Boss Jon Brady left frustrated by Cobblers' late lapse at Port Vale

The Town boss accepted after the match that his team had probably been second best to a confident Valiants side who claimed their fifth win in six matches to move joint top of the Sky Bet League One table – but he still believed his team should have bagged a point.

The Cobblers first struggled to contain their hosts, and then failed to get a real foothold in the game as an attacking force, but Brady feels he and his players should still have returned home with a share of the spoils.

Vale eventually won it five minutes from time thanks to a sweet 20-yard strike from substitute Ben Garrity, the Vale man gambling to nip in front of Aaron McGowan to win possession from a long ball forward before firing home.

And it was the lapse in concentration that led to the decisive goal left Brady unhappy.

"Garrity comes inside the wing back and we haven't defended it right," said the Cobblers boss.

"We haven't opened our body, and the player comes across our defender, and it's not good enough in that moment.

"And that is what you have to be, you have to be better defensively at this level or you get punished.

"The ball drops to Gerrity and it is a hell of a strike, but we should be tighter and we shouldn't give him the opportunity to shoot."

Vale dominated possession and always looked the more likely winners, but aside from Gerrity's effort, goalkeeper Lee Burge only had one other serious save to make as the defence for the most part held firm, especially after switching to a 5-3-2 and defending deep in the second half.

"Port Vale were better than us at coming out with the ball, and it was really hard to stop their momentum," admitted Brady.

"We then resorted to trying to hit them on the break, and we had the chance (through Sam Hoskins) before they score.

"We reduced them to minimal efforts, and the fact is we know we are not going to have it all our own way, we know how tough this league is.

"You have to graft, you have to grind, and I am just disappointed we let that goal in because I felt we should have defended that moment better."

The Cobblers have a free week before hosting Barnsley at Sixfields on Saturday (ko 3pm).