Northampton lose out to Rotherham as inconsistent start continues

Northampton Town were beaten 1-0 at home by Rotherham United as their inconsistent start to the new season continued.

The Cobblers have won just one League Two game so far this campaign and would lose out to a side relegated alongside them last season, with a late Paul Mullin penalty winning the game for the side from South Yorkshire.

Defeat means the Cobblers remain at the lower end of the League Two table after the first seven games of the new campaign.

Chris Hogg’s side had been hoping to make it 2 home wins in 2 and to recover from defeat away at Shrewsbury Town in their last outing.

But it was the Millers with the first noteworthy chance of the afternoon as Fabio Tavares saw a curling effort denied by Zach Jeacock.

The home side enjoyed a burst of pressure in the latter stages of the first half, with Nathan Opoku having a strike deflected wide, Owen Dale shooting over and away goalkeeper Julian Eyestone denying Max Dyche.

Rotherham then had chances of their own, as Jeacock denied Josh Austerfield one-on-one in the final stages of the first half before the Lincoln loanee denied Mullin minutes after the restart.

A tight second half saw few chances created by either side but a big moment would be curated when Rotherham were awarded a penalty with just over 15 minutes remaining.

A long bull released Mullin, who would be bought down by Dyche. Replays suggested the point of contact actually happened outside the box, but the referee stuck to his initial call to give a penalty and Mullin duly scored from 12 yards.

Things nearly got worse for Northampton as Jili Buyabu was denied by Jeacock before Kian Spence missed the target with the rebound.

The Cobblers’ single best chance for an equaliser fell for substitute Harvey Saunders, who would be denied by Eyestone.

Northampton face a wait for their next league outing, with upcoming matches against Port Vale and Oldham postponed due to international call-ups. The Cobblers return to action on 6 October with an EFL trophy game at Cambridge, before taking on York on 10 October.