Northampton Town 2 Southend United 1 at Sixfields

Northampton Town 2 Southend United 1: The Cobblers came from behind to grab the points and halt the Blue's winning run after Anthony Grant had given them an early second half lead. Paul Sturrock has named an unchanged starting line-up for this afternoon's match at Northampton Town. That means Blair Sturrock continues in attack with the fit-again Barry Corr on the bench.Blues went in to the showdown at the Sixfields Stadium on the back of three victories and they looked like making it four when Anthony Grant fired them ahead at the start of the second half. But Northampton had other ideas and goals from Abdul Osman and skipper Andy Holt secured the home-side their first league victory of the season. The game had been slow in starting with the only excitement early on being a third minute volley from Town new boy Leon McKenzie deflected off Sean Clohessy and flew only inches wide of the left post with Blues goalkeeper Glenn Morris wrong-footed. Both sides then struggled to keep hold of the ball during a scrappy period of play but Southend should have opened the scoring in the 22nd minute when a chipped Josh Simpson pass picked out the run of Blair Sturrock. But, with just the advancing Northampton goalkeeper - Chris Dunn - to beat, the Scottish striker sliced a woeful left footed shot well wide of the left post from eight yards when he should have done better. Twenty minutes later, Ryan Hall blasted a long range effort straight at Dunn with the game's first shot on target but free-flowing football and any excitement remained in short supply. A fine right wing cross from Grant, which was not reached by Sturrock at the back post, momentarily livened up proceedings just before the half-time break . And, at the start of the second period, a left wing corner from Hall was headed only inches off target by Chris Barker before Blues came close to opening the scoring in the 55th minute with a well worked free-kick. That saw Louie Soares roll the ball in to the path of Grant who blasted a 25 yard shot just inches past the left post. But the let-off was only shortlived for Northampton as Paul Sturrock's side broke the deadlock just two minutes later when a deep right wing cross from Clohessy found Grant at the back post and the midfielder made no mistake with an assured first time volley from six yards. Blues' lead was to last just six minutes though as the Cobblers netted a quick equaliser when Osman lashed a 14 yard shot in to the roof of the net. In a bid to get his side back in front, Blues boss Sturrock responded by bringing on Barry Corr in place of Soares and Southend did almost regain the lead when a 20 yard shot from Grant fizzed just over the crossbar. But, in the 75th minute, it was Cobblers who netted what proved to be the winning goal when Kevin Thornton's left wing corner was headed home by an unmarked Holt from six yards. In reply, Sturrock brought on both Scott Spencer and Matt Paterson in attack but Northampton remained solid and it was them who came closest to scoring late on with Osman heading Courtney Herbert's right wing free-kick against the foot of the right post. Morris 7 - Clohessy 7 - Gilbert 7 - Mohsni 5 - Barker 7 - Easton 6 - Grant 8 - Hall 7 - Simpson 6 - Sturrock 6 - Soars 5 - SubsCorr 6 - Paterson 6 - Spencer 6 -

Source: FOOTYMAD