Barton talks up Cobblers as in-form Bristol Rovers head to Sixfields for promotion showdown

The Gas travel to Northampton on a great run of form, having claimed 22 out of the past 27 points available to them, winning seven out of nine games.

It is a run that has seen them catapult from mid-table to seventh in Sky Bet League Two, and to within just three points of second-placed Cobblers.

Barton is excited ahead of the weekend date with Jon Brady's side, who have forged themselves a reputation this season as the kings of dead-ball attacking.

The Cobblers are top of the fourth tier charts for set-piece goals with 21, with central defenders Fraser Horsfall and Jon Guthrie netting eight and six league goals respectively.

But Barton has a lot of respect for the Cobblers, and insists there is a lot more to Brady's men than simply scoring from corners and free-kicks.

"The lads they’ve got, Horsfall and Guthrie, they’ve had a great goalscoring season for Northampton," said Barton.

"Mitch Pinnock’s delivery and the two lads being aggressive and a goalscoring threat has been a huge part of their arsenal.

"But in open play they’re a good side, they’re no mugs.

"It looked like Ali Koiki came off early in the game last time out, so it seems he’ll be injured for them.

"If he misses the game on Saturday then that will be a positive for us because he and (Aaron) McGowan at full-back really create the width for Northampton, they are a real attacking threat.

"The two lads peeling off the sides, they’ve got goalscoring threat in (Sam) Hoskins in midfield, so they’re a really good side.

"We know we’ll have to be at our best in all departments, not just the set-piece area if we’re going to be successful on Saturday."

Rovers were 2-1 winners over the Cobblers at the Memorial Stadium in November, despite playing the final third of the game with just 10 men following the sending-off of veteran midfielder Glenn Whelan.

But Barton saw enough in Town that day to know they are a threat, and that this weekend's return fixture is going to be down to fine margins.

"Northampton have got a lot of competent players, a lot of good players in open play," said the former Manchester City and Newcastle United midfielder.

"We’ve had a skirmish with them at our place. We managed to win that game having gone down to 10 men.

"We played a back three in that game and there was different personnel and they will have different personnel.

"The boy who was playing for them at the time, the really good striker, Kion Etete, has moved on in the January market and they’ve replaced that.

"They’ll know what we’re going to do, they’ll be well versed.

"It will be two sides that know each other really well as we get into this, and it will be the team that handles the occasion and does the basics superbly on the day that will progress.

"The teams are closely matched and we’re looking forward to it.

"A tough away fixture and one where we can grab a lot of momentum from should we win."

Barton knows a win by more than one goal would see them finish the day above the Cobblers in the league two table, and that is big motivation.

But he also knows nothing will ultimately be decided over the 90 minutes at Sixfields.

"You get an opportunity to leapfrog or go level with teams who are very close in the table," said the former Fleetwood boss.

"But if you win on Saturday you’re not promoted, and equally if you lose Saturday you’re season is not over.

"It’s all to play for, but again for us, nothing changes. It is a top-end-of-the-table clash now.

"The table is so compact behind Forest Green, who are out in front and we’ve got to make sure we turn up and give a great account of ourselves.

"If we do, that’s been enough to take points out of games, and if we don’t then we’ll get what we deserve, which will be nothing."