0. Terry Gornell scored twice to fire his side to within three points of the playoffs with a game in hand. Gornell opened the scoring from close range with Jimmy Ryan and Sean McConville adding goals in between Gornell’s first and second of the night, the second completing the rout after a mistake from visiting keeper Adam Bartlett.

The win leaves Stanley in a good position going into Saturday’s visit from the Cobblers and they’ve now lost just once in eleven games.

Midweek Preview, Part 2: Burton v Macclesfield, Hereford v Accrington

Tonight sees the focus turn to the bottom end of the table with Burton’s struggle to catch up with games and get out of trouble continuing. They take on Macclesfield Town and the Cobblers will be hoping that the same Macc team turns up as the one that won at Sixfields a couple of weeks ago.

Albion are on a run of five games without a win and were beaten 2-1 at Moss Rose earlier in the season. That result saw the Brewers drop to thirteenth in the table, a position they would be mightily happy with right now! The subsequent cup run that followed took them to the fourth round when they were eliminated by Championship side Burnley but more telling was that they played just three league games during the time it took them to get through three cup rounds due to a heavy load of postponements.

The effect on their season has been nothing short of chaotic and the midweek fixture list has been filled with rearranged games for the tired and weary legs of Paul Peschisolido’s men to trawl through. At the time of year when injuries and suspensions are rife, the games in hand have been, in the main, a real hindrance and forced a relegation battle until the time comes when the games start turning into points.

Tonight would seem, on paper, an ideal time to strike against a Macclesfield side wounded by a 4-0 home defeat to Stevenage Borough at the weekend that halted a run of results that saw the Silkmen go unbeaten for five games and get out of trouble themselves.

The job done by Gary Simpson cannot be ignored though and getting a club to the upper reaches of the bottom half of League Two wouldn’t usually be regarded as a major success but for one like Macclesfield it’s a fine achievement to have no real lingering fears of the drop with eight or nine games to go. So a stern test of resolve once again for a Burton side still trying to distance themselves from that very problem tonight.

Hereford are a team that have just about got out of trouble at the right times during the second half of the season. Jamie Pitman, who took charge in October with his side bottom of League Two, has slowly turned the form around and is now so close to completing the great escape following a vital 1-0 home win over Crewe on Saturday.

The Bulls have also had to deal with the loss of the beast like front man Mathieu Manset after he joined Reading in the January transfer window. But Stuart Fleetwood has overtaken his goal tally and the winner against Crewe made it sixteen for the season and the striker seems to have finally found his club after four loan spells while on the books of Charlton Athletic having come out of non league with Forest Green Rovers to join the Addicks.

Unfortunately for United, tonight’s opponents Accrington Stanley are planning a late surge on the playoffs after storming clear of the nether reaches of the table during a superb 2010 so far. Stanley currently sit six points from the playoffs with two games in hand, one of those being tonight’s encounter at Edgar Street.

Badly hit by the weather themselves at the end of 2010, 2011 has seen Stanley lose just three times and all of those were to sides currently fighting for promotion in Shrewsbury, Rotherham and Gillingham. After reaching the top half, suddenly you started to look at their games in hand and thinking that maybe, just maybe they can reach the promised land.

Since rejoining the league in 2006, Accrington have made progress every season, finishing 20th, 17, 16th and 15th in the final tables since. They’re surely going to better it once again but there might yet be a chance to make it an extraordinary campaign if they can gatecrash the end of season party.

Millers miss out as Shrews take place in top three...Vale climb into playoffs

And so it was a far from fruitful night Rotherham last night as they were well beaten at home by Shrewsbury, who now overtake Bury and go into third place, the final automatic promotion position. James Collins opened the scoring on twenty minutes and the Shrews never looked back, controlling the game and going on to double their lead before half time. Collins was brought down in the area and Nicky Wroe stepped up to convert the spot kick.

Two became three quickly after the break as Tom Bradshaw, scorer of both goals in the weekend win over Bradford, charged down a clearance from Andy Warrington in the home goal and the ball fell kindly for Collins to net a second of the game. Adam Le Fondre, returning from injury, was only on the bench but came on to score and give his side hope with twenty minutes to play but it was Shrewsbury who took home maximum points in a fine performance ahead of Saturday’s home game with Macclesfield Town at the New Meadow.

