Cobblers too good for Barnet
Northampton maintained their promotion push with a comfortable 3-0 victory over Barnet.
Cobblers took a fifth-minute lead when Sam Hoskins swept home a low cross from Lawson D'Ath following a neat build-up.
Ian Lawlor kept Barnet in the contest when he produced a superb double save to deny Ricky Holmes before recovering to foil D'Ath with a point-blank stop from the rebound.
Adam Smith saved well from John Akinde's header and Curtis Weston fired over from a long range for Barnet. But it was Cobblers who still posed the greater threat and in between times Marc Richards headed over.
Northampton squandered chances to double their advantage with D'Ath missing a good chance just before the break.
Cobblers finally doubled their lead seven minutes after the restart when Holmes won the ball and exchanged passes with Richards before racing into the box to beat Lawlor.
David Buchanan fired into the side-netting before Cobblers increased their lead on the hour mark when Holmes turned provider, releasing top scorer Richards who beat Lawlor with a clinical finish.
Weston fired over from a good position but Lawlor denied D'Ath from close range before the Barnet keeper clawed away a shot from Hoskins.
Lawlor also palmed over a close-range effort from Holmes and turned Brendan Moloney's long range effort around the upright as Cobblers threatened more goals in the closing stages.
Source: PA
