Although the season is nowhere near being over, the significance of tonight's game was impossible to miss as a victory for the Cobblers would take them to the top of the table, whilst a win for United would see them cement their own place in pole position.
Paul Simpson brought team captain Kev Gray back in to the centre of defence to fill in for the injured Peter Murphy with League Trophy hero Simon Grand taking a place on the bench. Striker Michael Bridges, who has an impressive scoring record since joining the club just before Christmas, came back to make up the forward thinking trio alongside Hawley and Holmes.
Fresh from their exploits on Tuesday night United went in to this one knowing it would be one of the biggest tests of the season on a superb playing surface and against a very good footballing side.
Andy Kirk would have the first sighter of the encounter in the 4th minute after McGleish had released Johnson on the left. An outswinging cross found Kirk pulling in to space but his glanced header was well defended and was deflected behind for a corner.
Kev Gray started a good Carlisle move in the 8th minute when he found Bridges with a long clearance. Hawley took over, feeding a sweet pass inside to Billy. The big midfielder ran on towards goal and, 25 yards out, sent a shot in that was always off target.
The Cobblers thought they'd taken the lead in the 11th minute when Hunt whisked a massive throw in to the penalty area. Taylor made it his own and got a strong head to it, going for the top corner. Westwood showed his agility by leaping across to push it behind for a corner with both hands.
There was some decent football at both ends and the Cumbrians created a great chance in the 14th minute when Holmes took the ball in to his stride on the edge of the Northampton box. Cutting the ball back he found the ever willing Hawley, who twisted and turned before picking out Lumsdon in space. He then slid it onwards to Arnison who saw his low 14 yard shot blocked for a corner.
Northampton upped the pace in the 19th minute and almost scored from nowhere when Johnson looked up, 30 yards out, and decided to chance his arm. Wrapping his right foot round it he beat Westwood with pace and power but couldn't beat the crossbar. The ball bounced down off the underside of the woodwork and was quickly cleared to safety.
Getting the ball back immediately David Hunt also found himself in space and, 22 yards out, was just a matter of inches away from finding the net as he sent one over the target.
United had been patient, choosing not to panic, and the tactic was to pay off in the 21st minute when Murray won a 50:50 challenge in midfield. The defence then conspired to make a right hash of the back pass, requiring Harper to race from his goal as Karl Hawley bore down on him. It was to be the Carlisle striker who would win the race, dinking it over the keeper before passing it in to the back of the net.
It was to become backs to the wall for a spell as the Cobblers threw everyone forward in search of an equaliser, and there was some massive defending involved to keep them at bay. Scott McGleish put a 10 yard header wide when he was picked out by Jess and the same player was disappointed with himself when he took the ball from Aranalde in midfield. Sprinting away he went for an early shot from distance that lacked any accuracy.
The Cumbrians temporarily eased the pressure when Lumsdon stayed out at a home side corner. The ball came to him and he was able to pick out Bridges with a long pass, but he had three defenders to beat. Taking the ball in to the 18 yard box he dragged a low, left foot shot too close to Harper, who was able to gather it at his feet.
Wasting no time at all in getting back on the attack Johnson and McGleish linked on the left before the former made a superb run behind his markers. Hunt crossed and Johnson, who was winding up to finish things off, had the scrambled tackle of Kev Gray to curse as the captain got the ball off his toe.
It was real pressure and flowing football that followed with McGleish, Taylor, Johnson and Hunt all having shots blocked by a resolute rearguard action from the Cumbrians. One of the best opportunities of the breathtaking spell fell to Kirk who, somehow, put his header right at Westwood from 8 yards out when Crowe had delivered the perfect cross.
United started to get more of a foothold as half time approached and Adam Murray was unlucky not to get his head to a Lumsdon free kick that was bent in towards the near post. The corner brought confusion as a Holmes challenge saw it drop nicely for Murray at the back post. He tried to curl his left foot around the ball and hit the top corner but it lacked purpose and dropped well wide.
Aranalde kept his concentration in the 41st minute to prevent two lurking players from converting a deep Johnson cross and it was Carlisle who would close the half on the attack with Bridges and Hawley earning a corner from some neat link up play. Chris Lumsdon would see his volley go wide off the boot of Taylor as Murray tried something very different with a drilled, practiced corner routine.
It had been one heck of an entertaining 45 minutes with Northampton looking like real promotion candidates and with Carlisle battling like Championship contenders.
Half Time: Northampton 0 - 1 United
Another tight start to proceedings won Northampton two corners as the blustery conditons came in to play. United coped with them well, trying to use the ball on the break themselves.
Hawley was happy to accept a corner in the 51st minute when he rattled a shot off Chambers, and he was almost on the end of the nod down from Livesey, seeing it cleared off the line as he spun to sweep it in just 2 yards out.
Sometimes you really do have to wonder what the officials are thinking and the 53rd minute brought yet another such moment for Carlisle United when Bridges burst in to the box. Beating his man on the bye line, he was bundled to the floor but the Referee, for whatever reason, decided that it couldn't be called a penalty. Amazing.
The 57th minute saw a swift break from the Cumbrians as three strong tackles in midfield resulted in Billy latching on to it. A first time pass to Hawley took him in to the box and Harper had to get down low to get a hand on it. Doig did the rest for him, kicking it high and in to touch.
Jason Crowe smashed a 20 yarder in to the stands in the 66th minute as the game settled to a much calmer pace. United tried another of their training ground corners 60 seconds later as Murray aimed for a front post flick. It was found and Holmes stepped up, but volleyed well over from 13 yards.
Billy went close with a cross/shot at one end whilst Jason Lee went even closer with a 6 yard header, after Doig had ventured forward at the other, as the sides kept pushing for maximum points.
The more composed second half display brought a moment of pure magic in the 74th minute when Hawley challenged for a high ball forward. He won it, setting it up nicely for Michael Bridges 25 yards out. A cool first touch was followed by what will go down as one of the finest Carlisle goals for many years. Picking his spot he clattered it over the despairing hands of Harper and in to the roof of the net.
Andy Kirk should have pulled his side back in to it 2 minutes later when he was unmarked as the ball floated its way in to the box. He got a good head on it but could only put it wide when he had the nets to aim at.
Lee Harper gifted a goal to Danny Livesey in the 83rd minute when he spilled a fizzed Murray corner at the feet of the United centre back. The big defender swung his left foot at it, neatly finding the bottom of the unguarded net.
Simon Hackney was next to go close as he hung back as Lumsdon crossed the ball over. It dropped on to his left foot and he brought a diving save from Harper, low to his left.
United were enjoying themselves, having proved equal to the test, and it was a huge cheer that accompanied the final whistle to what had been a massive performance from the team.
The travelling fans were treated to a wonderful League Two fixture tonight, with Northampton Town proving to be every bit as difficult as we expected them to be. It needed real heart and graft to get through a testing first half and then, following the break, it was time to take control. If ever there was a time to stand up and be counted, it was tonight. They did, and they took 3 points because of it. An absolutely magnificent display from both teams.
Goals
United - Hawley (21), Bridges (74), Livesey (83)
Bookings
Northampton - Kirk (89)
Teams
Northampton - Harper, Crowe, Chambers, Doig, Taylor (Gilligan 71), Kirk, McGleish (Smith 79), Jess, Hunt (Lee 63), Dyche, Johnson. Not Used - Bunn, Hand.
United - Westwood, Arnison, Livesey, Gray, Aranalde, A Murray, Billy, Lumsdon, Holmes (Hackney 82), Hawley (G Murray 77), Bridges. Not Used - Williams, McGill, Grand.
Travelling fans - 796
