On April 2, 1988, Northampton Town climbed to fifth in the table after a pulsating 3-2 victory over Fulham at the County Ground. A crowd of 6,211 witnessed a dramatic contest that saw the Cobblers come from behind to claim all three points.

The only change from the previous week’s 2-2 draw with Grimsby saw McPherson make a surprise return in place of Slack, but the Cobblers got off to the worst possible start. In just the second minute, Skinner reacted quickest to a rebound after Gleasure had parried Achapong’s shot, giving Fulham an early lead.

Northampton responded before halftime, with Adcock heading home Gilbert’s pinpoint free-kick at the far post to send the teams in level at the break. The second half brought even more drama, and the Cobblers turned the game on its head. Culpin pressured Fulham goalkeeper Stannard, forcing him to spill the ball over the line to make it 2-1. Just nine minutes later, Culpin struck again, this time rifling a left-footed drive past Stannard to extend the lead.

Fulham refused to go down without a fight, and in the 81st minute, Barnett set up a tense finale with a stunning 25-yard volley. However, the Cobblers held firm to secure a vital victory and keep their promotion hopes alive.

A thrilling encounter, with Northampton’s resilience and attacking quality proving the difference on the day.

Teams:

Northampton Town:
Gleasure, McGoldrick, Wilson, Donald, Wilcox, McPherson, Singleton, Culpin, Gilbert, Adcock, Longhurst

Fulham:
Stannard, Eckhardt, Elkins, Skinner, Oakes, Hopkins, Barnett, Scott, Marshall, Achampomng, Cole