Northampton Town made Fulham wait until the final day of the season to clinch a spot in the Division Two play-offs after a second half winner from Dean Peer this afternoon – much to the disappointment of an angry Ray Wilkins.
Peer bundled in the only goal of the game of the game from a couple of yards out just before the hour after the visitors had failed to deal with a Cobblers corner. Northampton’s surprise success disappointed the almost 1,000 supporters who had made the journey to Sixfields with thousands more watching a beamback at Craven Cottage – whilst Wilkins raged at his side’s set-piece shortcomings:
The Fulham manager said: “On a scale of nought to ten for disappointments, this rates as eleven. Northampton have had practically just one shot all game and I’m upset we should concede a goal from a set-piece as we have worked on defending them in training all week.”
The Cottagers had dominated the contest but couldn’t find a way past the inspired Cobblers’ custodian Andy Woodman who denied Paul Peschisolido and Tony Thorpe with stunning says. The Whites’ wastefulness in front of goal was summed up when substitute Thorpe somehow miskicked from ten yards out having been teed up by Paul Moody for what looked like a guaranteed equaliser.
NORTHAMPTON TOWN (5-3-2): Woodman; Sampson, Frain, Warburton, Hill, Clarkson; Peer, Dozzell, Hunt; Freestone, Seal (Gayle 75). Subs (not used): Gibb, Wilson.
BOOKED: Hunt, Freestone
GOAL: Peer (58).
FULHAM (4-4-2): Taylor; Morgan, Lawrence, Blake, Coleman; Bracewell, Smith, W. Collins, Beardsley (Brazier 74), Moody, Peschisolido (Thorpe 60). Subs (not used): Trollope.
BOOKED: Smith.
REFEREE: Chris Foy (Merseyside).
ATTENDANCE: 7,443.
