Northampton moved to within two points of the top three in League Two with a resounding 3-0 victory over Harrogate at Sixfields.

The impressive Louis Appere netted in between two goals from Sam Hoskins as the Cobblers closed the gap on Port Vale to just a couple of points with three games to go.

Fraser Horsfall headed against the crossbar after only two minutes but Northampton were not at their best in the first half and it came as a surprise when Hoskins opened the scoring from Appere’s lay-off just shy of the half-hour mark.

Hoskins and Jon Guthrie blocked goalbound efforts from Luke Armstrong and Josh Austerfield respectively while Appere twice cleared the crossbar late in the first half as Northampton looked to extend their lead.

Appere was also thwarted by goalkeeper Joe Cracknell shortly after the restart but he eventually got his goal on the hour mark when latching onto a short back-pass and finishing confidently.

And Northampton wrapped things up just three minutes later with Appere again involved, slipping through Hoskins who dispatched confidently past Cracknell.