Northampton held on for a deserved point against promotion chasing Port Vale after Abdul Osman was sent off.
Port Vale took the lead through a Justin Richards penalty after Tom Pope was upended by Paul Rodgers.
The visitors equalised when Leon McKenzie rose highest to head Marcus Hall's cross past Vale goalkeeper Chris Martin from six yards.
The Cobblers were forced to defend their point after Osman was given a straight red for a foul on Doug Loft.
Port Vale manager Jim Gannon told BBC Radio Stoke: "You want your team to ask questions of their defenders and goalkeeper, and they weren't found wanting.
"Second half we took the game to them a bit more and with the sending-off, you expect to show composure but it doesn't seem to be happening.
"I'm really pleased with Tom Pope and he should be really pleased with himself, he's shown what he's about and with that appetite and ability he will be a great addition to us."
Northampton Town manager Ian Sampson tells BBC Radio Northampton: "With the man being sent off and us being under pressure, I'm happy with the point. In the first half, we played some really good stuff. We needed to score and it didn't happen.
"I thought it was a good tackle (by Abdul Osman) but we'll look at it again. If we've got a case for an appeal, we will.
"We showed great desire to defend our box and there were some great blocks and headers and goalkeeping. They did a good job."
Live text and stats
Saturday, 12 February 2011
Npower League Two
Home Team
Score
Away Team
Time
Port Vale
1-1
Northampton
FT
(HT 0-0)
J Richards (pen) 55
McKenzie 58
Port Vale
01 C Martin
02 Yates
05 McCombe
15 Collins
19 Geohaghan (Roberts 78)
03 Taylor (Griffith 46 yellow card)
07 Loft
10 O'Shea (M Richards 78)
14 Taylor
11 J Richards
29 Pope
Substitutes
12 Tomlinson,
21 Sutton,
04 Griffith,
16 Haldane,
22 Roberts,
27 Brown,
09 M Richards
Northampton
01 Dunn
02 Rodgers yellow card
03 Hall yellow card
06 Beckwith
25 Tozer
08 Osman red card
11 Holt (Davis 63 yellow card)
17 Jacobs
30 Walker
09 Harrad (McKay 77)
18 McKenzie (Wedderburn 72)
Substitutes
26 Gherasim,
05 Hinton,
04 Thornton,
12 Wedderburn,
23 Davis,
16 McKay,
28 Laurent
Ref: MaloneAtt: 5,321
PORT VALE
NORTHAMPTON
Possession
Port Vale58%
Northampton42%
Attempts on target
Port Vale5
Northampton5
Attempts off target
Port Vale4
Northampton2
Corners
Port Vale7
Northampton4
Fouls
Port Vale11
Northampton11
Final Result
Full Time
90:00+3:58 The final whistle is blown by the referee.
90:00+1:13 Corner taken left-footed by Doug Loft, Foul by Tom Pope on Dean Beckwith, free kick awarded. Free kick taken by Chris Dunn.
90:00+0:59 Kris Taylor takes a shot.
89:55 Marc Richards challenges Ben Tozer unfairly and gives away a free kick. Chris Dunn restarts play with the free kick.
89:16 Corner taken by Doug Loft from the right by-line, clearance by Ben Tozer.
85:50 Anthony Griffith gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Liam Davis. Free kick crossed right-footed by Josh Walker, Billy Mckay concedes a free kick for a foul on Chris Martin. Indirect free kick taken by Chris Martin.
85:50 Booking Anthony Griffith receives a yellow card.
84:52 Tom Pope takes a shot from deep inside the box clearing the bar.
83:32 Effort from deep inside the area by Anthony Griffith clears the bar.
82:13 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Adam Yates by Liam Davis. Free kick taken by Gary Roberts.
82:13 Booking Liam Davis goes into the book for unsporting behaviour.
80:49 Tom Pope takes a shot. Save by Chris Dunn. Inswinging corner taken by Doug Loft from the right by-line, Tom Pope takes a shot. Save by Chris Dunn.
79:00 Inswinging corner taken right-footed by Gary Roberts from the right by-line, Dean Beckwith manages to make a clearance.
77:52 Substitution Exodus Geohaghon leaves the field to be replaced by Gary Roberts.
77:52 Substitution Marc Richards comes on in place of James O'Shea.
76:09 James O'Shea gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Marcus Hall. Indirect free kick taken by Marcus Hall.
76:09 Substitution Billy Mckay is brought on as a substitute for Shaun Harrad.
71:58 John McCombe gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Shaun Harrad. The free kick is delivered right-footed by Michael Jacobs from left wing, Anthony Griffith manages to make a clearance.
71:12 Substitution Nathaniel Wedderburn replaces Leon McKenzie.
69:40 Inswinging corner taken by James O'Shea from the left by-line, Justin Richards takes a shot. Paul Rodgers manages to make a clearance. Doug Loft takes the inswinging corner, Chris Dunn makes a save.
