The Art, Craft and Design Fair at Lamport Hall will once again return this May bank holiday weekend.

The event is an opportunity to browse handcrafted products and learn more about traditional rural crafts.

Held in the Edwardian stable block of Lamport Hall, there are more than 60 stalls showcasing handmade wares from regional artists, craft workers and designers including artwork, decorative glassware, jams, chutneys and fudge, homeware and other crafts.

Browse a variety of beautiful products, perfect for that unique gift or a treat for yourself. In addition discover traditional rural crafts, the expertise required to handcraft a pair of Northamptonshire shoes and enjoy artists at work.

The fair will be open on Sunday, May 3rd and Monday, May 4th from 10am to 5pm.

Parking is free and dogs are welcome on leads. Entry to the Fair is £4.00 for adults, £3.50 for seniors and £2.00 for children aged 11-16. Accompanied children under 11 are free.

The Hall and Gardens will also be open from 2pm each day (under separate admission) to explore and perhaps take a gentle stroll around the beautiful grounds.

Visit www.lamporthall.co.uk for more details.

Assistant coach Alan Dickens is hopeful that George North will be able to play a part in Saints’ Premiership run-in.

The Wales wing saw a specialist earlier this month after being knocked unconscious in the win against Wasps on March 27.

He was told to rest until the end of April, when he will be reassessed.

North will not be involved against Saracens on Saturday, but his club then have a rest weekend before finishing the Aviva Premiership regular season with games against London Welsh and Leicester.

And North will hope to get involved before the semi-final play-offs on May 23.

“Next week we’ve got the week off with it being European final week so that gives him extra time to hopefully improve,” said Dickens.

“He’s on the bike, low level excercise and then we’ll see how he comes through that.”

Harlequins full-back Mike Brown was this week ruled out for the rest of the season due to concussion headaches which have been prompted by a knock-out blow in England’s Six Nations clash with Italy on February 14.

But though Saints will not rush North back, they are refusing to rule out the possibility of him playing again this season.

“In terms of Mike Brown, I don’t know the ins and outs of that, but with George we’ve not got

to that point yet,” said Dickens.

“George is taking part in team meetings, he’s done clips for this week and he’s looking to fill his day so he’s still heavily involved with what goes on in and behind the scenes.

“All of theplayers come in and get screened to see how they are physically and then decisions are made.”

Tom Wood pictures the nightmare scenario as he discusses the importance of Saturday’s showdown with Saracens.

But it is not what awaits Saints at stadium:mk this weekend that concerns him.

It is the consequences of that clash and, more specifically, the consequences of a defeat, that inspire a degree of anxiety.

Foillowing the recent reverse at Exeter, Saints have seen their lead at the top of the Premiership table chopped by Saracens and Bath.

With three games to go, they still boast a healthy six-point lead, but a slip up this Saturday could be a sizeable blow.

Because if Saracens can win - and win well - they could narrow the gap to just a single point.

And with Bath facing a favourable run-in, Saints’ chances of securing a home play-off semi-final would be in serious jeopardy.

Especially when you consider where they have to go the week after their final home fixture against London Welsh on May 9.

“It would be really nice not to have to go to Leicester on the last day with everything on the line under massive pressure,” said Wood.

“It would be nice to go and put pressure on them (Leicester) from the comfort of a home semi-final.

“And also to play London Welsh with the ability to mix things up and rest the players that may need it.

“If we lose and lose badly again at the weekend, we’re under desperate pressure to regather some momentum and time is running out.

“A good win against a top team like Saracens gives us the luxury of rotating a couple of players if necessary.

“We can solidify that home semi-final early and build some momentum nice and early going into the semi-finals and final.”

But to do that, Wood knows Saints must improve ‘across the board’.

One area that has come under severe scrutiny during the days since the defeat at Sandy Park on April 12 is the scrum, with forwards coach Dorian West working his magic on the paddock.

“Our scrum, that is usually a huge asset of ours, where teams have really feared us in the past, is not firing at the minute,” said Wood.

“We’ve had homework to do and we’ve done what Dorian West calls ‘scrum fitness’, which was interesting.

“It pretty much consisted of 50 scrums on the bounce live, followed by some live mauling and things like that just to re-establish out set piece game and get some real volume into our training.

“We feel like we’ve let ourselves down a little bit in that respect during the past couple of weeks.

“We’ll hopefully be a bit fresher than Saracens and with all that hard work in the bank, it’s an area of our game we can really impose on them.”

So does Wood feel opposition teams now target the Saints scrum?

“There have been occasions when we’ve relied on it and it’s got us through games,” Wood said.

“We’ve almost relied on it a little bit too much.

“We’ve tried to build a more complete game now

and a side effect is that our scrum hasn’t had so much attention.

