Dean Keates hails Walsall match-winner George Dobson

The midfielder started the move and then swept home a stunning finish from just inside the area to secure his side a 1-0 victory against a Cobblers outfit who are now as good as relegated.

In front of 8,919 fans at the Banks’s Stadium, the visitors did everything they could to save their season with Liam Roberts brilliantly denying Daniel Powell and Matt Grimes hitting the post and bar with an effort from distance.

But in the end it was Walsall who got over the line thanks to Dobson’s goal. It means the Saddlers are now 18th in League One, three points clear of the bottom four – with rivals Rochdale and Oldham having just one game left to play.

“The quality that Dobbo (Dobson) showed for the goal, for a young lad, was fantastic,” Keates said.

“For him to bring it down, 25 yards from our goal, he showed great composure and play what worked out to be a 70-yard one-two with Ama.

“Ama’s squared it back and then of all the people in my squad, I would have wanted Dobbo on the edge of the box because he has great technique and he slotted it in the bottom corner.

“It was just about getting a result today and we got that. It’s not good for your heart, no, but I will take a late 1-0 win over going in 2-0 up at half-time and losing 3-2!”

Northampton entered the game having won their last two games but knowing they would have to win again to have a realistic chance of avoiding the drop.

And Keates felt his team felt his team got the luck they deserved for holding out against a team that had no option but to attack.

“When the goal went in it was euphoria, relief, everything,” the boss continued.

“But there were still two and a half minutes to go after that so it was just a case of getting composure back and getting the message on the pitch to tell the players to keep calm.

“You celebrate every goal – you celebrate one in the last two minutes as you would do one in the first two minutes. Everybody knows what today was about and what was at stake so to score at that time added more euphoria going through your body.

“The game was a little bit edgy. Both teams had opportunities and we had a little bit of luck. Robbo (Liam Roberts) has pulled off an unbelievable save in the first two minutes, to push a shot onto the post.

“But the lads are well worthy of it because they worked hard.

“We’ve got a little bit of luck. The one that hit the post and came back and hit Robbo and then came off the crossbar, but you need that bit of luck. You need it in any sport, in any walk of life.

“We worked hard and earned that bit of luck.”