Injury situation is 'almost torture' for Brady as Cobblers plan another review

Cobblers are planning to hold another review of their injury problems at the end of the season after manager Jon Brady admitted the current situation is ‘almost torture’.

Town undertook a thorough evaluation of their medical department last summer after an injury-hit campaign in League Two but despite making tweaks, which included strengthening their backroom staff, they have suffered similar problems this season.

Brady is particularly stretched defensively and his problems deepened further on Saturday morning when, just hours before Cobblers were due to host Derby County, captain Jon Guthrie pulled out with a hamstring complaint and fellow centre-back Max Dyche went down with illness.

That meant midfielder Jack Sowerby had to play at centre-back but he was one of the standouts in a superb team display as Town left their promotion-chasing visitors shell-shocked.

"It's seriously frustrating but it is what it is,” said Brady. “We'll take stock of these injuries but it's painful to go through and it's almost torture at times. I think what we've got to do is to sit down again at the end of the season and assess the situation because we don't want this to keep happening.

"To navigate our way through pre-season and the start of the season with only nine players fit two weeks before the first game of the season was incredibly difficult.

"To get to where we've got and to be virtually safe, with all the injuries, is a great effort, but until you are mathematically safe you can't relax. But for us to have eight defenders missing, and a goalkeeper, and have 10 out in total, to beat Derby County is quite remarkable.”

There were further problems for Brady to contend with during Saturday’s game as Aaron McGowan, making his first start in over a month, and Liam Moore both had to come off due to injury.

Brady added: "I was worried when he (McGowan) walked around the pitch but I think he went slower than he needed to because he wanted to milk the applause! But why not? He's had a tough year after losing his dad.

"I asked him to play a lot longer than he should have and I'm hoping it's just fatigue but he's been absolutely immense for us and he's really led the team and he's an inspiration to the group.”