“We’ve got to get back to our basics a bit more because it’s all very nice having the shape to play wide and more elaborately, but your foundations of scrum and lineout still have to be there.

“It’s something we’ve built a real reputation for and we won’t let it go lightly.”

One big boost for the Saints pack is that they will have one of their chief destroyers back in the mix this weekend.

Courtney Lawes, having only played the first half in the crushing defeat at Clermont and having missed the Exeter loss, is fit to return from a shoulder injury.

And Wood knows how vital his England team-mate will be this weekend, hoping the lock’s fear factor will have an effect on Saracens and, more specifically, their fly-halves.

“We’ve got a strong squad and really good players who have been filling in for Courtney of late, but he’s a hell of an athlete,” said the flanker.

“He has an effect on the opposition without even doing anything to a degreee.

“The likes of Charlie Hodgson, who has been on the receiving end of him in the past, will hopefully be aware of him on the field.”

Zander Diamond is delighted to be fully fit and back in the Cobblers starting line-up, and is promising the club’s supporters ‘there is more to come from me’.

The Scotsman has endured a frustrating season with injuries, suffering hamstring problems as well as a broken bone in his foot, but he has started the past four matches and is expected to partner Lee Collins in the centre of defence at Burton on Saturday, despite the availability of Ryan Cresswell after suspension.

“It’s been brilliant to get a run of games,” said Diamond.

“If I was to analyse my season it has been disrupted by injury, and injuries that have not cleared up.

“Much of the team’s success since the turn of year has been built on the defence and the unit at the back, so you have to bide your time.

“You have to understand the boys are playing well, but you have to be ready to go in when needed.

“Lucky enough I have come back and I have started the last few games. I’ll now be hoping to finish off the season with more starts and a performance level that I am happy with to go into the summer.”

Diamond has only played 21 times this season after being a key man in the team’s successful fight against relegation while on loan from Burton last year.

The injuries he has suffered have obviously meant he has struggled to find his rhythm and best form, although he was excellent in the 2-0 win over Cheltenham last weekend.

The 30-year-old admits it hasn’t been his greatest season, and has told the Cobblers fans they have still to see the best of him.

“There is obviously more to come from me,” said the Scotsman.

“The last two games I have been happy with, although it was disappointing to conceded in the manner we did at Oxford.

“But you can always improve, in every training session, on match day, you are always looking to put more pressure on yourself to perform better.

“I am sure every professional is the same, and I am no different, so hopefully we can sign off the season in a positive manner and then come back after the summer raring to go.”

Villagers have raised concerns about a planning application which could see a travellers’ site developed for the Daventry district.

The proposal for a site for caravans to pitch has been submitted by Shropshire-based Green Planning Studio for land at Stowe Hill, just off the A5.

The parish councils at Weedon Bec, Stowe IX Churches and Flore have objected to the application.

A spokesman for Weedon Bec Parish Council said: “We consider the application inappropriate in respect of where it is; that is close to Nene Way footpath and canal conservation area which will spoil open space.

“The very poor vehicular access – it is a steep incline –means with vans pulling a caravan we have grave concerns for road safety at a very fast bit of the A5.

“An accident a couple of weeks ago was just a little further down towards the crossroad lights from the site entrance and there was a fatality in that area a few years ago, so we really do think it could be an accident waiting to happen.

“We are also concerned that while the applications states one van and one mobile home, we really wonder if this would be adhered to and, if it isn’t, whether they would be challenged. Also, the concerns that the site could be used for business purposes like scrap metal, meaning the site becomes unsightly as well as more traffic movements in/out of site.

“Quite a few residents have raised concerns about the site.”

Similar concerns have also been raised by Stowe IX Churches Parish Council, which has strongly objected to the plans.

It believes the plans fall outside the confines of the village and is concerned about highways issues relating to the applicatio.

The planning application will be determined by Daventry District Council.

No date has been set for when it will be determined.

Almost half of calls made to 999 are not emergencies, Northamptonshire Police have revealed.

Despite the fact that the emergency number is only intended for situations that are immediately life-threatening or involve a crime being committed at that moment, police have said that 48 per cent of calls received on the line are to report less critical incidents.

Among these low-priority calls are suspicions about dangerous food, including a man claiming that his bananas had spider eggs on them, and a woman who suspected that wine gums dropped outside her address may be poisoned and linked to recent narcotic dog deaths.

Some have tried to report finance-related issues, such as a complaint about a masseuse being too expensive.

More obscure calls include a patient reporting that their dentist had assaulted them by giving them a filling, and a resident unimpressed at spotting a toad in their garden.

One called to say that an eagle had been seen in the area and claimed it was responsible for the recently reported disappearance of 30 cats.

Meanwhile, police also received calls from people who did not wish to report a concern at all, with one merely offering sexual favours.

