Northampton beaten at home by bottom side Port Vale

Northampton Town’s survival bid suffered a blow as they lost 1-0 at home to League One’s bottom side Port Vale.

Jayden Stockley scored the game’s only goal in first half stoppage time as former Cobblers boss Jon Brady tasted victory on his first return to Sixfields since leaving the club last season.

Kevin Nolan’s side would’ve climbed out of the relegation zone with victory, but defeat instead leaves them 22nd in the table and 2 points from safety after a run of just one win in their last 12 League One games.

Having lost the first of two six points at home in succession when they lost to Leyton Orient on Saturday, the Cobblers needed a boost against a Vale side who have spent much of the season stuck to bottom spot in the third tier table.

A first half of few chances saw Northampton’s best attempts come for Cameron McGeehan, who had an effort saved, and Sam Hoskins, who headed wide. Elliott More also made a block at the other end to block a strike by Vale’s Martin Sherif.

It had looked as though the two teams would still be level at half-time, until Port Vale found an opener deep into stoppage time. In the eighth minute of first half stoppage time, a long throw into the box caused trouble and Stockley got the decisive touch to put the visitors in front.

The hosts tried to find a leveller, with Tyrese Fornah having a strike blocked before Tom Eaves fired wide.

But the home side failed to get a great deal of attacking momentum, with Stockley firing wide in an attempt for the visitors.

There was ultimately no way back for Nolan’s outfit, as Northampton sunk to a damaging defeat in their quest to stay up, with the hosts booed off in the process.

Northampton face a different test on Saturday, when they welcome Nene Valley Derby rivals Peterborough to Sixfields for their third home outing in a week.