WILDER LIKING NEW DILEMMA
CHRIS Wilder admits he has a selection headache after Northampton stormed to victory at Morecambe – and the Cobblers boss would love to have more.
Captain and top scorer Marc Richards watched the game from the bench after picking up a slight side strain in training, but in his absence Lawson D’Ath, Sam Hoskins, Joel Byrom and Dominic Calvert-Lewin all netted.
Tom Barkhuizen’s strike and Ryan Cresswell’s own goal gave the score a more respectable look for Morecambe, but Wilder’s biggest disappointment was that his side had not scored more.
“Whether or not to put Marc Richards back in now is the sort of selection decision I’d love to have more of,” he said.
“I thought Dominic Calvert-Lewin was outstanding in his place. As soon as we scored we took the game away from them.
“We talked about not being a yo-yo side.We needed to back up the win against Oxford and we backed it up in style.
“In truth, there was a spell in the second half where I was disappointed we didn’t add to our tally. But to come to a team bang in form, and to score four goals, it’s a really good result for us.”
Morecambe actually started the brighter of the two, and Kevin Ellison’s side-foot volley was tipped acrobatically over by Adam Smith on 14 minutes.
But having weathered the Morecambe storm, the Cobblers soon reaped their rewards – Nicky Adams crossing left-footed on 31 minutes for D’Ath to volley in unmarked.
Morecambe looked shellshocked and just three minutes later Buchanan’s low left-wing cross was missed at the back post to allow Hoskins to double the lead side-footed.
Byrom made it three on 48 minutes, curling a left-footed free-kick in from the right which beat everyone to sneak in at the back post.
But for Barry Roche’s fine double save, to deny both Adams and Hoskins on 52 minutes, it could have got worse for the hosts too. Barkhuizen gave Morecambe hope on 67 minutes, rising highest to head in from a corner.
But Calvert-Lewin restored the three-goal advantage on 69 minutes, Adams again starting the move which ended with him back- heeling Alfie Potter’s cross in.
Still Morecambe were not finished – Ellison’s low cross trickling in at the back post on 86 minutes after deflecting off Cresswell but it was too little, too late.
And boss Jim Bentley admitted: “I’ve been let down.We played well for the first 30 minutes but quite a few of our usually reliable players had a real bad day at the office, and it’s not like them. The first goal took the wind out of our sails.
“I’ve said to the lads I can accept being beaten but it’s the manner of it. Too many players really dipped below their best.We know at this level, if that happens, you’ll get found wanting. “We were five unbeaten before this but got beaten by the better team.”