67:39 Sent off Abdul Osman is sent off by the referee.
67:38 Abdul Osman challenges Doug Loft unfairly and gives away a free kick. Kris Taylor takes the indirect free kick.
64:03 Tom Pope is flagged offside by the assistant referee. Indirect free kick taken by Chris Dunn.
62:10 The referee blows for offside against Tom Pope. Chris Dunn takes the free kick.
62:10 Substitution Liam Davis is brought on as a substitute for Andrew Holt.
59:47 Shaun Harrad takes a shot from 20 yards. Inswinging corner taken by Josh Walker, Anthony Griffith manages to make a clearance.
57:42 Assist by Marcus Hall.
57:42 GOAL - Leon McKenzie:Port Vale 1 - 1 Northampton Leon McKenzie scores a headed goal from close in. Port Vale 1-1 Northampton.
56:22 James O'Shea concedes a free kick for a foul on Abdul Osman. Indirect free kick taken by Dean Beckwith.
56:01 The ball is crossed by Tom Pope, Chris Dunn makes a save.
54:29 Paul Rodgers concedes a Penalty for a foul on Tom Pope.
54:29 GOAL - Justin Richards:Port Vale 1 - 0 Northampton Penalty scored by Justin Richards. Port Vale 1-0 Northampton.
53:17 Booking Caution for Paul Rodgers.
52:00 Unfair challenge on Anthony Griffith by Marcus Hall results in a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Adam Yates.
52:00 Booking The referee cautions Marcus Hall for unsporting behaviour.
49:29 Shot from just outside the box by Doug Loft misses to the right of the goal.
48:48 Shaun Harrad takes a shot. Save by Chris Martin.
48:00 Tom Pope is caught offside. Chris Dunn takes the indirect free kick.
46:28 The official flags Leon McKenzie offside. Chris Martin restarts play with the free kick.
45:44 The assistant referee flags for offside against Justin Richards. Chris Dunn restarts play with the free kick.
45:01 The second half begins.
45:01 Substitution Anthony Griffith on for Robert Taylor.
Half Time
45:00+2:38 It is the end of the first-half.
45:00+0:35 Corner from the left by-line taken by Doug Loft, clearance by Dean Beckwith.
45:00+0:17 Tom Pope takes a shot. Chris Dunn makes a save.
37:41 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Lee Collins by Leon McKenzie. Chris Martin takes the indirect free kick.
34:10 Unfair challenge on Robert Taylor by Paul Rodgers results in a free kick. Free kick crossed by Doug Loft, Dean Beckwith makes a clearance.
Correction - 32:28 Ben Tozer fouled by Justin Richards, the ref awards a free kick. Chris Dunn takes the indirect free kick.
32:28 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Ben Tozer by Justin Richards. Chris Dunn restarts play with the free kick.
31:14 A cross is delivered by Justin Richards.
29:14 Robert Taylor delivers the ball, Paul Rodgers makes a save.
26:43 The official flags Leon McKenzie offside. Free kick taken by Chris Martin.
24:54 Foul by Leon McKenzie on Chris Martin, free kick awarded. Chris Martin restarts play with the free kick.
21:37 Marcus Hall challenges James O'Shea unfairly and gives away a free kick. Free kick crossed right-footed by Doug Loft from right wing.
20:02 Shot from just outside the area by Shaun Harrad goes over the bar.
18:44 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Justin Richards by Paul Rodgers. Kris Taylor restarts play with the free kick.
17:14 Foul by Tom Pope on Paul Rodgers, free kick awarded. Chris Dunn takes the indirect free kick.
15:04 Shaun Harrad takes a shot. Chris Martin makes a save.
11:25 Leon McKenzie handles the ball and concedes a free kick. Indirect free kick taken by Chris Martin.
10:11 Inswinging corner taken from the left by-line by Josh Walker, clearance made by Tom Pope.
8:23 Unfair challenge on Leon McKenzie by Robert Taylor results in a free kick. Josh Walker sends in a cross, Dean Beckwith takes a shot. Save by Chris Martin.
5:37 Abdul Osman takes a shot. Save made by Chris Martin. Outswinging corner taken by Josh Walker.
4:53 Free kick awarded for a foul by Doug Loft on Abdul Osman. Direct free kick taken by Josh Walker.
4:08 Tom Pope gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Paul Rodgers. Dean Beckwith takes the indirect free kick.
2:58 Inswinging corner taken by Josh Walker from the left by-line.
2:02 Robert Taylor takes a shot. Save by Chris Dunn.
1:41 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Kris Taylor by Abdul Osman. Free kick taken by Chris Martin.
0:18 James O'Shea produces a cross, Chris Dunn makes a save.
0:00 The referee gets the match started.
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