Northampton v Scunthorpe United

Saturday, April 9, 2005

Football League Two

Northampton :
Harper, Togwell, Westwood, Willmott (Sabin 78), Murray, Low, Rowson (Williamson 54), Hearn, Smith (Galbraith 89), Kirk, McGleish
Subs not used:
Chambers, Hunt

Scunthorpe United :
Musselwhite, Hinds, Crosby, Byrne, Ridley, Sparrow, Baraclough, Kell, Corden (Taylor 84), Hayes, Torpey (Rankine 85)
Subs not used:
Evans, Beagrie, Keogh

SULSESC REPORT

by Mark Borrill at Sixfields Stadium

LIKE Bob Dook with Darlington, I loathe and detest everything evenly remotely connected to Northampton.

However, since 'Singapore Bob' magnanimously declined to launch a tirade against Darlo, I will follow his example viz a viz a small town near Towcester.

On a weekend which saw the fancy burial of an old Polish bloke in Italy, the marriage of a jug-eared social security scrounger near Slough, a canine bereavement in south Birmingham, and someone in the military called General Election vying for our attention, obviously the most significant event was the Iron's promotion stumble.

A goal, and nearly two, down within five minutes seemed to be the prelude to yet another away day failure. Why the home side failed to press home their advantage is not my concern, but United were able to take the initiative, dominate play and quickly turn the game round.

Statistically, we won 2-1 away to well-placed opponents, although I feel the true significance of this result reaches much further. Apart from playing well, and actually getting an away win to offset those home draws, our destiny is back in our own hands with games running out.

Also, team confidence must have been boosted at this critical stage and it is often those intangible factors that prove vital.

Obviously, as Darren remarked, a 3-0 home reversal to Cambridge next week would rectify today's result but, from a selfish point of view, even if we do fail to go up, beating this lot twice will do for me this season. Okay, so I'm easily pleased but, conversely, I am not often disappointed by the Iron, merely dismayed.