League Two nightmare now a reality for Athletic

George Edmundson gave Latics a 30th minute lead with his first goal for the club before a Matt Grimes penalty and an Ash Taylor strike in first-half stoppage time put the Cobblers in control.

Tom Hamer nodded the visitors level 10 minutes into the second half but it wasn’t enough to ensure survival.

Doing things the easy way has never been Athletic’s chosen specialist subject – and it didn’t take the genius knowledge of a mastermind contestant to work out what was required here.

How they were going to do it on the other hand – coming into this one on a dismal run of just one win in 11 – was a conundrum which simply had to be solved as the clock ticked on the countdown to end of term.

Victory spelt survival – all is well with the world. Any other result and the chase was always going to be on for Rochdale.

Richie Wellens made one change to the side which drew 0-0 at home to Doncaster last week with Wilfried Moimbe returning at left-back following his four-match ban. Kundai Benyu made way with Gevaro Nepomuceno moving into midfield.

With the Cobblers already having both feet in League Two – they would have needed to win by nine goals and also hope for a Rochdale defeat – caretaker boss Dean Austin insisted before kick-off that his side wouldn’t be doing any favours for anyone and would come out fighting.

That much was evident as the home side made the brighter start with Latics struggling for any kind of foothold.

It took a good 20 minutes for the visitors to settle and Duckens Nazon’s header over the top from Jack Byrne’s cross sparked an improvement.

Four minutes later, Eoin Doyle failed to get a shot away when he was played in by Dan Gardner. Then Nazon’s shot was saved at the second attempt by Richard O’Donnell in the Cobblers’ goal.

Taylor gave Athletic a reminder when he flashed a header wide from a corner as the game swung end to end.

The match was warming up and, together with the bright sunshine, it was young centre back Edmundson who sent temperatures soaring when he stroked Nazon’s cross home on the half-hour mark.

Cue flares and wild celebrations from the Latics fans.

They were brought crashing back down to Earth three minutes before the break however, when goalkeeper Johny Placide sent Sam Hoskins tumbling in the area. Grimes crashed home the equaliser from the spot.

Disaster struck in the fourth minute of first-half stoppage time when Taylor fired Northampton in front after Placide failed to deal with Leon Barnett’s effort which came back of the post.

With Rochdale level at 0-0 against Charlton, as it stood at half time, Latics were down.

Supporters were still catching their breath when 18-year-old Hamer nodded Athletic level in confident style from Byrne’s floated free-kick 10 minutes into the second half. Suddenly Wellens’ men were safe again.

Then, when news filtered through that Rochdale substitute Joe Thompson had given Dale the lead at Spotland, Latics were back in the bottom four. Nerves shredded.

Athletic sub Craig Davies had a great chance to put his side back in front but could only head Moimbe’s cross over the top on 65 minutes.

Nazon then flashed a shot wide with 15 minutes to go as Latics pressed.

With reports now coming through that Rochdale had beaten Charlton 1-0, five minutes of time added on were signalled as tension mounted.

A goal now would have kept Latics in the division. It wasn’t to be.

Athletic relegated, Rochdale survive.

LATICS (4-4-2): Placide, Hunt, Edmundson, Hamer, Moimbe; Gardner (Benyu 73), Byrne, Pringle, Nepomuceno (Davies 56); Nazon (Amadi-Holloway 82), Doyle. Subs not used: Dela Paz, Stott, Obadeyi, McEleney.

Booked: Gardner.

NORTHAMPTON: O’Donnell, Moloney, Taylor, Barnett, Buchanan, Foley (Bridge 70), McWilliams (Roberts 90), Grimes, Powell, O’Toole, Hoskins. Subs not used: Cornell, Poole, Turnbull, Luckassen, Van Veen. Booked: McWilliams.

Referee: Keith Stroud.

Attendance: 6,511 (1,453 away)