Henoc Mukendi scored his first senior goal as the Cobblers ended a four-game winless streak with a 2-1 Johnstone’s Paint Trophy second-round victory over Colchester United.
Another loanee, West Bromwich Albion’s Kemar Roofe, had a hand in both goals, winning the penalty with some quick thinking and a good piece of skill, and providing the cross for Mukendi’s decisive goal.
Colchester made all the early running, Karl Duguid somehow managing to miss from inside the six-yard box with Higgs out of the picture and the goal at his mercy.
Ian Henderson, a former Cobbler who endured something of a difficult time at Sixfields, quickly forced Shane Higgs – on his first start of the season – into a fine reflex save with an angle drive.
Town had chances too – Roofe picked a defender’s pocket and rattled off a shot that looked for a split-second like it might rebound off goalkeeper Mark Cousins, only for him to grab it at the second attempt.
Akinfenwa, from a low-trajectory and whipped Ishmel Demontagnac, saw an under-pressure header bounce off the top of Cousins’ bar.
But the visitors eventually found a breakthrough after half an hour. A cross from the right found its way to Freddie Sears, who steadied himself and steered a shot inside Higgs’ left-hand post.
Akinfenwa dragged a shot wide towards the end of the first half as Matt Heath misread a header to allow the striker a clear run at goal.
Higgs was withdrawn on the stroke of half-time with what appeared to be a concussion and his replacement, Dean Snedker, was called into action early in the second half, making a good low save to deny Clinton Morrison.
Colchester’s aggressive attacking set-up saw them leave two players in attack when defending set-pieces but such a policy cost them five minutes after the restart when a corner went short to Kemar Roofe, who was tripped in the box by Alex Gilbey.
Akinfenwa despatched the spot-kick and within moments Town were celebrating a second goal.
Again Roofe did well, providing a cross from high on the left wing that Mukendi diverted in off the post with a subtle but crucial headed touch for his first senior goal.
It was enough to stop the rot of four matches without a win and book Northampton’s place in the third round of the competition but not before some late drama as Morrison was sent off for an elbow on David Artell.
Cobblers: Higgs, Hackett, Langmead, Artell, Widdowson, Demontagnac, Roofe, Tozer, A Nicholls, Akinfenwa, Mukendi
Subs: Snedker (for Higgs 44), Hornby (for Roofe 61), Wilson (for Demontagnac 74(.
Not used: Moult, Dias
Colchester: Cousins, Coker, Heath, Okunghae, Henderson, Wordsworth, Bean, Duguid, Sears, Morrison
Subs: Eastman (for Okunghae 46), Gilbey (for Bean 46), Wright (for Wordsworth 69)
Not used: Massey, Pentney
Attendance: 1,561
Away fans: 174
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