Northampton produced an awe-inspiring fightback to overcome a two-goal first-leg deficit and stun Cheltenham in a thrilling playoff display at Whaddon Road.

A 9th-minute Vadaine Oliver header and two second-half goals from 20-year-old Callum Morton secured a 3-2 win on aggregate and a place for the Cobblers in next week’s League Two playoff final at Wembley Stadium, at the expense of the disconsolate Robins.

Cheltenham had comprehensively outclassed Northampton in the first leg of the tie at Sixfields Stadium, but it was roles reversed at Whaddon Road as the Robins crumpled in the face of a relentless, tenacious and never-say-die performance from Keith Curle’s Cobblers side.

Curle made only one alteration to the starting eleven which had been defeated the previous week, dropping James Olayinka in order to accommodate top-scorer Sam Hoskins, who was returning from a suspension.

It proved to be an inspired change as the Cobblers produced a sterling performance to deliver Curle his first ever playoff final as a manager.

Northampton were quickest out of the blocks and created a chance within five minutes when a neat Nicky Adams cross found the head of Callum Morton in the box, but the striker was unable to make enough contact to trouble Owen Evans between the sticks for Cheltenham.

Moments later, the Cobblers had the early goal they desperately needed when another inch-perfect Adams delivery was met by the leaping Vadaine Oliver, who headed in from close range to give his side hope.

Cheltenham struggled to settle after conceding early and found life difficult in midfield as revitalised pair Ryan Watson and Alan McCormack pulled the strings for Northampton.

The away side missed first-half opportunities to level the tie when Morton and McCormack both blazed shots over the bar, whilst Oliver headed a Charlie Goode cross marginally too high.

Cheltenham briefly asserted some control over proceedings as the interval approached, with Jonte Smith screwing a shot wide of the post and Alfie May having his strike blocked by Cobblers captain Goode.

Robins boss Michael Duff introduced powerhouse striker Reuben Reid after the break, but his side started the second half no better than the first, as their error-strewn, panicked play offered Northampton more chances. Oliver’s strike from distance was saved by Evans before Adams hit an effort inches wide of the post.

The tie became all-square on aggregate after 57 minutes courtesy of a trademark set-piece Northampton goal. Adams’ excellent delivery was headed goalwards by Goode, and an attempted headed clearance by the Robins’ Ben Tozer deflected off Morton and into the net.

With the wind in their sails and bolstered further by the introduction of impressive youngster Olayinka from the bench, the Cobblers then went in search of the winner.

It came 14 minutes from time as a result of a calamitous Cheltenham defensive debacle, when Evans and defender Will Boyle both left the ball for each other – allowing Northampton’s Michael Harriman to slip in and fire a shot goalwards. Though Harriman’s effort rebounded off the post, the ever-industrious Callum Morton was first to it and tapped in to give his side a 3-2 lead in the tie.

Having conceded three goals at home for the first time this season, Cheltenham pushed desperately for a late leveller but could not find a way through the resilient Cobblers defence in a jittery conclusion.

Callum Morton had a chance to net a hat-trick when breaking away on a counter-attack late on, but this time Evans was equal to his strike.

The final whistle after seven minutes of tense stoppage time marked a famous odds-defying victory for this plucky Northampton Town side, who will now face Exeter City in Monday’s playoff final at Wembley.

Manager Reaction

Cheltenham boss Michael Duff said:

“We got what we deserved.

“We didn’t turn up. We got beaten up. We didn’t do the basics of the game, which we normally do well.

“Every department of the game, we didn’t do very well. That’s why we got a result like that.
“It’s the first time we’ve been beaten up this season. The third goal encapsulated the night’s performance, which is disappointing because it was on the biggest stage.”They [Northampton] play in a very basic way, but they do it very effectively. I’m not going to say there’s a certain way to play – play to your strengths. They did it. I thought [Vadaine] Oliver was a handful, Callum Morton never stopped running all game, and they did it better than us – there’s no getting away from it.

“The ultimate feeling is that they [the Cheltenham players] are devastated. That’s a year’s work, there’s been blood, sweat and tears. It’s difficult to reflect on it positively, but if you take where we’ve been and where we are now… we’re disappointed that we’ve not just got to Wembley.

“It has been a good season, absolutely no doubt about that, we’ve just finished fourth in the league. So it’s mixed emotions.”

Northampton manager Keith Curle said:
“I’m immensely proud of the players, the coaching staff. But the staff at the football club – the medical staff, the CEO, the Chairman, the secretary – they’ve all played their part by giving us a platform to go and perform, whereby the focus is on the football.”After the [first leg]… all the players were thinking that they were going to be shown clips of the game back, but we didn’t. We showed them a clip of a documentary when Arsenal had to go to Anfield and win 2-0 to win the league.

“It resonated with me, and I wanted to pass that onto the players – that if you believe, something can happen.

“The first goal was vitally important… our plan was to get the first goal, knowing then that it can have an impact.

“The application of the players, the attitude, the focus of the players [was] very good.

“The players will have a day to embrace what they’ve done today… we don’t look forward until we have looked back.

“There’s a reason why we play the way that we play. There’s a belief in what we do. And on our day, it can be difficult to play against.

“We will go to Wembley and we will play the game, not the occasion.”

Teams and Player Ratings

Cheltenham Town: Evans 5/10, Raglan 5, Tozer 4, Boyle 4, Long 4, Broom 4, Thomas 4, Doyle-Hayes 5, Hussey 5, May 4, Smith 4

Subs: Reid (for Smith, 45′) 5, Addai (for Broom, 62′) 4, Ince (for Doyle-Hayes, 62′) 5, Nichols (for Raglan, 81′) 4

Subs not used: Clements, Sheaf, Debayo, Lovett, Greaves

Northampton Town: Arnold 8, Goode 9, Turnbull 9, Wharton 8, Harriman 9, McCormack 9, Watson 8, Hoskins 8, Adams 9, Morton 10, Oliver 9

Subs: Olayinka (for McCormack, 71′) 8, Martin (for Adams, 86′) 7, Smith (for Oliver, 84′) 7

Subs not used: Cornell, Williams, Lines, Warburton, Anderson, Marshall

Referee: Leigh Doughty

Star Man: Callum Morton (Northampton)

words Toby Foster, Northampton Town fan