Northampton back up to second following win at Doncaster

Northampton maintained their Sky Bet League Two promotion push with a 2-0 win at Doncaster but were given a big helping hand by their former goalkeeper Jonathan Mitchell.

Mitch Pinnock and Sam Hoskins scored early goals in each half but Mitchell, who spent the 2020-21 season on loan with the Cobblers, was at fault for both.

The visitors forged ahead in the second minute when Hoskins’ clever short-corner routine with Marc Leonard saw the ball fed to Pinnock on the edge of the penalty box and his drive slipped through the fingers and then the legs of a red-faced Mitchell.

Mitchell’s miserable afternoon was compounded seven minutes into the second half when, as Doncaster looked to play out from the back, he kicked the ball straight to Hoskins 15 yards from goal.

He subsequently got a hand to Hoskins’ firm drive but could not prevent the striker from scoring his 20th goal of the season.

Substitute Tete Yengi should have added a third when he ballooned over from five yards, but Northampton still cruised to a first victory at Doncaster in six trips stretching back to 1996.