The League Two strugglers gained a vital point in difficult conditions at Sixfields to boost their survival hopes while denting what Northampton hoped would be a play-off charge following Tuesday's crushing of Crewe.
Boss Sampson told the club website: "The wind was very strong and that made the game quite scrappy.
"We have to take the positives from the game though and that's the first clean sheet we've kept in a while."
It's Port Vale next for the Cobblers and Sampson added: "We will be going to try and win the game."