Meanwhile, there were opposite fortunes for another manager less side in Port Vale as they did get the win needed to take them back into the playoff positions. It didn’t look good for them when Lincoln took the lead at Vale Park through a third minute strike from Gavin McCallum.

But the hosts hit back in what could be a defining turn around for their season. Marc Richards netted his 100th career goal and 50th league goal for Vale just before the hour mark and the victory was sealed ten minutes later when Doug Loft scored what sounds like being one of the goals of the season, a belting left footed shot from 25 yards that beat Imps keeper Elliot Parish all ends up.

So that means Shrewsbury are into third place and Bury are the ones to slip out into fourth, though the Shakers do still have a game in hand. Vale, who go to leaders Chesterfield at the weekend, go above Torquay into seventh but everything is still almightily close.

Millers Tale continues in massive midweek fixture plus Vale look to rejoin the pack

“...and so it was that later, as the miller told his tale, that her face at first just ghostly, turned a whiter shade of pale...”

It’s a long shot that Procol Harum were, in 1967, talking about Rotherham United in their Whiter Shade of Pale days but the words of their best known hit can certainly be echoed by the current day Millers who are telling their own tale that a certain Mr Chaucer would be proud of. A week ago, United had not a care in the world barring an assault on the top three places of League Two that they’d fallen from in recent weeks.

Then came a seven day period that no-one could have written. Ronnie Moore was incredibly sacked following a 5-0 defeat at runaway leaders Chesterfield. Heavy as that was to take, it seemed harsh at the very least to dismiss an experienced hero of the club. Fast forward a week and the club were under the caretaker charge of Andy Liddell and faced a tricky trip to Lincoln in their first game post-Moore.

Again not even the most optimistic of Millers fans could predict what would happen that night. The astonishing thing wasn’t just the 6-0 away win against the Imps but the fact that Ian Thomas-Moore, the departed manager’s son, scored a hat-trick at Sincil Bank!

And so to the final game of a cycle that leaves Rotherham doing battle to regain the playoff place that was lost after Moore’s final game in charge. The surroundings of temporary base the Don Valley Stadium are the setting for a hugely important clash with fellow promotion hopefuls Shrewsbury this evening. Thankfully for Millers fans, the far from ideal venue will be their home for only one more season with the club set to move to a new 12,000 seat venue at the former Guest and Chrimes foundry site in Rotherham town centre in time for the 2012-13 kick off.

For now though, they’re working on bringing not just the club, but League One football, back into town. Standing in their way tonight is a Shrewsbury Town side that have been in or around the top three themselves for the majority of the campaign.

The Shrews have recovered from their own 5-0 defeat from a couple of weeks ago that saw their own player, on loan Jake Robinson, score twice against them for Torquay. But a subsequent draw with Wycombe and victory at Bradford have stabilised their position just outside the top three. Indeed a win tonight and Graham Turner’s men will be back in the automatic promotion places, albeit having played a game more than Bury.

Turner sold Hereford United last summer and left his position as chairman and manager to return to his old Shrewsbury roots. The campaign started with a five game unbeaten run and has never really stalled enough for them to drop out of contention for a place in the end of season shake up that’s looking closer and closer by the week if you discount Chesterfield and their runaway lead.

Tonight is their chance to put their mark on the league once again but a suddenly rejuvenated group of Millers may yet have their own new twist to an ever engaging tale.

Meanwhile, Port Vale are also on a mission tonight as they host the team beaten so heavily by Rotherham on Friday night, Lincoln City. Vale’s similar fall out of form as well as a bizarre incident on the coach to Aldershot a few weeks ago means that they’re also no strangers to controversy and incident this season. Manager Jim Gannon and Geoff Horsfield’s well publicised row saw both depart the team coach before hitting Aldershot and despite a brief period where differences were apparently set aside, Gannon was shown the door after just 74 days in charge.

Horsfield is now in joint caretaker charge of the club along with Mark Grew and Saturday’s home draw against high flying Bury is a sign that the old form is returning to the club just in time for the final furlong of the season.

Lincoln have their own, far from lofty, ambitions under Steve Tilson who could make one or two changes for tonight’s game following that mauling on Friday. Their supporters will be delighted just to be out of harm though and the fact that they now sit eleven points clear of the bottom two is testament to the slow but sure way Tilson has guided the club away from danger in the last few months.

