The English Football League is something of unparalleled beauty. The passion, the supporters, the grounds; the football. The EFL has it all, it has a charm. A charm that has bypassed the Premier League in fact. The EFL does not have room for foam fingers and VAR. It may get a bad reputation from “big-six” supporters, but what do they know about football; and I mean real football. A football jam packed with passionate season ticket holders supporting their local team, and free of plastic, glory-hunting fans living many miles from their supposed club.
Monday 22nd June, 2020. Manchester City are preparing to face-off against Burnley, in a game that ended as many predicted it would. 5-0 to the champions of England. However, 130 miles away in Cheltenham, a League Two play-off semi-final second leg is about to kick-off. Northampton Town FC head into the game 2-0 down on aggregate and are going to have to sacrifice life and limb away from home if they want to secure a place at Wembley. Their opponents, the home team, Cheltenham Town FC. A team who played a very attractive style of football in the first leg, are now also going to have to sacrifice life and limb to defend their two goal lead. A lead that if they hold on to, would secure them a place at Wembley. With the Premier League title basically in Liverpool’s hands, surely, I wasn’t going to miss this League Two classic.
Well, it’s safe to say Northampton were definitely the team to start strongest. Their direct style, though not very attractive, was putting Cheltenham under a lot of pressure. It didn’t take long for Northampton to go in front, as in the 9th minute, Vadaine Oliver headed them into the lead. Still trailing 1-2 on aggregate, the job certainly was not done, and Cheltenham were beginning to wake up a little. As the 20th minute approached, Cheltenham started launching more offensives on the Northampton goal and as the 30th minute approached, the nature of the game was becoming more end to end. As the first half was drawing to a close, it was apparent that no one was going to score before the break. Northampton’s Alan McCormack, who hasn’t scored in three years, tried, and failed to find the net from two long range efforts. Charlie Goode, a League Two Rory Delap attempted to utilise his long-throwing talent to create a few more chances for Northampton. However, the half-time whistle blew before anything could come of them.
During the break, Cheltenham boss Michael Duff brought on striker, Reuben Reid. A goal was needed to widen the gap and Duff felt Reid was the man who could make the difference. However, just before the hour mark, Northampton levelled the aggregate score. In an attempt to make a clearance, Cheltenham’s captain, Ben Tozer headed the ball straight at Callum Morton who had no trouble converting. Now, I’m not doubting the player’s finishing ability, however, the short distance in which the ball had to travel to reach the Northampton striker’s head certainly made the goal appear more like a ricochet than anything else. Although, to claim Northampton’s lead in this leg was anything to do with luck would be borderline insanity. The team were playing with real quality and a third goal was certainly not impossible. Then, in the 77th minute, it happened. Cheltenham defender, Will Boyle’s sudden lapse in concentration allowed Michael Harriman to get a shot on goal. A shot that goalkeeper, Owen Evans was able to tip on to the post. Unfortunately for Evans, it was the inside of the post and the ball was thus teed up nicely for Callum Morton to fire home. Morton was offered two more goal scoring opportunities before the final whistle; one of which would have been a certain goal if he had squared it to Harriman. The other, a poor shot from close range that he managed to send flying over the crossbar.
This meant that in typical style, the final 10 minutes of the game would be dominated by Cheltenham who were desperate to find a goal that would draw the tie on aggregate. An unusually high seven minutes of added time was the lifeline they needed. As we entered the dying embers of the game, one last header was fired at the Northampton goal. Saved! Cheltenham were out of the play-offs, after bottling a 2-0 lead on aggregate. A brilliant display from Northampton Town FC, who had managed to score three goals away from home. A win that would book them a place in the final at Wembley.
Joe Avery Reynolds 