What a game

By Nathan Jackson
April 13 2004

A sellout crowd at Northampton's Sixfields saw a brilliant end to end game which ended 1-1 thanks to a late equaliser from Simon Yeo and sees City's unbeaten run stretch to 8 games.

Northampton got the match underway and went on the break immediatly but Josh Low's shot wasn't enough to trouble Marriott. The 1250 Imps fans were roaring their team on and City almost scored just a few minutes later with Gary Fletcher going on one of his trademark runs before releasing a cross but Futcher headed the chance wide.

City pressed and again came close but Peter Gain's left footed volley went just past the upright and into the crowd. Northampton started to come back into the game and despite good efforts from Low, Reeves and Taylor it seemed like it wasn't going to be a high scoring game.

A foul by Taylor on Bailey saw a free kick awarded and the swinging free kick from Ellison was met by Futcher but his downward header hit the base of the post.

It seemed to be heading into half time 0-0 but then a cross from Low was rifled in by Paul Trollope to send most of the capacity crowd into delirium and Northampton leading into the break.

The 2nd began pretty much the same but City looked ineffictive, especially Marcus Richardson who wasted so many chances it was unbelievable. Then came the turning point in the game.

Northampton had a free kick about 25 yards out of goal. The ball hit the bar but Marriott had committed himself and was on the ground, a scramble encured and Derek Asamoah shot but Marriott brilliantly jumped for it but realising he had dived out of the way of the ball, turned in mid air and produced a truly excellent save to keep the Imps in the game.

Soon after, Yeo and Butcher were introduced but nothing really happened for a while until a cross from Kevin Ellison in the 84th minute, went to be kicked by the Northampton keeper but Yeo got the faintest touch and the ball was missed by Harper and went into the back of the net to send the 1250 Imps fans into nirvana.

City could have made it 2-1 less than a minute later as Gary Fletcher broke one on one with Harper but his shot went just wide and that was the last incident of one of the better games of the season.