Boss Brady to rest key players as Cambridge come to town in EFL Trophy

The Town manager says he will 'respect the competition' and that the club will meet the EFL criteria for a 'full available strength' team for the fixture, but it is expected many senior players will be given the night off ahead of Saturday's Sky Bet League Two date with Stockport County.

It has been a bit of a nightmare start to the season in terms of injuries to key players, with in the past week Tyler Magloire and Shaun McWilliams joining the likes of Danny Hylton, Aaron McGowan and Oki Odimayo on the sidelines.

The Cobblers must name four players that meet the criteria for qualifying as senior players in their starting 11.

The likes of Ben Fox and Josh Eppiah, who both came on as substitutes in Saturday's win over Rochdale, could be given starts as they return from injury and illness, while the likes of Ryan Haynes, Harvey Lintott, Peter Abimbola and Liam Cross could all feature.

Striker Kieron Bowie is not available as he has joined up with Scotland Under-21s, but Jack Connor and Miguel Ngwa, who are both on loan at AFC Rushden & Diamonds, are available to Brady for the Cambridge fixture if required.

According to the EFL regulations, a ‘full available strength’ side means Town 'must include at least four qualifying players in the 10 outfield players named in the starting 11'.

A qualifying player is one who started the club's previous match (versus Rochdale) or will start the next fixture (versus Stockport), is in the list of 10 players at the club with the highest number of starting appearances in first team this season or has made 40 or more senior starts in their career.

"We are going to respect the competition, but I have to make some changes because we have got a threadbare group at the moment," said Brady.

"I will look at the youngsters, but we do have to respect the competition and make sure we fit the criteria first and foremost, but thereafter we will be on the edge of it I would suggest."

And whoever does end up playing, Brady is urging them to make the most of the oportunity to play senior football.

"I feel for us this is not a negative, because it is a great opportunity for the young ones, and we are brave enough, like at Ipswich, to blood a lot of the youngsters," said the Cobblers boss.

"The average age of the team that night was around about 22, so what a great experience.

"That will only bear fruit later on for us, or for others, in a year or two's time."

The clash against the Us is the Cobblers’ second group game in the competition, having lost their first 6-0 at Ipswich Town.

Cambridge began their group campaign with a 2-0 home defeat to Arsenal Under-21s.