People who wish to report non-life-threatening concerns to the police are asked to call 101 as wasting police time is an offence which can carry anything from an £80 fine to a six-month prison sentence.

A police spokeswoman said: “999 and 101 should be used responsibly.

“We understand that different people have different perceptions of what an emergency is but our highly trained call handlers will assess threat and risk to the public and make sure they get the right response from the police.”

Visit www.northants.police.uk for more information.

Northamptonshire pace bowler Olly Stone has signed a new deal with the club.

The 21-year-old from Norfolk - who has come up through the ranks at the Wantage Road - has agreed to extend his contract until the end of next summer.

Head coach David Ripley said, “It’s great news to have Olly commit to us for another season.

“He is a graduate of the club’s Academy and a player we hope to see here for a long time.

“He has had a good winter and has started the season well.

“We look forward to seeing Olly contribute a great deal in all formats on the field and continue to grow off it.”

Stone added: “I am delighted to be part of the Northants squad for the next two seasons.

“We have an amazing summer ahead of us. I feel in good form and am really looking forward to the next few matches.

“There is some great talent in the changing-room and it’s great to be part of it.

“Hopefully with these opportunities I can contribute and continue to improve professionally.”

Leicestershire are not the soft touch they used to be according to Northamptonshire director of cricket David Ripley.

An abject record in the LV= County Championship recently has seen the Foxes go two seasons without picking up a single victory.

But with a change in playing staff and management having taken place at Grace Road, Ripley is certain they will be a tougher proposition this summer.

“They will scrap hard,” the coach said ahead of his team’s game against their local rivals which starts tomorrow.

“I’ve heard some good stuff coming out of there and you have to expect them to be a challenging opposition.

“They have had a couple of difficult years but they will work hard.

“One of the things they have struggled with is the ability to take 20 wickets.

“But they have a good overseas bowler (Australian Clint Mackay) to help them with that now.

“They have already come out of a hard draw with Glamorgan and we know it will be a tough game.”

A car and limousine were destroyed by fire and a van and tree damaged by flames after a blaze in Northamptonshire.

Two crews were called to Riley Close in Daventry on Friday night at about 7.40pm.

They found the two cars - one a stretch limo, - nd a tree well alight.

By the time they had extinguished the flames, a van nearby van had also received severe heat damage.

The flames were put out by about 8.10pm.

A spokeswoman for Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service said it was not yet clear what the cause of the fire was, although there was no evidence of a traffic accident.

Brackley Town have avoided relegation with a nail-biting 1-0 win over Hednesford Town on an extraordinary and highly dramatic final day in the Conference North.

With Colwyn Bay winning 5-2 at Worcester City and Stalybridge Celtic drawing 4-4 at home to Gainsborough Trinity, Saints had to defeat Hednesford to beat the drop but for long periods it seemed they were doomed as they struggled to pose much of a threat on the visitors’ goal.

That all changed with 15 minutes remaining, however, when substitute Ryan Rowe hammered home from 15 yards to send St James Park wild.

The home side still had to survive a nerve-wracking final few minutes but survive they did, with the full-time whistle sparking scenes of jubilation around St James Park.

Brackley had looked dead and buried just three weeks ago when a torrid run of just one win in 12 games had seen them slump down the table to second bottom, but Jon Brady’s side found form at just the right time with three wins from their final three games seeing them safe by the narrowest of margins as Colwyn Bay were relegated.

Brackley made one change from the win over Hyde with experienced defender Frank Sinclair coming in for Tom Sharpe, while Hednesford named winger Glenn Walker in their starting line-up against his former club, with Steve Diggin and Marvin Robinson on the bench.

Knowing a win would guarantee their survival, Saints made an encouraging start and were almost ahead inside two minutes when Stuart Pierpoint headed over Greg Kaziboni’s cross.

However, despite that early opening, Brackley looked nervy and tentative for much of the first half, perhaps understandably given the significance of the occasion, with Hednesford, who came into the game on the back of five defeats in their last seven, in the ascendency.

The visitors enjoyed the bulk of possession and looked the likelier to score in a scrappy and cagey first half, with Dean Snedker twice called into action to gather long-range attempts from Jamey Osborne and then Richard Batchelor.

When Saints did get hold of the ball, they looked a threat with Owen Story causing problems and it was his tenacious run and excellent pass that saw David Moyo through on goal, but the striker could only drag his shot wide in a golden opening for the home side.

That came against the run of play, however, and Hednesford remained the side who posed the greater threat with Lloyd Kerry’s free-kick was well held by Snedker.

The news of goals flying in elsewhere was doing little to ease the nerves around a tense St James Park, especially with Saints struggling to make much headway.

