Robinson…wonder goal against MK
After an unbeaten start to the league season, the Cobblers were brought down to earth at Plymouth Argyle in the opening match of September. Alex Nicholls scored the latest in a run of goals to give the Cobblers the lead but Warren Feeney headed in an equaliser just after half-time. Argyle then took complete control and were in front soon after when Rhys Griffiths side footed home. Curtis Nelson’s header made it 3-1 and despite a late consolation from Dave Artell the Cobblers went home with nothing.
The following Tuesday night saw MK Dons come to town for the First Round of the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy and it was to be a platform for Jake Robinson to finally score his first goal for Town, over a year after signing on. His stunning long range effort settled the contest but Robinson was then shipped out on loan to Luton Town a couple of days later!
The real Wimbledon were the next visitors to Sixfields a few days later and the Cobblers again came out on top. Nicholls was on target yet again on the hour mark when he got on the end of a Bayo Akinfenwa through ball to fire in on the hour mark and Chris Hackett’s superb solo goal, seeing him beat two defenders on a winding run before slotting in, sealed a good victory that lifted us into eighth place in the early standings.
A trip to Fleetwood was always going to be a tough examination of the early good form and it got even harder when loan defender Danny East was sent off for the Cobblers on the half hour mark. It looked like we had held out for a solid point but Andy Mangan’s injury time header dramatically won it for the Cod Army in a defeat that was more than a little harsh on the battling ten men.
There was a quick chance to put things right, however, on the following Tuesday at Dagenham and Redbridge and the Cobblers duly obliged with a scrappy 1-0 win thanks to Bayo Akinfenwa’s bullet header from a Chris Hackett corner mid-way through the second half.
Next up was a home game against in form Chesterfield and despite good chances at both ends it ended in a stalemate that the visitors could arguably have won on another day. Jack Lester hit the crossbar in the best effort of a close contest but both sides had to settle for a point.
The final game of September saw the Cobblers travel to Burton Albion and it would be a much more dramatic affair. Calvin Zola put the Brewers in front early on before a Kelvin Langmead own goal made it 2-0 and the game looked dead in the water. But Langmead went up the other end to score almost immediately and Dave Artell scrambled in the leveller. Zander Diamond put the hosts back in front with ten minutes to go but there was still time for Town to pull it back again when Alex Nicholls scored one of the goals of the season with a wonderful chip to grab a point with seven minutes to play.
It was a hectic month but one that took the Cobblers back into the mid-table clutch of teams, though with so few games played we were still just a couple of points away from the top few sides.
League Position (at the end of the month): 13th
Highlight of the month: Jake Robinson’s wonder goal against the Dons.
Lowlight of the month: The stoppage time sinker at Fleetwood.
A Load Of Cobblers 