Since joining the Imps back in October, his side have had gone to the very foot of the table, following a defeat by Wycombe on January 15th, up to 13th place just a month later and are now steadying the ship ahead of next season when they could well be dark horses for another go at the right end of the table should Tilson have a productive summer in the transfer market.

Ashley Grimes, the striker on loan from Millwall, returns for tonight’s game and will provide a massive boost after missing out against Rotherham with an ankle injury. Grimes has scored seventeen times this season and his value increases when you consider that all of his nearest rivals in Lincoln’s scoring charts have netted just four!

So plenty of action condensed into two games tonight with the league finally catching up on the wintery weather that halted the season in December.

League Two round up...28th March 2011...

So a busy weekend of League Two action is over and to say that things are heating in the relegation, playoff and promotion issues is an understatement. It all started on Friday night with the Cobblers’ dramatic draw with Torquay at Sixfields and an extraordinary start for Rotherham under caretaker boss Andy Liddell. The Millers bounced back from the 5-0 defeat at Chesterfield that ended Ronnie Moore’s time at the club with a 6-0 away win at Lincoln. Ironically Moore’s son, Ian Thomas-Moore, grabbed a hat-trick at Sincil Bank!

Saturday’s all important clash saw Barnet recover from two goals down to draw 2-2 with Chesterfield at Underhill. A bizarre goal deep into stoppage time that saw Sam Deering’s cross fly over the head of Spireites keeper Tommy Lee and into the corner of the net gave his side fresh hope of staying up under new boss Martin Allen.

The Bees had been temporarily overtaken in the table earlier in the day as Stockport conjured up late drama of their own. With their home game against Southend moving into injury time, Danny Rowe rose to head home a crucial winner that takes them to within a couple of points of safety.

At the top of the table on Saturday, there were huge away wins for Wycombe and Stevenage as their respective promotion bids continued. Wycombe scored three in quick succession at Morecambe to move into second place while Stevenage are now two points off the top three following their 4-0 success at Macclesfield, their fifth straight win.

Bury are down to third after their goalless draw at Port Vale. Bury survived the sending off of captain Steven Schumacher and two Vale efforts that hit the woodwork to hold on to a decent point in their bid to hold on to an automatic promotion place.

Shrewsbury are still closing the gap though but did it the hard way at Bradford. Going into the final fifteen minutes a goal down, Tom Bradshaw scored twice to turn things completely on their head and to keep his side in touch at the top.

The only other game on Saturday was Aldershot’s 1-1 home draw with Accrington. Rory Boulding gave Stanley hope of closing in on the top seven but a late header from Darren Jones earned the Shots a share of the spoils.

Sunday saw three more games take place and the Cobblers were sent down a place in the table thanks to Hereford’s 1-0 victory against Crewe. Stuart Fleetwood raced on to a through ball from Kenny Lunt to score the winner that takes the Bulls up to nineteenth.

Better news for us came at the Kassam with Oxford hammering Burton 3-0 and the Brewer’s poor form is now giving them more and more trouble. It got worse for them with the sending off, and subsequent suspensions, of both Darren Moore and Tom Parks during the game and with more games in hand to get through without two big players it’s going to be a nervy end to their season.

Elsewhere, Cody McDonald stunned Cheltenham with a brace within the final four minutes as Gillingham stole three points from Whaddon Road. Steve Elliot had given the home side the lead after just three minutes but McDonald left it late to move the Gills into sixth.

Late drama as Town get vital point

Northampton Town 2-2 Torquay United
League Two
Friday, March 25th 2011

You got the feeling that it wasn’t a normal night when Torquay’s team bus was late to Sixfields. That was to be just the start of things though as two goals were scored after 10pm and deep into stoppage time in an extraordinary finale to an entertaining game that saw the Cobblers claim an important point in the battle to move away from the bottom few sides.

The Cobblers were unchanged for the first time under Gary Johnson, something that certainly should help the cause of continuity and started well but it was Torquay that created the first good chance of the game. On loan forward Jake Robinson sent a shot just wide with the Gulls appearing to show no effects of their late arrival due to a motorway accident.

Indeed it was the visitors who took the early lead with winger Eunan O’ Kane netting to give their small band of travelling supporters hope that by the end of the night they would be in the top three. The game was open enough to suggest that the Cobblers could challenge that though and on the half hour mark, a free kick was nodded down by Abdul Osman into the path of John Johnson who headed home from close range.

