Northampton eased their relegation worries with a comprehensive 4-0 victory over Stockport.
Northampton ease relegation fears
Northampton Town eased their relegation worries with a comprehensive 4-0 victory over Stockport County at Sixfields on Saturday.
Two goals in each half gave Northampton three valuable points and the margin of victory could have been more as the Cobblers created chances with ease against a ragged Stockport defence.
Adebayo Akinfenwa marked his return from a four-match suspension with his 12th goal of the season in the 12th minute, finding the top corner after on-loan signing Aleksandar Prijovic pulled the ball back.
Chris O'Grady twice went close and Greg Tansey saw a goalbound shot blocked by Jason Crowe as Stockport briefly threatened an equaliser. But Abdul Osman doubled Northampton's advantage in the 45th minute, converting at the far post from Luke Guttridge's delivery for his second goal of the season.
Crowe, Osman and Guttridge all went close at the start of the second half before Stockport's Leon McSweeney had an effort ruled out for offside in the 68th minute.
Three minutes later the impressive Guttridge crowned his performance with Northampton's third goal, seizing on a poor clearance to find the net with a low drive from the edge of the box. Substitute Scott Vernon added a fourth in the 79th minute, the on-loan Colchester striker marking his debut with a simple goal after keeper Owain Fon Williams dropped a cross from Liam Davis.
