Street’s hopes of a playoff place at the end of the season took something of a knock in this bruising encounter with a team who had beaten them 3-0 in the reverse fixture back in November.

From the outset the visitors seemed quicker to the ball and more determined in the tackle, denying The Cobblers space and time to build any sort of forward momentum and it really came as no surprise when Brislington opened the scoring in the 25 th minute, taking advantage of some wayward passing at the back with their striker having all the time in the world to finish. Street nearly came back into the game when their best move saw Callum Laird’s fierce drive beat the keeper only to be cleared off the line but no-one could deny Brislington deserved their halftime lead.

They put the game to bed early in the second half with a second goal from a breakaway and thereafter, for all Street’s efforts, lacking any real presence up front with Harry Foster absent injured and Freddie Haden having to go off with what looked like a groin issue, the final result was never in doubt. Towards the end the game descended into scrappiness with the visiting skipper being given his marching orders after two yellow cards in quick succession for a couple of over-robust challenges and The Cobblers’ Toby Stephens shown a straight red for his retaliation as victim of the second which will sadly earn him a three-game ban.