Game on then and as the half grew on so did the confidence of a Town outfit that are desperately trying to put things together under Gary Johnson’s leadership. The scores were still level at the break though despite two penalty shouts for the bundling over of Michael Jacobs both times.

It was the same at the beginning of the second half and Jacobs was involved once more, this time getting on the end of a good move involving Byron Webster and Guillem Bauza only to be denied by visiting keeper Scott Bevan.

Torquay threatened at the other end as Chris Dunn had to be alert to another effort from the lively Robinson and Guy Branston headed wide from a corner. The late drama was preceded by chances at both ends for Robinson and Bauza but when Billy Kee scored two minutes into stoppage time it looked certain to be the winner.

We reached six minutes of added time when the Cobblers won a contested free kick. The ball would drop to Bauza who sent in a fine volley that flew into the net via a deflection and somehow we had nicked a point in the most unlikely of circumstances. Gulls manager Paul Buckle was seething at the free kick decision that sent his side back to Devon having dropped a couple of points when in a winning position but we have to take whatever we can get at this moment in time!

As I said after last week’s draw at Bradford, every point is crucial and picking them up in singles is helpful as long as the rest of the pack down with us keep slipping. The main threat, Barnet, take on leaders Chesterfield this evening so hopefully that game is as academic as it should be…unless there’s a real mad dog twist to come!

Accrington away up next for us but another week to prepare and with the relegation worries hopefully dying down and the fans back on side we can go there and play a bit more freely and finally claim those illusive three points!

Friday night action as Gulls visit Sixfields

Northampton Town v Torquay United
League Two
Friday, March 25th 2011

The aim of Torquay United this evening is to leave Sixfields having bagged a place in the top three of League Two. The Gulls will hope to take advantage of playing a day earlier than their promotion rivals and know that a win would give them a spot in the automatic promotion places for the night at least. The Cobblers will be thinking otherwise though and Gary Johnson, still looking for his first win in charge, will be encouraged by his side’s performance at Bradford last weekend – possibly enough so to name an unchanged side.

Johnson does have Dean Beckwith fully fit again so faces a choice as to whether to put him straight back into the starting line-up or stick with the partnership of John Johnson and Doncaster loanee Byron Webster who looked solid enough at Valley Parade. Leon McKenzie and Andy Holt are still major doubts after not training this week whilst Ryan Gilligan will be out for a few weeks with an ankle injury picked up in the warm up last weekend.

The visitors will be without loan striker Ronan Murray tonight as the Republic of Ireland Under 21 international is in Portugal with his country. Murray scored his first goal since joining on loan from Ipswich in Saturday’s 2-1 win over Cheltenham at the weekend and was described by manager Paul Buckle as being “a different class,” so we might have had a stroke of luck there! Meanwhile, midfielder Ben Pringle has rejoined parent club Derby County after making five appearances at Plainmoor but Billy Kee could return after an ankle problem.

We’re all so desperate for a win and gradually you can see things turning. There’s certainly been no honeymoon period for Gary Johnson but the Bradford game was a step forward in terms of the players starting to mould into his ways of thinking. With eleven long games separating the present day and that night against Crewe when everything flew in and everything looked rosy. Six goals was great, but right now a scrappy 1-0 win with a goal from a scrambled battle in the six yard box looks very appealing indeed.

For the club, the fans and the sanity of everyone, we need three points!

Elsewhere in League Two this weekend

The only other game tonight sees Rotherham attempt to regain the playoff place that they lost during the week as they visit Lincoln. With just five points separating eleventh and fourth place, the race for those coveted top seven places is well and truly on and the Millers, now under the management of caretaker boss Andy Liddell, will be desperate to get back on track following the surprise sacking of Ronnie Moore.

On Saturday, there could be repercussions at either end of the table with a huge battle at Underhill. Barnet, three points from safety, meet leaders Chesterfield who need just four more wins to guarantee promotion back to League One.

Port Vale, another side manager less and out of the playoff positions, host second place Bury whilst Wycombe in third travel to Morecambe. Both Bury and Wycombe are surely now discarding any hopes of catching Chesterfield and will be hoping to simply keep hold of the three point gap separating themselves and fourth.

