Wilder hails character as Cobblers fight back for point

Town looked to be heading for defeat and out of play-off contention as they trailed 2-0 after an hour at the Cherry Red Records Stadium.

But a quickfire three-minute double from striker James Gray secured a precious point for Town, and ensured they remain four points outside the top seven with six games of the season remaining.

“At 2-0 down, I would imagine everybody had written us off, and I’d imagine the majority of our supporters did as well,” said Wilder.

“But I have learned today that I have a group of players that go right to the end.

“I can pull the first 10 or 15 minutes of the second half to pieces, and talk about the two goals we conceded, but really I want to just talk about our reaction to going behind,

“We had a go at it, and the lads were desperately trying to get something out of the game, and that showed.

“We are a touch disappointed we didn’t get the winner, but we walk away with the draw, and come the end of the season that might be a really important point for us.

“The first was a non game and there wasn’t a lot of football played, but we have come here against a team that has been great at home, and we have had to work hard to get a result.

“We don’t know whether or not that is going to be an important point until the end of the season, but we have kept the season alive.

“We weren’t great in the first half, but got up off the canvas and got a point and credit to the players for that.”

Gray was the undoubted star of he show for Town, and Wilder said: “I thought James outstanding.

“He was pivotal to all of our good stuff in the first and second half, but he was backed up by everybody else in the team.”

The Cobblers drop to 11th in the Sky Bet League Two table, but stay four points adrift ot the play-off places.