Play-Off Memories

C L U B H I S T O R I A N E T H A N G R A N D E L O O K S B A C K O N S O M E P R E V I O U S N O R T H A M P T O N T O W N P L A Y - O F F C A M P A I G N S .

2003/04

J U S T A S T H E Y A R E T H I S S E A S O N , T H E C O B B L E R S O P P O N E N T S I N T H E P L A Y - O F F S E M I - F I N A L S W E R E M A N S F I E L D T O W N .

Back in 2004 the first of the two-legged semi-final took place at Sixfields.

Mansfield took the lead five minutes before half-time when Rhys

Day scored with a header from a Liam

Lawrence cross.

Halfway through the second half,

Junior Mendes doubled the away side’s lead from close range after Lee

Harper parried a Tom Curtis shot. In the final minute of the tie, the Cobblers were reduced to ten men when Ashley

Westwood was sent off for a foul on

Colin Larkin, and the match ended 2–0.

The second leg took place four days later at Field Mill where, ten minutes before half-time, the Cobblers went ahead after Marc Richards scored with a volley from a Paul Trollope pass. Chris Hargreaves then scored with a header from a Martin Smith free kick to make it 2–0 at half time, levelling the tie on aggregate with two goals in two minutes.

Thirty-four seconds into the second half, Smith made it 3–0 after Trollope capitalised on a misplaced pass from Wayne Corden and put the Cobblers ahead in the tie for the first time. Tom Curtis, who had already been booked, escaped further sanction for a foul on halfway, and shortly after scored from a rebound to level the tie on aggregate. Regular time finished with the aggregate score 3–3 and the game went into extra time, but with no change to the scoreline, a penalty shootout was required to decide who would go to Wembley.

Both sides scored their first three penalties before Northampton’s Éric Sabin saw his spot kick saved by Kevin Pilkington, the Mansfield goalkeeper. All the remaining penalties were scored, and Mansfield won 5–4 to progress to the final.

2019/20

I N 2 0 1 9 / 2 0 T H E C O B B L E R S R E A C H E D T H E P L A Y - O F F S O N T H E P O I N T S P E R G A M E M E T H O D A S T H E L E A G U E W A S C U T S H O R T D U E T O C O V I D - 1 9 .

Cheltenham Town were the Cobblers opponents in the semi-final, with the first leg being played at Sixfields. Fifteen minutes in, Ryan Broom fouled Michael Harriman in the Cobblers penalty area, but Ryan Watson’s resulting penalty was saved by Owen Evans.

Charlie Raglan put the visitors ahead midway through the first half before Conor Thomas made it 2–0 with four minutes of the game remaining.

The second leg was played at Whaddon Road four days later.

Vadaine Oliver scored Northampton Town’s opening goal with a header in the ninth minute of the match. Twelve minutes into the second half, Callum Morton levelled the aggregate score as the ball deflected off his head after a defensive mix-up in the Cheltenham Town area. He scored his second twenty minutes later when he converted a rebound from a Harriman shot which had struck the post after confusion between Boyle and Evans. The match ended 3–0 to Northampton Town who progressed to the Wembley final with a 3–2 aggregate win.

Exeter awaited the Cobblers at Wembley which, like the semi-final, was being played in an empty stadium due to Covid.

The Cobblers went ahead through Ryan Watson’s early deflected strike after a long throw, before Callum Morton doubled the lead when he reacted quickly to tap in after a free-kick was headed across the face of goal.

Exeter’s Dean Moxey was sent off early in the second half for a foul on Watson before late goals from Sam Hoskins and Andy Williams wrapped the game up.

F O R M O R E H I S T O R Y O F T H E C O B B L E R S F O L L O W C O B B L E R S P A S T O N S O C I A L M E D I A A N D V I S I T C O B B L E R S P A S T. C O M .