York City 1 Northampton 2: Beaten Minstermen slip back into relegation places

Goals either side of half-time from James Collins and John Marquis wrapped up a comfortable night’s work for the Cobblers despite Minstermen captain Russell Penn thumping in a spectacular stoppage-time volley for the hosts.

Northampton made the early running but on-loan Millwall striker Marquis was denied by Scott Flinders.

Rod McDonald headed over from Nicky Adams’s corner before Jake Hyde fired wide the hosts’ first opportunity.

Dave Winfield’s header required a routine save before the visitors forged ahead.

Winfield failed to cut out a right-wing cross by Brendan Moloney and Collins’s powerful six-yard header beat Flinders.

Northampton doubled their lead on 51 minutes when Collins brushed past Lubo Satka and his low cross was tapped in from a yard by Marquis.

Collins headed over before York manager Jackie McNamara made a triple substitution on the hour mark, including the introduction of dropped captain Penn. He smashed in a dipping 25-yard effort, but it was too late for York, who dropped back into the relegation zone.

York City: Flinders; Hendrie, Winfield, Satka, Cameron; Coulson, Dixon (Penn, 60), Summerfield, Carson (McEvoy, 60); Hyde (Oliver, 60) Fewster. Unused substitutes: Riordan, Swan, Thompson, Ingham.

Northampton: Smith, Moloney, Diamond, McDonald, Buchanan; Adams (Holmes, 78), Taylor, Rose, D’Ath (Byrom, 88); Collins, Marquis (Hoskins, 62). Unused substitutes: Cresswell, Martin, Prosser, Clarke.

Referee: Seb Stocksbridge.