Northampton 1 Shrewsbury Town 1 - Report and pictures

The midfielder’s second goal in two games came minutes after John-Joe O’Toole and Abu Ogogo were both sent off after a fight on the hour.

Town passed up the chance to set a club Football League record of six straight away wins as well as the shot at topping the standings in their game in hand over Blackburn.

After the home side edged ahead on the stroke of half-time through Shey Facey, things really exploded on a chilly evening at Sixfields.

An off-the-ball incident between O’Toole and Ogogo resulted in blows exchanged as 22 men steamed in to the scrap.

Hurst’s side gave the perfect response moments later as Nolan swept in from outside the box with a delightful first-time volley.

They pressed for a winner but, as Omar Beckles headed the bar late on, one was not forthcoming.

Hurst made one change to the side that secured such a memorable success in the snow at Scunthorpe on Saturday.

A like-for-like change saw Bryn Morris come in for the injured Ben Godfrey, who is expected to miss up to two weeks with a hamstring strain.

Dean Henderson kept his place between the sticks despite his call-up to the England under-21 squad. The Young Lions squad are due to meet up for two friendly matches on Wednesday.

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink through a curveball in his selection as the Cobblers scrapped their tried and tested 4-2-3-1 system instead opting to line up 3-5-2.

Not one Northampton starter in the side that lost at Shrewsbury on the opening day of the season featured from the off.

Salop have shone on their travels of late, Hurst’s men chalked up their five away day successes at Portsmouth, Bristol Rovers, Fleetwood, Charlton and Scunthorpe.

More than 400 travelling away fans descended on Northamptonshire partly in hope of witnessing some modern-day club history, as well as hoping Hurst’s men can further crank up the pressure on Blackburn and Wigan at League One’s summit.

The hosts, who fell into the bottom four with a home defeat last weekend, did not look like a side with one win from eight in the game’s early moments. Left-back Joe Bunney whipped a fierce cross in that Henderson claimed expertly.

Alex Rodman nodded wide across goal for Town but was flagged offside as the visitors tried to settle.

The home crowd had been encouraged by the start and were even more so when Kevin Van Veen threatened to punish a Luke Hendrie error. His 25-yard effort was parried around the post by Henderson, who batted the ground in frustration of his side’s slack play.

The visitors, backed by the vociferous following behind Henderson’s goal in the first period, woke up. They went inches wide as Abu Ogogo’s deflected header landed inches wide of the past after some attractive build-up play.

Hurst’s men ended the first half strongly. Omar Beckles had two bites at the cherry from a corner before Shaun Whalley blazed over from distance.

Rodman headed a presentable opening across goal rather than on target before his goalbound strike was blocked as Shrews turned the screw.

But a hammerblow arrived against the run of play on the cusp of half-time. A fine left-sided delivery from Bunney was met by right winger Facey who beat the Town defence and poked in his first Cobblers goal.

Town almost found themselves in a more perilous position shortly after the break as Henderson went unpunished for a slack pass out of his penalty area.

The packed away end screamed at Mr Davies for a penalty kick twice within a minute as first Jon Nolan fell just inside the left corner of the box before Whalley then tumbled under pressure on the other side of the box. The official was unmoved despite Town’s vocal protests.

As the game passed the hour mark the blood began to boil. As Town increased the pressure, an off the ball incident between Ogogo and John-Joe O’Toole resulted in the pair exchanging blows even after falling to the deck. All 22 players piled into the fierce fight.

Referee Davies showed straight reds to the midfielders, who threatened to again tussle on their way down the tunnel only to be separated by Nsiala.

Town reacted perfectly. A half-cleared Whalley free-kick dropped to Nolan on the edge of the box and the midfielder powered a first-time hit low into the net, A superbly controlled daisy-cutter.

Nolan's eighth goal of the season and his second in two games.

Neither side fancied holding back for a point. Crosses peppered the box at both ends with a tense atmosphere cutting the Sixfields setting.

Shrews were fortunate to survive a penalty appeal as Gboly Ariyibi was judged to be fouled on the line of Town’s penalty area, while Omar Beckles crashed against the crossbar after 85 minutes.

The Football League record proved not to be as Town remained second in League One.

Teams:

Northampton Town (3-5-2):

O’Donnell; Moloney, Taylor ©, Turnbull, Bunney, Facey, Grimes, Pereira (McWilliams, 82), O’Toole, Van Veen (Luckassen, 59), Mathis (Ariyibi, 73).

Subs not used: Cornell (gk), Barnett, Hoskins, Long.

Shrewsbury Town (4-1-4-1):

Henderson; Hendrie (Payne, 59), Nsiala, Sadler, Beckles; B Morris; Whalley, Nolan, Ogogo ©, Rodman; C Morris (John-Lewis, 88).

Subs not used: MacGillivray (gk), Lowe, Jones, Thomas, Gnahoua.

Referee: Andy Davies

Attendance: 4,788 (615 Shrewsbury fans)