Town had the chance to leapfrog Leyton Orient and go top of League Two but they struggled to deal with Walsall’s direct style of football, particularly in the first-half. Danny Johnson gave Saddlers the lead shortly before half-time and despite dominating possession, the away side failed to muster much of a response. Here are our player ratings from the Midlands...
1. Lee Burge
Good hands to gather Hutchinson's skimmer and then beat away a fierce strike by the same man. His best stop of the night saw Knowles thwarted late on. No chance for Johnson's close-range header... 7 Photo: Pete Norton
2. Harvey Lintott
It was a disappointing night for the team but he did himself no harm from a personal standpoint. Brilliant defensive header denied an almost certain a second goal just after half-time and he pushed on in the second-half, embarking on one fantastic run and cross that might have yielded an equaliser on another day... 7 CHRON STAR MAN Photo: Pete Norton
3. Sam Sherring
Met by an aerial bombardment in the first-half but Cobblers actually defended it well for the most part, it was just one lapse from a free-kick that proved costly. Visitors had 65% possession but most of it was played between the two centre-backs... 6.5 Photo: Pete Norton
4. Jon Guthrie
Stationed himself under a lot of high balls to repel Walsall's aerial barrage in the first-half. Booked again though, that's four for the season already. One more in any of the next six games and he'll face a suspension... 6 Photo: Pete Norton