Fraser Horsfall fires Northampton to win over Newport County

Captain Fraser Horsfall struck the telling blow for the Cobblers from a corner with eight minutes to go just as it looked like the Exiles would leave Sixfields with a deserved point from a tight contest.

It was goalless at the break thanks to a superb goalline clearance from County captain Mickey Demetriou to deny Sam Hoskins after his dinked shot.

The best chance of the game fell to 20-goal striker Dom Telford after 64 minutes but he was denied in a one-on-one.

The Cobblers’ Ali Koiki was just as wasteful with 20 minutes to go, volleying wildly over from close range, but his skipper Horsfall came up with the vital goal.

Northampton took the spoils at Rodney Parade from a free-kick and repeated the trick in the midlands from a corner to do the double over the Exiles.

DESPAIR: Josh Pask

County headed to Northampton on the back of a 2-0 loss at impressive leaders Forest Green Rovers but this was a more even contest that could have gone either way.

Both should be in the promotion mix but James Rowberry’s side now face a potentially pivotal but tough run on home soil with Saturday’s game against Oldham followed by Mansfield, Tranmere, Forest Green and Bristol Rovers.

Just like the loss at Forest Green didn’t merit sitting in a dark room listening to Radiohead, a win at the Cobblers wouldn’t lead to the popping of corks even if County’s record in the town was horrendous.

Newport hadn’t won in Northampton since a triumph at the County Ground in 1977, two years before Kevin Ellison was born.

Admittedly that record only featured five defeats since the return to the EFL in 2013 but it added to the feeling of it being a test of the Exiles’ promotion credentials.

Rowberry made one change to his XI with stalwart Robbie Willmott coming in for Ollie Cooper, adding experience and solidity while also giving the energetic on-loan Swansea prospect a breather after a heavy workload.

It was a cagey opening with County looking to turn their hosts with long balls to the willing Courtney Baker-Richardson and Telford.

One of those earned their first chance of the night in the 11th minute when it was instead taken short for Cameron Norman to find Finn Azaz in the area. His shot was strong but Liam Roberts produced a solid stop.

The Exiles had to be wary of crosses into the box plus Mitch Pinnock’s flat long throw but, with Baker-Richardson in his role of attacking the ball inside his own box, they stood up to the test and it remained goalless after 20 minutes.

The Exiles were denied again by Roberts in the 21st minute when he did well to turn a Telford shot on the turn behind at his near post.

Willmott was twice frustrated by brave blocks in the box as County enjoyed territorial dominance yet they were almost caught on the counter when Louis Appere outpaced Bennett but Beryly Lubala was unable to work Nick Townsend from his cutback.

The Cobblers were even closer after 34 minutes when Sam Hoskins was played in by Paul Lewis, dinked past the ‘keeper but was denied by a sensational clearance off the line by captain Mickey Demetriou.

Northampton enjoyed a strong spell and wanted a penalty when Baker-Richardson once again got back to do defensive work in a challenge with Lewis.

Referee Benjamin Speedie gave a corner that County cleared and it remained goalless at the break.

Northampton had a golden chance to open the scoring just two minutes after the restart when the ball fell kindly to Appere but his left-footed shot from the edge of the area was wild and over; he should have at least tested Townsend.

The home players and crowd were getting agitated by Mr Speedie and his decision-making was increasingly in the spotlight as the hour passed without a goal.

Left-back Ryan Haynes was denied by another block inside the box by Fraser Horsfall after cutting in onto his right.

Rowberry brought on Cooper for Cain after 62 minutes and shortly afterwards the best chance of the game fell to a man that you would have backed to slot.

Finn Azaz played in Telford but Roberts was up to the task in the one-on-one, getting down to his right to keep it goalless.

The Cobblers should have made the most of their let-off with 20 minutes to go when Pinnock cut in on his left to put a cross deep to the far post but Koiki volleyed over from six yards out.

The clock passed 80 and the fear of making a mistake was as strong as the desire to do something special.

In the end it was a set piece that did the damage, Horsfall slotting at the far post after a corner from the right went across the goal.

County centre-back was close to an immediate response only to be denied by a fingertip save before Townsend did well to keep out an effort by Josh Eppiah in a frantic finale.

Sadly there was no late drama from the Exiles and now the pressure is on for a maximum haul when John Sheridan’s Oldham visit on Saturday.

Northampton: Roberts, Guthrie, Horsfall (captain), Hosking, Lewis, Lubala, Pinnock, Koiki, McWilliams, Magloire, Appere.
Substitutes: Harriman, Pollock, Kanu, Eppiah, Mills, Maxted, Rose.
Yellow: Pinnock, Magloire
Goal: Horsfall.

County: Townsend, Norman, Haynes, Pask, Demetriou (captain), Bennett, Willmott (Street 82), Cain (Cooper 62), Azaz, Telford, Baker-Richardson.
Day: Clarke, Lewis, Dolan, Waite.
Yellow: Cooper, Norman.

Referee: Benjamin Speedie
Attendance: 4,255 (228 away)