12/12/20 – Crewe 2 Cobblers 1
The home faithful saw the Alex get off to the worst possible start as they were caught out by a quick free-kick from which Ricky Holmes edged Keith Curle’s side ahead in the second minute.
But Owen Dale equalised for Crewe in the 53rd minute and they piled on the pressure after Joe Martin’s dismissal, with Wintle driving in the winner in the fourth minute of added time.
The home faithful saw the Alex get off to the worst possible start as they were caught out by a quick free-kick from which Ricky Holmes edged Keith Curle’s side ahead in the second minute.
But Owen Dale equalised for Crewe in the 53rd minute and they piled on the pressure after Joe Martin’s dismissal, with Wintle driving in the winner in the fourth minute of added time.
Crewe looked sharper at the start of the second half and when Charlie Kirk floated in a cross from the by-line, Dale dug out a shot off the turf which flew into the far corner.
Oli Finney wasted a great chance to put the home side ahead when he blasted over from 12 yards.
But Northampton were up against it when defender Martin got his marching orders in the 75th minute after picking up a second booking.
Crewe pressed their advantage and Kirk hit the far post with an angled shot before his lobbed effort was headed off the line by Hoskins.
Northampton were hanging on in the closing stages, with goalkeeper Steve Arnold excelling as he pushed Tom Lowery’s shot around a post and Mikael Mandron sent a header against the crossbar from close range.
But the visitors’ defence was breached by Wintle as he fired in from six yards from Kirk’s pull-back.
16/11/19 – The Cobblers 4 Crewe 1
Scott Wharton’s early double and a penalty from Sam Hoskins put the Cobblers in control before Andy Williams secured victory with a superb finish.
Crewe started well and went close through Paul Green but Northampton struck on 10 minutes when Nicky Adams’ free-kick was eventually stabbed in by Wharton.
Charlie Kirk then toe-poked wide but the home side moved into a commanding position with two goals in six minutes.
Wharton scored his second with a brilliant finish from Adams’ free-kick and then Paul Anderson was felled in the box, leaving Hoskins to drill home the resulting spot-kick.
Crewe continued to create chances though and they were back in the game eight minutes before half-time as Nicky Hunt’s shot was spilled by David Cornell and Porter was on hand to tap in.
Kirk then smacked the post but Northampton restored their three-goal cushion 11 minutes into the second half as Williams raced onto Vadaine Oliver’s flick-on and lobbed the stranded Will Jaaskelainen, effectively ending the game as a contest.
02/03/19 – Crewe 0 The Cobblers 2
Powell and O’Toole struck inside four minutes as Crewe’s impressive recent run faded, slipping to their second consecutive home defeat.
The Railwaymen failed to make the most of an early breakaway when Callum Ainley’s cross was diverted into the path of Jordan Bowery, but the frontman hoisted high and wide from six yards.
Crewe were under pressure when skipper George Ray headed over his own goalmouth but the defender dug himself out of a hole by clearing O’Toole’s volley off the line.
The defensive jitters were evident, however, when Powell followed in to head home from close range in the 28th minute after Marvin Sordell’s effort flew up off the turf .
Four minutes later Powell then turned provider with a smart delivery from the right which was volleyed in at the near post by O’Toole.
Northampton could have scored more after the restart, with Charlie Goode dropping a volley onto the roof of the net and O’Toole flashing a header wide.
Crewe lacked invention and while a Bowery shot flew over the top corner and late efforts from Ainley and Chris Porter were both saved well by David Cornell, it was all too late in the day.
02/11/18 – The Cobblers 2 Crewe 0
Andy Williams and Daniel Powell scored either side of half-time to take the Cobblers up to 15th in League Two.
Sam Hoskins nodded the ball over in a strong start by the hosts and they were ahead after 18 minutes when Kevin Van Veen pounced on a loose pass, rounded goalkeeper Ben Garratt and laid it on a plate for Williams to just about beat the defender on the line.
Garratt prevented Williams from doubling his tally on the half-hour mark and then Shaun McWilliams hit the crossbar with a fine curling effort as Northampton dominated the opening 45 minutes.
Crewe made a better start to the second half when Oliver Finney shot straight at home goalkeeper David Cornell while John-Joe O’Toole headed against the post for the hosts.
The points were sealed by Powell who – two minutes after coming off the substitutes’ bench – profited from O’Toole’s fine work when smashing into the bottom corner with his first touch late on.
31/03/12 – Crewe 1 The Cobblers 1
Adebayo Akinfenwa’s second-half strike had cancelled out Luke Murphy’s opener for the hosts only for Alex to win a spot-kick deep into stoppage time, but Kitson pulled off a superb stop to deny Danny Shelley.
Alex hit the woodwork twice and were guilty of missing a series of opportunities as they blew the chance to further narrow the gap on the teams in the play-off places.
Nick Powell stung Kitson’s gloves with a stunning 30-yard volley early on. AJay Leitch-Smith then dragged a shot wide before on-loan defender Blair Adams blocked three efforts on the Northampton goal. But when Powell picked out Murphy with a lofted pass, the midfielder controlled the ball on his chest and volleyed home to give Crewe a 17th-minute lead.
Akinfenwa headed inches wide for the visitors before Steve Phillips parried John Johnson’s low drive. Powell cracked another long-range effort off the crossbar before Adam Dugdale saw a header hit the woodwork. Northampton made Crewe pay for missing their chances when, in the 59th minute, Toni Brito Silva played in Akinfenwa and the striker rolled the ball past Phillips.
Kelvin Langmead almost won it for the Cobblers but his header landed just the wrong side of the post with Phillips at full stretch before Michael Jacobs fouled Powell in the box and Kitson denied Shelley from the spot.
10/12/11 – The Cobblers 1 Crewe 1
Having gone eight games without a win, Northampton looked to be heading for a welcome three points after top scorer Adebayo Akinfenwa gave them the first half lead.
But Byron Moore cancelled it out midway the second half as Crewe maintained their recent good run. Akinfenwa gave Cobblers a 16th minute lead, heading home his eighth goal of the season and the 100th of his career from Andy Holt’s long throw-in. But, apart from the goal, neither side created much in the way of chances in the first half although it took a smart save from Sam Walker to tip Moore’s low drive around the post in the 37th minute.
Northampton had a couple of chances to increase their lead in the second half with Michael Jacobs curling a shot wide and Aaron Davies seeing a volley deflected for a corner.
But Crewe equalised in the 61st minute when Ajay Leitch-Smith created the opening for Moore to beat Walker at his near post with a low drive. Cobblers went close to regaining the advantage when Kelvin Langmead headed a Jacobs’ corner against the bar in the 70th minute.
That was the closest Northampton came to a winner and they finished the game with 10 men after Langmead received a second caution in the 88th minute.