Barrow 1-3 Northampton Town: Cobblers miss out on promotion from League Two on day of drama
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Sam Hoskins set Northampton on their way to victory with his 11th goal of the season and his 12th soon followed
Northampton Town beat Barrow but missed out on automatic promotion from League Two on goals scored as Bristol Rovers thumped Scunthorpe United 7-0 to overturn a five-goal deficit on an astonishing final day of the season.
The Cobblers seemingly needed only to win to take the third and final promotion spot, and Sam Hoskins scored twice as they cruised into a 3-0 lead inside 23 minutes at Holker Street.
But Northampton conceded before the break and Bristol Rovers steadily built on their 2-0 half-time advantage to go 4-0 ahead with 30 minutes remaining.
The Cobblers were unable to add to their lead and three Rovers goals in the final 15 minutes saw Joey Barton's side clinch an incredible victory against bottom-of-the-table Scunthorpe.
The results meant Rovers and Northampton both finished the season with a goal difference of 22 but Rovers earned promotion because they had scored more goals, having found the net 71 times compared to Northampton's 60.
Confirmation of promotion for Barton's side was delayed following a pitch invasion by home fans following their seventh goal.
The hold-up ensured an agonising wait for Northampton's players, staff and fans, whose hopes of a return to the third tier of English football were shattered by proceedings at the Memorial Stadium.
Missing out seemed an impossibility when Hoskins grabbed a first-half double against a fourth-from-bottom Barrow side who were already assured of survival.
Hoskins curled home a delightful opener from 20 yards after just five minutes and it was 2-0 soon after when Fraser Horsfall headed home Mitch Pinnock's corner at the back post.
Midfielder Hoskins then added his second and Northampton's third with a neat finish into the bottom corner after Josh Eppiah won possession.
With the visitors rampant, only a fine Joe Grayson tackle prevented Eppiah from making it 4-0 and that intervention proved vital in keeping Barrow in the game, with Josh Kay's tidy finish from John Rooney's corner bringing a glimmer of hope for the hosts.
An improved second-half performance saw Josh Gordon hit the bar for the hosts and brought spells of sustained pressure and a few close calls, but as news filtered through of the drama involving Rovers, Northampton upped the urgency.
Hoskins nearly grabbed a fourth goal but was denied by a superb Paul Farman save.
Northampton's fading hopes were further hit when keeper Liam Roberts was sent off for handling outside the area in injury time, and they were unable to find a fourth goal. That means they will now have to play Mansfield Town in the two-legged play-off semi-final.
Port Vale will meet Swindon in the other semi-final.