Northampton Town delivered a scintillating performance to demolish ten-man Peterborough United 4-0 in the Nene Derby, completing a league double over their fiercest rivals in the process.
Sam Hoskins was the star of the show once again, scoring twice in the first half to put the Cobblers in control before Dara Costelloe and substitute Tom Eaves added further goals in a dominant win at the Weston Homes Stadium.
Kevin Nolan made three changes to the side that beat Huddersfield in midweek, handing starts to Aaron McGowan, Nesta Guinness-Walker and Costelloe. Northampton came out full of intensity, with TJ Eyoma and Cameron McGeehan both going close inside ten minutes.
Hoskins makes the difference early
Northampton’s bright start paid off on 15 minutes when Hoskins picked up a loose ball and curled a stunning effort into the top corner from outside the box. Minutes later, Edun was sent off for violent conduct after pushing McGeehan, a moment that swung the match decisively in the Cobblers’ favour.
Shortly after, Costelloe was bundled over in the box and Hoskins stepped up to send Jed Steer the wrong way from the spot—his 97th goal in Northampton colours, lifting him into fourth on the club’s all-time scorers list.
It was 3-0 before the interval. McGeehan’s pinpoint cross was met by Costelloe, who guided home calmly from close range. Peterborough’s first-half misery was complete.
The second half brought changes for Northampton, with Tom Eaves, Tyler Roberts and Akin Odimayo among the players introduced. Despite the comfortable lead, Town remained on the front foot.
Costelloe nearly added his second, denied only by Jadel Katongo’s goal-line clearance after a smart double-save from Steer. Eaves then tested the keeper with a well-hit volley, but saw the rebound evaded by Fosu.
Everything we deserve. Absolutely embarrassing season and constantly in survival mode. The entire club needs a rebuild from top to bottom
— Marty (@Marty19721861) April 5, 2025
Eaves finally got his reward in the 90th minute, meeting Pinnock’s pinpoint delivery with a powerful header to complete the scoring and send the away end into raptures.
Peterborough, reduced to ten men and outplayed across the park, failed to lay a glove on Northampton in a second half that was largely one-way traffic. The final whistle confirmed a famous victory for Nolan’s side.
Site opinion
This was a statement win. Northampton were everything you’d want in a derby side: fired up, organised, and lethal in the final third. Sam Hoskins continues to etch his name into club history, but this was a collective performance of real quality.
The early red card hurt Peterborough, but the Cobblers’ aggression and precision were the true difference. For Kevin Nolan’s team, this fights off any lingering doubts about the drop, allowing them to focus on next season. Peterborough’s board might have to do the same.
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