After three successive league defeats The Cobblers needed a win to keep their playoff hopes alive and a massive boost was provided by the return to The Tannery of Phil Ormrod enabling manager Ben Watson to name a very attacking lineup for this vital fixture. That was counterbalanced by the worrying sight of Archie Heywood leaving the field in the first half with what looks like a knee problem although on the day his absence had little impact on a game that the home side dominated from start to finish, the
visitors’ only threat coming in the first few minutes when Cobblers keeper Lewis Williams was required to make a fine one-on-one save.

Thereafter it was pretty much one-way traffic with only some misplaced passes in the final third preventing Street from carving out any clear chances. It wasn’t therefore surprising that when they did finally score in the 42 nd minute it came from a set-piece, Jake Horsey heading Eli Collins’ long diagonal free-kick back across the area for Freddie Haden to apply the finishing touch via the underside of the crossbar, no need for goalline technology to confirm the ball had indeed crossed the line after bouncing
down.

In the second half Street repeatedly got behind the Ilfracombe defence on both flanks to put in dangerous crosses, Harry Foster twice seeing efforts saved by the Ilfracombe keeper, until finally on 76 minutes another cross from the right found its way to MotM Haden who lofted the ball into the top left-hand corner of the net for his second goal. With three of their rivals losing this was just the result Street needed to stay very much in the frame for the playoffs.