ROCKING COBBLERS SHOCK PILGRIMS
REMI Matthews stood between Northampton and a goal blitz but the Cobblers still stepped up their great escape bid.
The Plymouth goalkeeper made a handful of outstanding saves on a day when the rest of Derek Adams’ play-off challengers failed to turn up.
John-Joe O’Toole’s 42nd minute opener and an own goal by defender Sonny Bradley scarcely reflected the home side’s dominance in the sunshine.
“I’m really pleased for everyone – this place was absolutely rocking,” said caretaker boss Dean Austin, whose side are now two points from safety.
“I’ve told the lads to enjoy their day off and prepare for two big games.
“It was a nice moment for Shaun McWilliams to get a standing ovation when he came off and JJ [O’Toole] is a warrior, but it’s hard to single people out.
“Everyone has worked hard on our game over the last couple of weeks.”
And Argyle boss Adams was left fuming.
He admitted: “Northampton were far better. They looked more like a team wanting to avoid relegation than we did a team wanting to make the play-offs.
“That was as poor a performance as I’ve seen from us for a long time and Remi Matthews kept us in the game.
“With four games to go, we can still make the play-offs but we’re going to have to be far better at Rochdale on Tuesday. “Rochdale are going to do exactly the same as Northampton.” Spurred on by a 3-2 win at Bury last week, the Cobblers took the initiative just before the opening goal.
Matthews made the first of his brilliant interventions to deny Sam Hoskins with his chest on 33 minutes. But, although the goalkeeper pulled off another instinctive reflex save from the same player, there was no denying Northampton when Daniel Powell’s scuffed shot was turned in from six yards by O’Toole.
Hoskins was again one-on-one in the 55th minute after shaking off Bradley only for Matthews to save with his legs.
Then, in a hectic spell, Matthews thrillingly denied Matt Crooks after more good play by Hoskins and Ash Taylor smashed a shot over the bar.
The crucial second goal arrived in the 62nd minute when a fierce cross-shot by Powell was deflected into his own net by Bradley at the near post.
Disappointing Plymouth finally emerged from their shell to test Richard O’Donnell when Oscar Threlkeld let fly from a tight angle and the keeper then fielded a long-range Ruben Lameiras strike.
But chances continued to mount at the other end with Mathews denying O’Toole’s header from point-blank range and Powell seeing an effort deflected wide.
Nobody epitomised Northampton’s super-human effort more than ‘local boy’ McWilliams who won a series of 50-50s and even joined in the cavalry charge at the other end.