Stevenage, meanwhile, have suddenly jumped into fifth after another good win on Tuesday night and they’re at Macclesfield tomorrow afternoon. Shrewsbury have a game in hand on most of their rivals but will still want to bag maximum points at Bradford.

Rock bottom Stockport will go ever closer to the Conference if they fail to win at home to Southend at Edgeley Park as they enter real do or die territory at the foot of League Two. Elsewhere on Saturday, Aldershot play their third home game in a row with ever rising Accrington the visitors this time around. Stanley have suddenly forced themselves back into the playoff picture with a strong run of form and if they can nick another victory at the EBB Stadium they’ll be in a fine position going into the run in.

Because of the Wales-England game on Saturday, we have some rare Sunday games in League Two as well, all of them involving teams with top seven ambitions. Gillingham are at Cheltenham while Hereford will be aiming to stop Crewe from leaping into contention and to ease their returning relegation fears. And Oxford are at home to Burton with both sides clamouring for points for completely opposite reasons.

So a good spread of games over three days this weekend and the excitement mounts for a frantic finish at both ends of the basement league.

Free agent Uwezu becomes sixth Johnson signing

There was no late activity on the loan front yesterday but Gary Johnson did bring in free agent Michael Uwesu on a free transfer until the end of the season, with a view to a permanent move in the summer. Uwezu, described as “quick, tenacious and a real pain for defenders to play against,” didn’t sign in time for tonight’s game with Torquay United but will be available for next Saturday’s trip to Accrington Stanley.

Starting his career with Arsenal’s academy, Uwezu then moved to Fulham and scored an impressive eleven goals in eighteen games for their under 18s side in his first season. He was allocated a squad number at the club for the start of the 2009/10 season and was an unused substitute in three of their Europa League games en route to the final. But following a brief spell on loan at Lincoln City, he was released from his contract at Craven Cottage before making any senior appearances for the club.

Rejecting a move to Holland, the striker joins up as Gary Johnson begins to look at players he wants in next season and it makes sense to have another option in attack given injuries to Billy McKay, Leon McKenzie and long term to Tadhg Purcell. Indeed there were no attacking options on the bench last weekend so we at least have something different to offer starting next weekend, by which time McKenzie could also be back in the frame.

Young guns to get chance?

Gary Johnson has hinted that young Cobblers prospects such as Greg Kaziboni and Malachi Farquharson may get a chance to impress in the final weeks of the season. The Town boss has seen glimpses of the future of the club in practice matches and behind closed doors games in the last couple of weeks and could be set to include one or two in the last nine games of the campaign.

Assuming that we don’t get drawn into a relegation battle, it’s a safe bet that the younger lads will get their chance with Johnson looking to get an early look into the possible squad for next season. It’s odd to think that a year ago we didn’t know a lot about Michael Jacobs – kept on by Sammo in place of Alex Dyer in the summer – but his progression has to be the motivation for the young ‘uns to push on.

Meanwhile, Johnson has stated that his shopping spree is over after five new signings since he joined the club. The loan window closes at 5pm this evening and no new activity is expected at Sixfields.

League Two round up, March 23rd – Town stay clear

The Cobblers had as good a night as possible without playing last night with relegation rivals falling to defeats that keep us seven points clear of the drop zone. Barnet have now played an extra game to Town and they were beaten 1-0 at Aldershot last night. The Shots won it with a goal from Danny Hylton on the hour mark to leave Barnet in all kinds of trouble.

They will have gained a little glimmer of hope from the fact that Burton continue to stall in their bid to escaped their clutches as the Brewers went down to a 2-0 home defeat to Stevenage in a result that lifted Borough into the playoff places. John Mousinho struck twice at the Pirelli Stadium to sink Albion and leave them just a place above the relegation zone. Despite their four games in hand it’s always going to be a lingering worry until they get a couple of wins from those games and that will be the hope from the boys from Underhill.

Meanwhile, Hereford could only go level on points with the Cobblers but picked up a useful draw at Port Vale. The Bulls looked to be on their way to all three points when James McQuilkin gave them the lead but Tom Pope’s header three minutes into stoppage time put pay to that.

Macclesfield saw off ten man Morecambe to keep up their good recent form and move 12 points clear of Barnet. Hamza Bencherif’s ninth of the season opened the scoring before Tyrone Bennett made it two. James Spencer halved the deficit but the home side ended with ten men after Stewart Drummond picked up a second yellow card.