Brackley continued to live dangerously as they retreated deep inside their own half for large periods, which allowed Hednesford to work the ball around, and it almost led to the opening goal when Nick Rushton was set through on goal but an excellent save from Snedker denied the visiting striker and kept Saints on level terms going into half-time.

The early stages of the second half were equally uneventful, but that wasn’t the case elsewhere as goals continued to fly in with Colwyn Bay scoring three goals in eight minutes, which meant Brackley were relegated as it stood, and that seemed to have an immediate affect on the field.

Only a stunning point-blank save from Dane Crane denied Pierpoint following Moyo’s drilled cross as Saints suddenly showed some urgency.

Despite their desperation, though, Brackley were unable to create much in the way of clear-cut chances and instead it was Hednesford who were looking more dangerous on the break, with Osborne again denied by Snedker.

Story fired a long-range effort wide as things became increasingly frantic for the hosts, who pushed more and more men forward.

But then came the game and the season’s decisive goal. With 15 minutes remaining, Brackley put the ball in the box and Ryan Austin, playing as an emergency centre-forward, chested the ball down for substitute Ryan Rowe to hammer home and send St James Park wild.

With goals still going in at Stalybridge and Worcester, the drama and tension was far from over as Hednesford piled forward in search of a goal, but Saints held out and survived four nail-biting minutes of stoppage time to clinch their third straight win and avoid relegation from the Conference North after a quite remarkable day full of twists and turns.

Brackley: Snedker, Sinclair (Rowe 60), Austin (c), McDonald, Fitzsimons, Story, Odhiambo, Whittall, (Green 60), Kaziboni, Pierpoint (Sharpe 67), Moyo

Subs not used: Carruthers, Farrell

Hednesford: Crane, Hurst (Todd 45), Campion, Westwood, Thomas (Robinson 70), Walker, Osborne, Thorley, Rushton (Diggin 70), Kerry, Batchelor (c)

Subs not used: Diggin, Robinson

Referee: Ian Dudley

Attendance: 775

The Labour candidate standing in Wellingborough & Rushden Parliamentary election has urged voters to ignore the controversy over an email which falsely claimed to have been sent by his Conservative rival.

It was revealed last week that Tory Peter Bone had dismissed a blog posting claiming to have an email from him referring to the future of police and health services in the area as a political smear and entirely false.

He also said he would be reporting the matter to Northamptonshire Police. His views were supported by former shadow home secretary, David Davies, who was in Rushden on Friday.

In response, Labour candidate Richard Garvie said he accepted the word of Mr Bone that he had not sent the email and wanted the campaign to be fought on the issues and not smear tactics.

In a statement, issued to the press, he said the matters raised by the blog posting still needed to be discussed.

Mr Garvie said the issues surrounding the closure of Wellingborough police station and cuts to the fire service formed a key part of his campaign.

He added: “With regards to Isebrook, I made it clear that I am not aware of any proposed cuts or reduction in services although there are now questions that do need to be answered as to what is going on.”

Mr Garvie dismissed any suggestions that the smear campaign involved the Labour party and said any such accusations were “entirely false”.

He has also called on the police to look at other blogs and social media accounts from all political parties as part of any investigation.

Chris Wilder has no regrets over his decision not to select striker Marc Richards from the start at Burton Albion on Saturday.

The Town top-scorer, who has only recently returned to action after undergoing an operation on an Achilles injury, was named on the substitutes’ bench at the weekend.

Richards had to look on as his team-mates struggled badly in the first half against the Sky bet League Two leaders, going 3-0 down inside 41 minutes.

Richards was introduced at half-time along with Ryan Cresswell, and the Cobblers did improve to pull a goal back through Lawson D’Ath, but that was all Town could muster as the game was lost.

Asked if he regretted the decision not to start with his 18-goal top scorer, Wilder said: “You have to go with the medical advice.

“It’s quite easy to get caught up in things and say ‘we can play Marc Richards for 60 or 70 minutes’.

“But the medical advice was that we would be taking a big risk with Marc, even though he is desperate to play.”

A daring University of Northampton graduate who had never picked up an oar before is preparing to spend two months contending with hungry sharks, gigantic whales, hurricane-strength storms and 50ft-waves as he attempts to row across the Atlantic Ocean.

James Whittle, 24, has teamed up with friend Tom Caulfield, 25, to take part in the 2015 Talisker Whiskey Challenge – a 3,000-mile rowing race from the Canary Islands to the Caribbean island of Antigua.

The gruelling voyage is widely known as the toughest race on Earth, and is guaranteed to push James and Tom to their absolute limits both mentally and physically.

The pair, who will be rowing as The Tempest Two, will set off in December and row 24 hours a day in shifts of two hours-on and two hours-off for up to 60 days.

