Exeter came out on top in an entertaining game between two of the better teams in the league at St James Park.

Northampton came into the game as one of the form teams in the division, having won five and drawn the other of their last six league matches, as well as two wins in the FA Cup in that time, a run that had taken them into the playoffs and only 2 points behind Exeter who sat in fourth.

The game was quite lively to start with; Northampton had some joy attacking down their right-hand side, where Adams and Goode combined well to put a few dangerous crosses in. The Grecians also has a couple of attempts at goal, Ryan Bowman curled one just wide after ten minutes. After that, the game began to shift into Town’s favour.

Northampton were troubling Exeter with long balls towards Vadaine Oliver, the Exeter back three struggling to deal with him for most of the first half. The Cobblers could’ve been ahead after Dean Moxey slipped up, but Archie Collins made a terrific sliding challenge to block the original shot, and the rebound went wide of the target. However, Northampton kept up the pressure, and their efforts were rewarded after thirty-four minutes. Exeter failed to clear a corner multiple times, and eventually, the ball fell to Charlie Goode on the edge of the box, and the visitors’ captain volleyed home to give his side the lead.

That lead was short-lived though, as Exeter soon had an equaliser. Nicky Law played a quick free-kick to Randell Williams on the right-wing. He cut inside and unleashed a shot from 20 yards that flew through a crowd of bodies and into the bottom corner. There was time for one more chance at the end of the first half: Bowman’s header was comfortably saved by Cornell.

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While the sides went into half time quite level, the Grecians were far better afterwards. After Fisher was fouled, Jack Sparkes struck the base of the post with a fantastic free-kick. Fisher almost had the ball in the back of the net minutes later, after Bowman squared it across for him, but the ball got stuck under his feet, and he ended up in a bundle on the goal line, but just couldn’t squeeze it in.

Exeter finally got the reward that their play so far in the second half deserved on the 64th minute. From a short corner, Williams went past his man and swung a cross into the six-yard box, where Aaron Martin had a simple header after out-jumping his marker.

And they got another one just a few minutes later. Another corner was cleared away, but only as far as Sparkes, who put in a magnificent cross for Alex Fisher, whose powerful header found the back of the net.

After the third goal, Exeter began to sit back and attempted to contain Northampton. Bowman had another curling shot that just went wide of the post before the Cobblers eventually got back into the game. Hoskins did well to run past two Exeter defenders and finessed it into the bottom left to give the visitors a route back into the game with ten minutes left.

However, Exeter did well to hold out from the Town attacks, and, with a bit of time-wasting and holding the ball in the corner, they managed to get the three points.

The win takes Exeter into second place, though having played a game extra than some of their rivals. Meanwhile, Northampton’s unbeaten run came to an end, but they can be proud of a very strong performance, probably the best team to have visited St James Park this season (bar Swindon). They drop down to seventh, though I would expect them to finish higher based on that performance.

Man of the match would have to go to Randell Williams for me, who was excellent. Despite being one of the top assisters in the country, he often comes under criticism from some of the Exeter fan base for his lack of final quality, however, no one could question his contribution to the team after this performance. Scoring one goal, creating another, and involved in the third, it’s hard to imagine the result would’ve been the same without him.

Referee: Niel Hair

Attendance: 3971 (247)

Goals: Goode 33’, Hoskins 79’, Williams 38’, Martin 64’, Fisher 66’

words Corey Baker, Exeter City fan