Northampton Town: Sampson goes on the attack
Ian Sampson says it will be a case of all out attack for his Cobblers side between now and the end of the season.
Town play host to Darlington today knowing a win, combined with defeat for Shrewsbury against Rochdale, would put them in the Coca-Cola League Two play-off zone, with just 10 games left to play.
It would also reduce the number of wins required – according to Sampson's mission statement in the wake of the win over Hereford on February 23 - to six from the final 10 fixtures.
The team face a difficult-looking last six games, with home clashes against Notts County, Shrewsbury and Bury, and trips to Rotherham and league leaders Rochdale on the horizon.
But Sampson's men are unlikely to fear anyone on current form, and the manager says the time for patience is over.
"We have to win our games so you're probably going to see a bit of attacking football between now and the end of the season," he said.
"It's no good sitting back and playing a patient game, we've got to go out there and get in teams' faces and score some goals.
"Hopefully the confidence and the results we're getting away from home can be replicated on our own ground.
"I don't know why it's different. The pitch is the same size, it's 11 v 11 and we've got a better backing at home; everything's in our favour to get results at home."
Northampton were unbeaten for 11 games between December 5 and February 12, a sequence of events that has underpinned the assault on the top seven.
After that run they lost twice but have won three on the spin since, form that has led Sampson to review the objectives he set when he took over a team struggling at the bottom of the Football League.
"Our initial aim was to consolidate in the top half of the table but that's changed now," he said.
"Ourselves and a lot of other teams around mid-table are all looking at that final spot, the one that Shrewsbury are in.
"That's our immediate aim now and if results go the right way for us we can be in that seventh place by tonight.
"We've got another target to go for now and we can get it if we get the right results this afternoon."
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Weather for Northampton
Wednesday 08 February 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: -6 C to 1 C
Wind Speed: 13 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: -1 C to 2 C
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