Cobblers boss Wilder: We’re not out of it yet

Town were beaten 2-1 at Bury on Saturday and are now five points off the top seven with just eight games left to play.

Luton Town visit Sixfields this weekend for a game Wilder feels his squad will need no motivation for, and is confident the season will not just fizzle out for the club.

“We made changes because we needed to freshen it up and I think Diego (De Girolamo) had a good debut, he was very bright and positive with the ball,” he said.

“It wasn’t the changes which did us, it was the fact we didn’t - as a group - do the things we have been doing in our good run.

“It’s been a difficult week but we have to believe that we can go again, that we can win games on the bounce in this league.

“But if this is going to be what we do every two or three games then it will be a season which just peters out and I don’t want that to happen.

“So I’ve got to rally the team and get them going. We are good enough and we’re not out of it but we’ve missed opportunities in our past two games.”

The Cobblers form has dipped in the past month, with the three points taken in a narrow 1-0 win over Tranmere Rovers their only return in four games.

They also now share the honour of being the division’s leading goalscorers with two other clubs, the leaders Burton and second-placed Shrewsbury.

“If we look back at it at the end of the season, this might be a big week because this week has hurt us,” he said.

“We could have really made a statement and closed the gap right up. We can still do it but we’re running out of time and we need to get a win very soon.”