Northampton Town made the trip to Huish Park on Bank Holiday Monday afternoon for their first ever Nationwide League meeting with recently promoted Yeovil Town. Friday night's win over Darlington had come at a price, with both Chris Willmott (dead leg) and Martin Reeves (back) missing the trip. Ian Sampson replaced Willmott, while Oli Burgess took over from Reeves.

n Paul Reid celebrates giving the Cobblers an early lead. Picture Pete Norton

The Cobblers got the game underway, wearing an unfamiliar strip of all claret and were under pressure early  when Yeovil broke away but the cross was too deep and thankfully the offside flag was raised.  In a busy opening five minutes the Cobblers caused Yeovil problems when Lawrie Dudfield made a powerful run and only dogged defending denied Martin Smith a shooting opportunity.  The first chance fell to the Cobblers when Paul Trollope's corner was gathered in by Ian Sampson who laid the ball back for Paul Reid on the edge of the area who struck a low first time shot into the bottom corner of Chris Weale's net to give the Cobblers the lead.

Determined defending from the Cobblers on eleven minutes denied an equaliser for the home side as Eabdelhalim El Kholti's goal bound shot was well charged down.  Again, resolute defending from the Cobblers denied O'Brien on eighteen minutes as Lawrie Dudfield bravely blocked his effort, which was deflected behind.  The resulting corner was met by Darren Way, but his header was cleared off the line by Peter Clark.

The Cobblers nearly doubled their lead on thirty-three minutes as Yeovil struggled to clear an Oli Burgess corner, the ball fell to Lawrie Dudfield, but his snap-shot was superbly saved at close range by Chris Weale.  Mr Tomlin then produced the first yellow card of the match, when Peter Clark was penalised for holding back Kevin Gall.  Colin Pluck stepped up to take the free-kick but his 20 yard effort was struck into the defensive wall.  Yeovil picked up two bookings in quick succession when Adam Lockwood was cautioned for a foul on Oli Burgess and just two minutes later Gavin Williams saw yellow for dissent when he felt a free-kick should have been awarded.  From Glyn Thompson's forty-first minute goal kick, Chris Hargreaves knocked the ball down for Martin Smith, who laid a perfectly weighted through ball for Josh Low to race past the covering defender, draw the 'keeper and finish low into the empty net to give the Cobblers a two-goal advantage at half -time.

The second half started at a much slower pace than the first and chances were few and far between in the opening ten minutes.  Ian Sampson collected a caution for the Cobblers for a body check on fifty-six minutes.  On the hour mark Yeovil should have reduced the arrears, when Kevin Gall was left unmarked in the Cobblers area, but his weak header was easily gathered by Glyn Thompson in the Cobblers goal.  Just a minute later Kirk Jackson was denied a shooting chance by brave goalkeeping, the loose ball fell to Kevin Gall but his effort was straight at Glyn Thompson who had done well to recover from his earlier block.  Both sides made a change just after the hour mark, firstly the Cobblers brought on Marc Richards for Martin Smith on sixty-two minutes, whilst Yeovil replaced Kirk Jackson with Adam Stansfield on sixty-four minutes.

Adam Lockwood missed a glorious opportunity on sixty-five minutes when he headed over the bar from just two yards out as Yeovil increased the pressure on the Cobblers defence.  Yeovil made a seventy-first minute change introducing 6' 8" Hugo Rodrigues to the heart of the Glovers defence to replace Colin Pluck.  Marc Richards was cautioned on seventy-four minutes for delaying Yeovil the chance to take a quick throw-in.  Yeovil made their third and final change on seventy-seven minutes as Paul Terry replaced Andrew Lindergaard.  Within the space of two minutes the Cobblers picked up two further yellow cards as firstly Trollope was penalised for not retreating ten yards at a free-kick which was followed by a yellow card for Oli Burgess following a foul challenge.

n Lawrie Dudfield with Hugo Rodrigues.  Picture Pete Norton

Low should have put the Cobblers further ahead in stoppage time, but with just the 'keeper to beat his effort was well blocked by Chris Weale.

The Cobblers though came away from Huish Park with another three points on the board giving them a maximum haul from the bank holiday period, whilst the large contingent of the 6,105 crowd went home disappointed having lost their second game in succession.

Cobblers: Thompson, Chambers, Clark, Sampson, Reid, Low, Burgess, Trollope, Hargreaves, Dudfield (sub Harsley 88), Smith (sub Richards 62).
Subs not used: Youngs, Harper, Carruthers