Brady accepts Cobblers must 'work a bit harder' to find 'solution' to key problem

Manager Jon Brady admits Cobblers need to ‘work a bit harder’ to find ‘solutions’ when confronted by a team who puts bodies behind the ball after they struggled in such circumstances against both Walsall and Salford City in the past week.

Those two matches played out in almost identical fashion as Town’s opponents struck the crucial first goal late in a tight first-half on both occasions before dropping deep and defending their lead for much of the second 45 minutes.

Although the Cobblers dominated possession and pressed for an opening, they were unable to create many clear chances and fight their way back into the game to lose 1-0 twice in the space of four days.

"As soon as Salford went ahead, they just wanted to defend in their half and sit in and and screen and block they are within their rights to do that,” said Brady.

"We do work on things to find a way but we need to work a bit harder to try and find a solution to unlock that. We didn't today but on another day, we will. On another day, Kieron's (Bowie) effort goes in or some of our other chances go in.

"In the first-half, Kieron has a shot well saved, Sammy (Hoskins) has a couple of efforts and Danny (Hylton) just misses a header and Sam Sherring's shot is tipped over. You would want more but it was hard and a frustrating afternoon."

Salford have by far the highest average possession count in League Two this season but they were matched on that front by Northampton.

"Salford have absolutely dominated most games,” Brady added. “They have had 65, 70 per cent possession almost every week. We didn't want to sit back but we blocked passing lanes in the first-half and tried to make it difficult and we did that.

"We won the ball and pressed them a couple of times and nearly got in. They did the same to us and I thought both teams, tactically, played a strong game and the first goal was always going to be important.

"The goal was unlike us, to concede in that moment. We should be going in 0-0 at half-time but that's more learning for us.”