Mitch Pinnock bags brace as Northampton ease past Fleetwood

Northampton made it four wins in five league games with an impressive 3-0 victory over struggling Fleetwood.

Mitch Pinnock and Sam Hoskins were on target in the first half at Sixfields and the former struck again late on as the Cobblers moved 12th in League One.

Both goalkeepers were tested early on as Jay Lynch saved from Hoskins before Max Thompson kept out Fleetwood’s Jack Marriott.

Lynch used his body well to block Pinnock’s shot and Hoskins fired into the side-netting before two quickfire goals put Northampton in the driving seat.

Pinnock broke the deadlock after 27 minutes when he controlled Marc Leonard’s pass and drilled into the bottom corner and Hoskins made no mistake from 12 yards after Shaun McWilliams was tripped in the box four minutes later.

Lynch denied Hoskins a third goal before half-time and he was also at full stretch to keep out McWilliams at the start of the second half.

Fleetwood rarely threatened in the second half and their misery was compounded in stoppage time thanks to a rasping finish from Pinnock.