Sam Hoskins was the matchwinner as Northampton beat bottom side Burton Albion 1-0 at the Pirelli Stadium.

A late deflected strike by Hoskins won the match for the Cobblers at League One’s bottom club, who’d missed multiple chances before the crucial goal.

The three points were the Cobblers’ first under the charge of recently appointed boss Kevin Nolan, with the side now unbeaten in three games after drawing their previous two assignments.

Northampton also now have a six point gap to the relegation zone below and have risen a place to 18th in the League One table.

For the trip to the Brewers, there was a new face in the Cobblers’ starting line-up as Liam Shaw made his debut the day after signing up from Fleetwood.

In an early kick-off for a game chosen by Sky Sports for live TV broadcast, both sides had early opportunities as Hoskins snatched a strike from inside the box before the home side’s Nick Akoto drilled a strike across goal that went out the other side of the box.

Few chances were coming for either side in a scrappy first half, but a great chance came for the visitors just after the half-hour mark when Hoskins received Tom Eaves’ flick and saw a strike denied by Max Crocombe in the Burton goal.

Hoskins would later see a further strike blocked, with Shaw wafting the rebound into the stands.

Burton had struggled for chances before the break but missed one just after it, as substitute Billy Bodin saw a wayward shot end up picking out Dylan Williams, who just headed wide.

Nik Tzanev made a stop to deny Burton’s Jack Armer, with his Brewers’ team mate Rumarn Burrell seeing an effort a few moments later also denied by Tzanev.

The home side continued to cause Northampton problems, with Burrell seeing a shot hit the crossbar before Bodin did beat Tzanev only for his goal to be ruled out for offside.

With 4 minutes of the 90 remaining, however, Northampton would break the deadlock. Mitch Pinnock’s ball found Hoskins, who lashed in a shot that struck Armer and wrong-footed Crocombe to find the back of the net. The goal saw Hoskins mark his 400th Northampton appearance with the goal.

Burton struggled to create opportunities as the game moved into 4 minutes of stoppage time, as the Cobblers picked up a first away win since beating Huddersfield in September.

Northampton will be seeking to continue their unbeaten streak next time out, when they welcome Barnsley to Sixfields next Saturday.