It’s all change in the playoff race as Torquay rose to fourth place with a 2-1 home win over Cheltenham. Guy Branston scored for the second time in two days in the first half and Ronan Murray doubled the advantage. The Gulls survived a late rally from Cheltenham that saw Danny Andrew score from a free kick but they held on to go to within three points of Wycombe in third place. Indeed they will go into the top three should they win at Sixfields on Friday night.

There was controversy at Crewe as Accrington were denied a victory when Sean McConville’s shot appeared to bounce off the bar and over the line but nothing was given and the game ended goalless, a result that halts both side’s playoff ambitions.

A point closer...

Apologies for the lack of updates over the weekend but fair to say that the Cobblers have made a bit of breathing space over the weekend. The point gained at Bradford can’t be overlooked in terms of importance and with Barnet falling to defeat at home to Morecambe and their free travelling fans it means that we’re a point better off.

Not that it’s the end of the story by any means but what happens tonight could go a long way to deciding whether or not the trembling of relegation return in time for the home game with Torquay United on Friday night. It was, by all accounts, a better performance at Valley Parade but the monkey on our backs that is the eleven games without a win needs to turn around for our sanities at least!

First though, plenty of action of interest tonight as the three teams directly below us are in action. After that defeat at the weekend, Barnet face a trip to Aldershot knowing that time is well and truly running out for their battle against the drop. They, along with the Cobblers, will be praying that Burton continue to be stuck in the mud as they take on Stevenage this evening. And Hereford, who have two games in hand on the Cobblers, are at manager less Port Vale. Jim Gannon was shown the door at Vale Park after just 74 days in charge as they slipped out of the playoff positions over the weekend with a 3-0 defeat at Accrington.

That win took Stanley to within three points of the playoffs and they go to Crewe tonight in one of their two crucial games in hand that could complete a remarkable turnaround for the club in recent weeks.

Meanwhile, the two teams above us, Macclesfield and Morecambe, go head to head at the Globe Arena and Torquay, proprietors of Port Vale’s slip out of the playoffs, look to go up to fourth as they play Cheltenham at Plainmoor.

So still plenty of nerves around if results should go against us this evening but the main threat of Barnet could be a little bit more extinguished because they will have played a game more than us after tonight. Concentration on our own games is obviously the key but if staying in the Football League comes down to other teams’ failings then I’m happy with that!

Huge weekend all round as Town go north...

Bradford City v Northampton Town
League Two
Saturday, March 19th 2011

So to the most important weekend of the season. The Cobblers travel to Bradford for a game that we, at the very least, need to take something from. No-one at the club is being drawn into talking about a relegation fight but tension is mounting on the terraces, particularly with the tough run of games coming up. A bad time to go to rejuvenated Bradford then, who seem to have turned the corner away from their own battle against an unlikely drop under new boss Peter Jackson.

It wasn’t long ago that the Bantams were in our position, looking nervously behind them as Peter Taylor’s regime failed to bring about the expected promotion challenge. Victories over Rotherham and Morecambe have propelled them away from trouble though and that could be the danger that the home side will be back to their confident best. It’s a struggle the Cobblers need to man up to and fight for their lives. There will be a small band of Town fans making the trip north with hearts on their sleeves when they’re not in their mouths so the players need to wake up and play for them at least.

Gary Johnson has brought in a fourth loan signing, replacing the outgoing Craig Hinton with Doncaster’s Byron Webster and the centre back goes straight into the squad. Liam Davis played in the midweek behind closed doors friendly at QPR and will be pushing for a recall on the left hand side. Johnson got a look at some of his fringe players in that game so we could see some new faces in the squad.

Bradford could bring Kevin Ellison back in for Scott Dobie but joint top scorer David Syers is expected to start from the bench. Michael Flynn and Jon Worthington have been in fine form to keep Dobie out of the team in recent weeks.

It’s most certainly squeaky bum time. Going to Bradford last season in the final away game we thought that we could still make the playoffs. Defeat there pretty much ended that hope...defeat tomorrow would leave us facing something far more serious.

Elsewhere in League Two...

There’s a massive game this evening in League Two with leaders Chesterfield taking on fourth placed Rotherham at the B2Net Stadium. The Spireites are just a few wins away from promotion and defeating one of the sides pushing for a top three place will go a long way to paving their surely inevitable path into League One. Rotherham, four points off the pace as they chase Wycombe in third, are without a win in four games.