“We have never rowed before, but it doesn’t make us nervous as we understand that this journey, like most things in life, are made possible or impossible in your head,” said James.

“Having said that, this is an almighty feat that we are not taking lightly in any sense. We are training five-to-six days a week to get physically fit enough to row 12 hours a day each.

“We will not be novices by the time we start the row. We really want to use this journey as an opportunity to show that anyone can do anything if they want to enough.

“If you want to do something enough, then you can make it happen – so many people have advised us against doing this row and we are constantly told how stupid we are being but you have to put that aside and find the real reasons you want to pursue the activity.”

James added: “The majority of crossings to date have had close shaves with curious predators, with one boat being repeatedly rammed by a hungry shark and others escaping the unassuming power of a whale’s tail-fin by a whisker.”

To enter the race, The Tempest Two need to raise £120,000 to pay for the boat and other essential items including food packs for energy.

After that, all sponsorship will be split between the Make-A-Wish Foundation and Brian Tumour Research, with the duo aiming to raise £200,000 for the two charities.

James, who studied Sports Marketing at the University of Northampton, said: “Brain Tumour Research is a cause that is close to my heart because my mum suffered from a brain tumour while I was at university. Thankfully, she is in remission and has beaten the tumour – so this is my way of saying thank you to the charity.”

The University of Northampton has sponsored the Tempest Two, who are also being backed by Saracens Rugby Club, whose players have helped James and Tom with their training.

Alan Seymour, who is Sports Marketing Management Course Leader at the University, and James’s former tutor, said: “This is typical James, as he studied and involved himself in sports brand adventures, notably Red Bull, so this challenge is very appropriate.

“I wish him all the success in the world and undoubtedly he will use his skill, determination and competencies developed on the course to good effect in this worthwhile pursuit.”

To find about more about The Tempest Two and how to sponsor them, visit www.thetempesttwo.com. They can also be found on Twitter at www.twitter.com/thetempesttwo

Burton Albion boss Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink hailed his team’s ‘clinical’ first-half performance in their 3-1 win over the Cobblers at the Pirelli Stadium on Saturday.

The Brewers boss was very happy with his team’s showing against the Cobblers, particularly in a first half that saw them race into a 3-0 lead inside 41 minutes.

The win moves already-promoted Burton a big step closer to claiming the Sky Bet League Two title, although Shrewsbury’s win at Cheltenham Town means that feat can’t be achieved until the final day of the season.

“It was a good performance in the first half and I was delighted, athough I have seen us play better,” said the former Netherlands international.

“We were just very clinical, and that is what you need to be.”

Lawson D’Ath’s goal on 54 minutes was the high point of a spirited effort from the Cobblers to get back into the game in the second half, and Hasselbaink admitted that Chris Wilder’s men caused his team problems after the break.

“Northampton are a good team, and when you go in at half-time at 3-0 it is always difficult to come out in the second and replicate it, because the mind says you want to do other things,” said Hasselbaink.

“Northampton had nothing to lose, they made two positive substitutions, and they went more direct and put us on the back foot.

“You have to give them credit for that, but I must say that once we got back to understanding what they were doing, then we were again never in trouble and back on top.

“To finish the game off that professionally, I must say that is all credit to my players.”

Australian Shane Devoy made an immediate impact on the opening day of the Northamptonshire Cricket League season.

The 26-year-old Australian Capital Territory player took 8-16 as Finedon Dolben beat Rushton by 70 runs to start the new summer in impressive style.

David Murphy (87) and skipper Greig Hofbauer (61) had earlier set the platform while former Dolben bowler Marc Jackson claimed 3-73.

However, left-arm slow bowler Devoy was the star turn and Rushton had no answer to him.

Northampton Saints were also big winners when they took on Brixworth.

Zak Harvey cracked 107 while Corby Dolley contributed with both bat and ball scoring 86 not out and then taking 4-41.

Saints reached an impressive 254-3 before reducing Brixworth to 142 all out with Mayur Odedra chipping in with 4-22.

Zain Manzoor’s 95 not out set up Oundle for a 30-point haul against Horton House.

The Milton Road men were all out for 253 but then had their opponents in all sorts of trouble.

Richard Cunningham, Bashrat Hussain and Ben Graves took three wickets each and it needed number eight Simon Dadge (46) to restore some respectability for the House who were eventually dismissed for 161. Dadge had previously led the bowling attack taking 4-69.

Champions Peterborough came out on top of a low-scoring affair at Wollaston.

The home side could manage only 92 - skipper Lewis Bruce taking 5-17 and spinner Paul McMahon 3-24 - but the chase was not without its problems.

Peterborough slumped to 66-5 before Marcus Howard saw them home on 94-7 with an unbeaten 28.

Rushden thumped Stony Stratford in the most one-sided clash of the day.

