Goals in each half from Kaid Mohamed and substitute Alex Nicholls ended Northampton's four-match losing run as they beat AFC Wimbledon 2-0 at Sixfields.
Mohamed's 32nd-minute strike looked like it would be the difference until substitute Nicholls knocked in a scrappy goal in stoppage time.
The hosts started brightly with Joel Byrom's free-kick just wide
Ivan Toney had a free header which he guided straight at goalkeeper James Shea while Sean Rigg was off target for Wimbledon.
Lawson D'Ath and Matt Tubbs both had efforts ruled out for offside at either end before the Cobblers broke the deadlock with the best move of the half.
Toney and Byrom combined well for D'Ath to cross and Mohamed turned the ball in at the far post.
Top scorer Tubbs should have equalised shortly afterwards but he shot just over from a good position
Wimbledon found it difficult to create chances and former Cobblers favourite Adebayo Akinfenwa had a quiet return to Sixfields.
The popular striker's only chance came midway through a largely uneventful second half when he headed wide from Jack Smith's cross
That proved to be Wimbledon's best opportunity of getting back into the game.
Given their recent habit of conceding late goals, the Cobblers defended with caution in the second half but they had a couple of chances to make the points safe late on through both substitutes, Nicholls headed straight at Shea and Emile Sinclair fired wide.
Nicholls finally grabbed the second goal deep into stoppage-time, with his first goal since a bad injury in 2012, knocking home the rebound after Shea parried D'Ath's shot
Source : PA
Source: PA