Also tonight, Southend welcome Hereford to Roots Hall. Despite dropping into the bottom half this week, defender Luke Prosser still believes his side can make the playoffs. They need to get back into the fight quickly though and will see a game against a nervy Hereford side, who have slipped back into trouble, as an ideal one to get back on track.

The heat in the playoff fight has intensified with just two points separating fourth and eighth. Torquay’s midweek win at Bury means that they are the form team going into a weekend when they could jump back into the top seven as they travel to Macclesfield, who rescued a late point against Lincoln on Tuesday night.

The sides occupying those coveted playoff spots will be nervously looking over their shoulders as they hit this crucial weekend. Port Vale go to an Accrington side that have won their last four at home, scoring three goals in all but one of those victories. Meanwhile, Gillingham also face a tricky away game at Burton. The Gills were one of the only top sides to win last weekend and will be favourites against an Albion team still trying to escape the reach of Barnet and Stockport.

Yet another biggy comes at the New Meadow with Shrewsbury hosting Wycombe needing to bounce back from their 5-0 defeat in Devon last week. With only a four point gap separating the sides it’s a big chance for the hosts to make some ground up.

Second placed Bury will be hoping for a return to form after they missed a big chance to close the gap on Chesterfield in the week. Finishing in the top three will be all that’s on their minds though as they prepare for a home game with Cheltenham at Gigg Lane. Three defeats in four have surely ended the visitor’s playoff hopes but they need points to ensure they don’t drop any further down the league and salvage what was a positive first half of the season.

It’s not just the top half of the table where there’s big games either. Morecambe fans are being taken to Barnet on free coaches laid on by the club in a bid to get a real atmosphere going for a crunch six pointer. There will, of course, be a little sideways glance from Cobblers fans to this result as well.

Stockport have been in big trouble all season and if they’re to give themselves any hope at all they need to come away from Aldershot with all three points. Ray Mathias has taken charge until the end of the season after caretaker Peter Ward was asked to stand down in a board meeting last Monday and Mathias got his first point a day later in a goalless draw with Burton. The Shots have taken seven points from their last three games, though, so it’s a tough task ahead.

Also on Saturday, two sides hopeful still of the playoffs meet as Oxford take on Crewe at the Kassam. Crewe overtook the U’s on Tuesday as they beat Southend while Oxford were losing at home to Stevenage. Borough try to keep their dreams of a top seven place alive when they play Lincoln at Braodhall Way.

Rovers defender signs

Doncaster Rovers centre back Byron Webster has signed a loan deal with the Cobblers that keeps him at Sixfields until the end of the season. Described as a “ball winner and a leader” by Gary Johnson, he goes straight into the squad for the trip to Bradford at the weekend.]

Webster, 23, began his career at York City, making his debut in the Conference at the end of 2004. Just a few days later, he scored his first goal for the club in a 2-2 draw against Stevenage Borough and went on to make sixteen appearances that season. Signing professional terms in 2006, Webster left the club less than a year later and joined Harrogate Town.

He signed a one year deal with Czech side FK SIAD Most in August 2007 but his new side were relegated at the end of that season. After brief spells on loans and trials with Motherwell and Bury Webster eventually signed for Doncaster after impressing in pre-season 2009. He has made seven appearances in the Championship this season but with a contract that runs out this summer he could be one that Johnson looks at with a view to a permanent deal.

So another one in and the likelihood is that we’ll again be a changed side against Bradford with the Cobblers boss stating that he will play some part in the game.

Hinton departs as Johnson's axe rides again!

Craig Hinton has become the next Cobblers squad member to be shown the Sixfields door as Gary Johnson continues his revamp ahead of a crucial end of season and the coming summer break. Last week Alistair Slowe left the club after no appearances but this time it’s a more experienced member of the squad on his way out.

Hinton notched up 44 games for the club after moving from Bristol Rovers in 2009. Injury put paid to his involvement towards the end of last season though and although he did go out on loan to Luton a couple of months ago following his only game this season for the Cobblers, at Ipswich in the Carling Cup, Hinton couldn’t force his way back and now departs Sixfields.

Hopefully this spurs more of the current crop of players on to raise their games before the end of the season with Johnson’s axe already in motion.