They compiled a strong 287-6 with half-centuries for Ben Paine (62), Christian Davis (68) and Sam Kumar (51no) before they ran through Stony with ease.

The Buckinghamshire side were dismissed for only 49 leaving them on the receiving end of a 238-run loss.

New boys Geddington were shown how tough life can be in the Premier Division as they lost their first game in the top flight.

Old Northamptonians battled their way to 211-6 from their 55 overs thanks to a 99-run stand for the fifth wicket between James Mellor (67) and Dan Harris (75).

It was a target Geddington might have fancied chasing but they were all out for just 127 runs as their batsmen struggled to build a decent score despite spending time at the crease.

A man is lucky to be alive after his car suffered significant damage and landed on its roof following a collision with a brick wall this morning.

West Midlands Ambulance Service was called to Leamington Road, Southam, at 7.40am and sent an ambulance, a paramedic area support officer, a community paramedic and the Warwickshire and Northamptonshire Air Ambulance to the scene.

A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman said: “On arrival, crews discovered a car on its roof that had suffered significant damage following a collision with a brick wall and street furniture.

“The man, believed to be in his 20s, was conscious throughout but mechanically trapped as a result of the collision. Crews worked closely with the fire service to free the man from the vehicle, a process which took approximately 25 minutes.

“He was treated for multiple injuries, including to his head, chest and pelvis. He had also suffered suspected fractures to his sternum and leg.

“The man was fully immobilised with the use of a scoop stretcher and pelvic splint and given pain relief before being air lifted to University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire.

“Given the nature of the collision and the amount of injuries sustained, the man is fortunate to be alive,” the spokesman said.

“High praise goes to our community paramedic who was first on scene having started work early to respond to the incident and begin treating the patient as as soon as possible.”

Chris Wilder said going into Saturday’s clash at Burton Albion on Saturday that he didn’t want the home team celebrating in front of him and his players come the end of the game. Well, that didn’t quite go to plan.

The Cobblers manager was upbeat ahead of the trip to Pirelli Stadium, bullish about his team’s chances of spoiling the party for the Sky Bet League Two champions-elect, but after just 41 minutes this game was as good as over as Burton led 3-0.

Town, needing a win to maintain their outside play-off chances, were simply blown away.

From as early as the fourth minute when Shwan Jalal decided to drop the ball to the floor rather than kick it out of his hands, things unravalled for the Cobblers.

The lively Stuart Beavon raced in to block Jalal’s clearance (and although the ball probably did hit his arm, it was impossible to tell in real time) and then collected the loose ball and crossed it, with Zander Diamond scuffing the ball into his own net under pressure.

Burton were all over the Cobblers, all over the pitch.

They played a high pace, high pressure game which unsettled virtually every Cobblers player. Tackles were missed, passes misplaced, and too many of the Town team, indeed, virtually all of them, were not at the races.

It took Wilder’s men 30 minutes to even get something close to resembling a foothold in the game and settle things down, and they then shot themselves in the foot again.

This time, a poorly struck and straightforward corner from the right was allowed to get through to an unmarked Phil Edwards eight yards out, and his scuffed shot bobbled into the net off the far post, which was unguarded.

To complete the opening half horror show, Evan Horwood then made a clumsy and rash challenge on Lucas Akins to concede a penalty. Akins was going nowhere, and Jason Taylor and Diamond were also covering, so Horwood should have just jockeyed instead of tripping his man.

It was a shoddy end to a shoddy half from the Cobblers, and although Town did rally after the break following the introduction of Marc Richards and Ryan Cresswell for the ineffective Diego De Girolamo and struggling Collins respectively, the damage had been done.

Lawson D’Ath’s wonderful goal did at least put a smile on the faces of the fantastic travelling support, and if Ivan Toney’s spanking volley on the hour had gone in rather than hit the legs of Burton goalkeeper Jon McLaughlin, a special comeback may have been on. But it wasn’t to be.

And to be fair, the Cobblers didn’t deserve anything from this game.

Plymouth Argyle’s win over Tranmere meant that even if the Cobblers had won at Burton, the play-offs would have been beyond them.

But that fact did not take any of the edge off Wilder’s disappointment and anger at the first-half debacle, that he branded embarrassing and unacceptable.

The Cobblers manager spoke a lot after the game about consistency, about how Burton have managed consistently strong performances to steer them to promotion and to the brink of the league two title.

It is something he is striving to get his Cobblers team to manage over the course of a 46-game season.

But on the evidence of Saturday, when the team couldn’t even find any kind of consistency in the space of 90 minutes, that is going to take a lot of hard work this summer.

