Brady admits Cobblers lack attacking depth as transfer talks continue

Adding depth and variety to his attack will be Jon Brady’s priority in the final month of the summer transfer window after the Cobblers manager admitted he lacked game-changing options on the bench in Saturday’s season-opening fixture against Colchester United.

Town’s bench included three defenders and three midfielders, plus goalkeeper Jonny Maxted, but there was no striker in sight. Fulham forward Kieron Bowie would have been in the squad but he’s currently injured, as is Akin Odimayo and Ben Fox.

As it happened, Harvey Lintott and Ryan Haynes both impacted the game as late substitutes, the former setting up Sam Hoskins who in turn crossed for Haynes to score a last-minute winner. However, Brady knows he needs attacking reinforcements before window shuts at the end of August.

"We are working,” he said. “How many it'll be I don't know but the window is obviously open until the end of August so we are just trying to make it right for us. It's a work-in-progress at the moment.

"As you saw on Saturday, offensively, we needed something extra on the bench. We had to manipulate it and find a way and we did that on Saturday. It did look more defensive on the bench but that was only because of the injuries that we have at the moment so that couldn't be helped.

"With how the window has gone so far, we haven't found that type of player we want in offensive positions. Well, we have found players but we are just working on things at the moment. That's where we are at."

Asked about the state of his injured players, Brady added: "With the injured players, we will just see this week. Michael (Bolger) is pushing hard in the physio room and the boys are working extremely hard but we will just have to see.”