Northampton Town picked up a point as they drew 1-1 with Birmingham City courtesy of a stoppage time equaliser.

Jay Stansfield had put Birmingham in front in the second half and it had looked like being enough for the promotion challenging Blues until Mitch Pinnock’s equaliser in the sixth minute of stoppage time.

That was enough for Jon Brady’s side to pick up a point from their trip to the West Midlands, as they managed to be the first team to leave Birmingham’s St Andrews ground without losing since August.

As the Cobblers sought to recover from last weekend’s shock FA Cup defeat to Kettering Town and in turn build on a midweek EFL Trophy win, the Cobblers faced a test in the form of the big spending Birmingham side widely fancied to be contenders for promotion to the Championship.

The Cobblers were unable to call upon Tyler Roberts, who was absent due to being on loan from Birmingham, and thus seeing him join the Cobblers’ absentee list, but despite early Blues pressure, the best chance fell Northampton’s way when Jon Guthrie was denied by Ryan Allsop after the ball fell his way in the box.

Cameron McGeehan headed wide later in the half before Birmingham missed a chance to take the lead late in the half as Willum Willumsson blasted over in first half stoppage time.

Northampton would lose Tyler Magloire and Jack Baldwin to injury in the opening minutes of the second half and they also came under greater pressure, with Alfie May hitting the side netting, Christoph Klarer being denied by Lee Burge and Willumsson again missing the target.

Just before the hour mark, a breakthrough ultimately fell Birmingham’s way. Willumsson turned a cross back across the face of the Northampton goal and waiting in the middle was Stansfield for a tap in to put Birmingham in front.

Stansfield would miss the target in a Birmingham push for a second goal, before Northampton had a chance denied when substitute Will Hondermarck had a strike beat the goalkeeper but not a covering defender on the line.

With time running out, Northampton ultimately broke through to equalise in the seventh minute of stoppage time. Dion Sanderson could only partially clear a cross out to the Cobblers’ left flank, and Pinnock’s first time strike beat Allsop to find the back of the net and take a point for the visitors.