Player ratings

SHWAN JALAL - clearly felt Stuart Beavon handled when blocking his early clearance that led to Burton’s fourth-minute opener, but the Town goalkeeper should have just kicked the ball from his hands rather than take the risk of dropping it to the floor. Settled down in second half - 4

BRENDAN MOLONEY - a quiet game by the Irishman’s standards. The fomer Yeovil man seems to have lost the attacking spark that was the trademark of his early Cobblers performances - 4

ZANDER DIAMOND - unfortunate to score the own goal on his return to the Pirelli Stadium, and was probably the pick of a defence that was all over the place in the first half - 5

LEE COLLINS - the normally reliable Cobblers captain looked unusually out of sorts in an at times erratic first-half performance before he was taken off at half-time - 4

EVAN HORWOOD - clumsy challenge on Lucas Akins that led to the penalty which killed the game. Like Moloney on the other flank, Horwood struggled to get forward throughout - 4

RICKY HOLMES - when he is good he is very good, when he’s not quite at it, Holmes can be anonymous, and he struggled to get into this game. Big improvement in the second half though - 5

JASON TAYLOR - like most of his team-mates, Taylor struggled to get hold of the game and was off the pace in the first half as Burton totally dominated the midfield. Better after the break - 5

JOEL BYROM - not the way he would have wanted to celebrate signing his new two-year contract. Worked hard, but his distribution was well below his normal high standard, although he did clip a lovely ball into D’Ath for his goal - 5

LAWSON D’ATH - like Holmes on the opposite wing, D’Ath wasn’t in this game until the second half. Scored a goal of the highest quality to at least give the travelling fans something to cheer - 5

DIEGO DE GIROLAMO - it’s difficult to see what De Girolamo is supposed to offer this Cobblers team. Effort and commitment is there, but the Sheffield United loan man simply doesn’t affect play enough - 4

IVAN TONEY - the teenager led the line well, and must have been frustrated by the lack of support until the introduction of Marc Richards at the break. If his volley had gone in at 3-1, it might have been a different outcome - 5

Substitutes

MARC RICHARDS (for De Girolamo, 46 mins) - Richards gave the attack a focal point, and for the first 20 minutes of the second half he and Toney were a real handful. Might want to forget the free-kick he sent over the stand behind the goal! - 5

RYAN CRESSWELL (for Collins, 46 mins) - introduced at half-time, the big defender probably had an easier time of it than Collins as Burton took their foot off the gas, but put in a solid display - 5

CHRIS HACKETT (for Moloney, 90+4 mins)

Not used: Duke, Carter, Gray, Tozer

CHRON STAR MAN - the travelling supporters who cheered and backed the Cobblers from the first minute to the last, even through that opening 45 minutes

Saracens boss Mark McCall was left ruing a ‘horrible six minutes’ after his side fell to defeat against Saints on Saturday.

McCall’s men had been in command of the affair at stadium:mk after two Chris Wyles tries.

But England No.8 Billy Vunipola missed a huge chance to extend their lead before the break and was then forced off with an ankle injury.

His replacement, Jackson Wray, was on the field for less than two minutes before he was knocked out by an accidental clash of heads with a team-mate.

And Saints took charge after the break, storming back from 17-13 down to secure a vital 25-20 win that takes them a step closer to a home play-off semi-final on May 23.

“We started the game well, we were clinical with first few scores that we got but then we had a horrible six minutes where Billy drops the ball over the line which would have made it 21-10,” said McCall.

“Then Billy rolls his ankle, and it was a big blow to lose a player like him, then his replacement is off two minutes later. It was a poor six minutes.

“That being said, we were 20-13 up after 25 minutes but we didn’t deal with a restart, then we got penalised then Maro Itoje was sin-binned and the momentum of the whole game swung. In fairness to the Saints, they took advantage of that brilliantly.

“I thought it was a two-point game and we when we fared their defence in the last 20 minutes, we could have been a little bit smarter.

“I don’t think we managed our energy well enough in the last 20 minutes and I still think there was a game to be won.

“If we’d been a little bit smarter we still could won the match.”

Lee Dickson says Saturday’s success against Saracens was exactly what Saints needed after a ‘dodgy couple of weeks’.

Jim Mallinder’s men claimed a 25-20 victory at stadium:mk, banishing memories of big defeats at Clermont and Exeter in the previous two matches.

It also meant they remain in pole position for a home play-off semi-final - they are nine points clear of third-placed Saracens - with just two games of the regular season to go.

And Dickson, who made his 200th Saints appearance after coming on during the second half, was delighted to help his team get back on track.

“It was exactly what we needed,” said the scrum-half. “We’s had a dodgy previous couple of weeks and there had been a bit of soul-searching going on.

“We stayed together, which is the main thing. The brilliant thing about this club is that there are no little groups here and there.

“We are back on track for the end-of-season run-in. It was a very tough game against a very good team and we are over the moon to get the win.”

