Curle clinches promotion at last as Cobblers put boot in
KEITH CURLE was the king of Wembley’s cardboard city – although no one was there to see his finest hour as a manager.
After more than 500 games and 16 years trawling the lower divisions, Curle finally won his first promotion as a boss in a spookily deserted cavern where the only fans were cardboard cut-outs.
Now, at last, he has a reason to celebrate. Northampton Town, nicknamed the Cobblers, are tough as old boots and the former England defender has led them into League One.
For the first time at a major final, Wembley Way was deserted.
In the absence of real fans, each end of the ground was decorated with hundreds of life-size cut-outs.
It took 11 minutes for the Cobblers to get on the front foot. Ryan Watson shifted Charlie Goode’s half-cleared long throw on to his left boot and smuggled his 20-yard shot beyond keeper Jonny Maxted.
Twenty minutes later, Northampton were a social distance ahead as Callum Morton, a two-goal hero in the semi-final comeback against Cheltenham, prodded home from six yards.
All hopes of a Grecians fightback evaporated 14 minutes into the second period when Dean Moxey was sent off for a spiteful challenge on Watson.
Sam Hoskins then made it 3-0 before substitute Andy Williams rounded things off with the fourth goal.
Morton said: “It couldn’t have gone any better. We’ve played out of our skins and now we’re in League One.”