Albion crashed out of the Carling Cup on a disastrous night at Sixfields.

Aside from losing the game to two first-half goals inside three minutes, Matt Sparrow was sent off following a clash with Cobblers midfielder Abdul Osman, while sub Alan Navarro was stretchered off with a serious-looking knee injury.

Sparrow's early bath leaves him sidelined for the forthcoming league games with Rochdale, Sheffield Wednesday and Walsall, while Navarro's absence is yet to be determined.

Having made seven changes from the team which beat Swindon Town on Saturday, Gus Poyet's side endured a torrid opening to the game and were two down inside the first 20 minutes.

The Cobblers simply flew out of the blocks and took a deserved lead on 13 minutes when Michael Jacobs cut in from the right before drilling his shot through the legs of Albion debutant keeper Michael Poke.

With their tails up, Town doubled their lead soon after when Billy McKay rose highest to connect with Ryan Gilligan's deep right-wing cross.

Albion's night went from bad to worse on 35 minutes when Sparrow was given his marching orders for raising his arm in a tangle with Osman.

Unfortunately for the former Scunthorpe man it happened right under the nose of referee Craig Pawson, who had no hesitation in sending off Saturday's two-goal hero.

The closest Albion came to reducing the deficit before the break came on 23 minutes when Agustin Battipiedi connected with compatriot Cristian Baz's corner, only to see his close-range header well held by Oscar Jansson.

Baz also saw a long-range drive saved by Jansson but the hosts were good value for their half-time lead.

Poyet made two changes at the break, with Navarro replacing Chris Holroyd and Baz making way for Elliott Bennett.

Bennett's pace set up a speculative effort for Marcos Painter but just as the visitors looked to have found a foothold in the game, the night got even worse when Navarro was stretchered off just eight minutes after his introduction.

In an attempt to cut out a cross down Northampton's left flank, he appeared to get his studs caught in the Sixfields turf. After a lengthy spell spent receiving treatment, the midfielder looked in some distress as he left the field.

Jamie Smith entered the fray but the incident appeared to knock the wind out of Albion's sails, and they were lucky not to fall further behind when Nathaniel Wedderburn's close-range header fell the wrong side of the post.

Sub Tadhg Purcell also flashed a header wide for the hosts, while Poke saved well from Courtney Herbert.

The best Albion could muster was a weak and wayward shot by Smith - an effort which just about summed up a sorry night up for Poyet's lacklustre men.

Northampton: (4-4-2) Jansson, Johnson, Holt, Beckwith, Hall; Gilligan (Thornton 62), Osman, Wedderburn, Jacobs; Guinan (Purcell 72), McKay (Herbert 79). Subs not used: Rodgers, Walker (GK), Konstantinou, Harris.

Albion: (4-4-2) Poke, Whing, Elphick, El-Abd, Painter; Dicker, Battipiedi, Sparrow, Baz (Bennett 46); Hart, Holroyd (Navarro 46 (Jamie Smith 53)). Subs not used: Walker (GK), Barnes, Cook, Thomson.

Referee: Craig Pawson.

Yellow Cards: Gilligan (Northampton); Battipiedi, Elphick, Dicker (Albion).

Red Cards: Sparrow (violent conduct, three-match ban) (Albion).