Unfamiliarity has bred contempt at Saints in recent months.

There has been a feeling among fans that Jim Mallinder’s men had not been themselves.

That the things they had done so well for so long were starting to slip away.

Though they had motored on in the Aviva Premiership, there was a feeling that - the brilliant win at Bath in February aside - they had not fulfilled their potential since that fantastic derby-day win against Leicester Tigers in December.

On that day, with 14 men after Dylan Hartley’s first-half dismissal, Saints fought like, well, tigers, to overcome their old foe.

They were ferocious in the set piece and some of their running rugby was breathtaking, with Luther Burrell bombarding the Leicester defence and Stephen Myler pulling the strings.

There were others who had a huge impact in that memorable match-up.

But those two players are highlighted for a reason.

That is because, on Saturday, at stadium:mk, they played leading roles once again to steer a reinvigorated Saints team past Saracens.

In the early stages, Mallinder’s men remained unrecognisable from the team that had claimed the league title last season.

Their scrum shook, as it had in sizeable recent defeats at Clermont and Exeter, and their defence again failed to function.

In an unfamiliar white and red kit, the sales of which helped raise funds for Help for Heroes, and in an unfamiliar home, stadium:mk, supporters could have been forgiven for feeling they were watching a different side.

But what happened after the break ended those thoughts.

Because the Saints side of old returned with a vengeance.

The scrum was back to its best, inspiring flashbacks to 2011 Heineken Cup knock-out matches on Milton Keynes soil, when Saints crushed Ulster and Perpignan.

Myler, who had failed to register a single point at Clermont and Exeter, rediscovered his kicking boots, driving his team back into a game which they had been behind in at the break.

And Burrell, who had superbly set up Samu Manoa’s try in the first half, continued to keep his team on the front foot.

It was fitting that a game billed as the ‘Best of English’ brought the best out of the likes of Myler, Burrell and Dylan Hartley, who will aim to be in Stuart Lancaster’s World Cup squad.

And it is ironic that Saints should take a huge step towards securing a home play-off semi-final at a ground that was their abode for one game only.

But what mattered most to Mallinder and his players was the feeling that they were back on track.

That, as they did last season, they are getting back to their best form at exactly the right time.

With two games of the regular season to go, they are nine points clear of third-placed Saracens.

And with London Welsh up next at Franklin’s Gardens, top spot should be theirs.

That would be something new for a Saints team who are now back in old habits.

How they rated...

AHSEE TUALA

Came in for his first league start for Saints and did well, especially with the boot, putting his team in some good positions. Made up for an early defensive lapse... 7

KEN PISI

Razor-sharp as ever, the speedy wing was an important tool in helping to gain territory and showed his desire late on to keep Saracens penned in... 7

GEORGE PISI

Fancy footwork caused problems for Saracens, who had to be on their toes to stop the Samoan centre... 7

LUTHER BURRELL - CHRON STAR MAN

In a game billed the ‘Best of English’, it was this man who claimed that accolade on the pitch with a scything run setting up Saints’ try and a powerful overall performance... 8

JAMIE ELLIOTT

Claimed one high ball brilliantly to keep Saints on the front foot, but it was not easy for the wingers to break through as Saracens defended well... 6

STEPHEN MYLER

Back to his assured best as he landed six penalties and a conversion, with only a clearance kick that was charged down blotting his copybook... 8

KAHN FOTUALI’I

Showed great speed of mind and hand as he kept the tempo high for Saints, probing for openings during his time on the field... 7

ALEX CORBISIERO

Didn’t have things all his own way in the scrum but battled around the park and eventually helped to turn the tide... 7

DYLAN HARTLEY

The skipper put in a big performance, showing huge desire to drag his team back from a half-time deficit... 8

SALESI MA’AFU

Was locked in an intriguing scrum battle during the first half, with Saracens bossing it, but he responded early in the second half... 6

COURTNEY LAWES

An important influence on proceedings, the lock showed just why he was so missed at Exeter... 8

CHRISTIAN DAY

Such a steadying influence, the lock kept things ticking over in the set piece and also displayed his combative nature in open play... 7

TOM WOOD

Drove his team forward with some big carries and also did great work in the tackle and at the breakdown... 8

CALUM CLARK

Full of energy once again, showing that he should be part of England’s World Cup plans at one of the World Cup venues... 7

SAMU MANOA

The Saracens slayer was at it again as he grabbed a try and put in a hugely physical performance... 8

Replacements (who played more than 20 minutes)

GARETH DENMAN (for Ma’afu 48)

Really impressive shift from the tighthead, who played a big part in turning the tide in the scrum... 7

LEE DICKSON (for Fotuali’i 55)

Came on to make his 200th appearance for the club and this was one of his most valuable cameos... 7