***UPDATE: Craig Hinton has, this afternoon, been named the new Assistant Manager of his former club Bristol Rovers. ***

Shakers miss chance as Gulls close in

At the start of the season you wouldn’t have batted much of your eyelid with the score line of Bury 1-2 Torquay, the full time result at Gigg Lane last night. The Shakers had made a decent start to the campaign but it was the Devon club pulling up most of the trees on the early roads of League Two version 10/11. Torquay overtook a club record of clean sheets and were looking unstoppable, leaving the chasing pack in their wake. But since then, both sides have made a slight jump, Bury in the right direction, Torquay going the other way. So much so that it was considered a game that Bury needed to win last night to close the gap on leaders Chesterfield.

Cue a rejuvenated flock of Gulls, flying back south with all three precious points that puts them back on the brink of a playoff berth and proving that below the much admired leaders there’s a hell of a lot of competition going on to both avoid and to be a part of the end of season lottery known as the Playoffs. It’s taken a mid table slump for United to wake up and start challenging again but they’ve now won three out of their last four games, hammering Shrewsbury before last night’s just as impressive success.

This massive three points, thanks to a stunning second half recovery, was ground out with two goals in nine minutes. After Chris Holroyd had shot Bury into a half time advantage, Craig Stanley followed up on a goal mouth scramble just after the hour and Chris Zebroski nodded the winner. Torquay are now just a point away from the final playoff position held by Port Vale but perhaps more tellingly are two points from Gillingham in sixth with a game in hand.

Elsewhere, Stevenage, famed for their home form in the first half of the season, picked up another fine away win, this time at Oxford. United’s Harry Worley found scored for them in the first half, the Oxford man turning a Luke Foster cross into his own net but after Josh Payne was brought down in the area by Peter Winn, Tom Craddock scored from the spot to level it. Borough wouldn’t be denied though and Craig Reid notched the winner to keep Borough on track. It was a massive blow for Oxford who are five points from the playoffs having played at least a game more than those around them.

Crewe are up to ninth after they saw off Southend at Gresty Road. Shaun Miller took advantage of a rebounded Clayton Donaldson effort to tap in for the winner and condemn Southend to the bottom half of the table.

The Cobblers came out of the night near enough unscathed in terms of other results with Burton going down 3-1 at ever improving Accrington who move into the top half. Burton’s games in hand have been well publicised and it appears to be a get out clause for their relegation battle but until they win at least two of their remaining four extra games they’ll still be extremely nervous. Phil Edwards, Ian Craney and Andy Procter scored the goals that lifted Stanley to a fifth win in seven.

The other ones we had to worry about were those pesky Silkmen of Macclesfield and it looked like they were about to go down to a very handy defeat when Stephen Hunt’s fine goal gave Lincoln the lead at Moss Rose. But deep into stoppage time, Sam Wedgbury belted the ball home with an unstoppable volley from distance to earn his side a point. Lincoln were hanging on with ten men after Ben Hutchinson was sent off but their resistance failed to hold up until the last.

League Two midweek preview

With the Cobblers not playing tonight there’s a chance for a midweek breather for the first time in w while but plenty of games still to catch up on as the final furlong of the season kicks in.

Burton play another game in hand and can close the gap on the Cobblers to just a point should they win at Accrington. Macclesfield will be looking to keep up their good form after winning at Sixfields when they host Lincoln at Moss Rose. The fear now is that a Macc win would open a three point gap between ourselves and the rest of the pack that are slowly moving away from trouble.

At the top, Bury use up one of their games in hand that they must win if they have any hopes at all of catching leaders Chesterfield. The Shakers are at home to Torquay this evening, who made their playoff intentions very clear indeed at the weekend by hammering Shrewsbury 5-0 at Plainmoor.

Meanwhile, Southend, still knocking on the door of a late playoff challenge despite defeat to old boss Steve Tilson and his Lincoln side at the weekend, go to Crewe. The Alex saw off league leaders Chesterfield at Gresty Road on Saturday and moved back into the top ten.

Oxford have played away in five of their last six games, including a goalless draw at tonight’s opponents Stevenage, so will be hoping to make the most of home comforts once again. Borough’s inconsistency has been highlighted in the last two games as they lost at home to Hereford but then went to Wycombe and won by the same 1-0 score line.

So plenty of top action tonight with teams scrambling for points to either close gaps or breathe a little easier as the season veers towards its conclusion.