Brady 'allows' Cobblers players to 'feel down for one day' - but they'll be ready 'to do a job' on final day

Jon Brady allowed his players to ‘feel a little bit down’ for one day after Saturday’s stoppage-time defeat to Bradford City – but he insists they will be ready ‘to do a job’ on the final day of the season.

Cobblers would have won promotion by beating the Bantams at Sixfields and they were so close to going ahead on several occasions after Max Dyche’s second-half equaliser.

However, it was Bradford who stole victory thanks to Romoney Crichlow’s stoppage-time goal, which means Town must beat Tranmere next Monday to guarantee promotion to League One.

Whilst Saturday’s defeat was a tough one to take, if Cobblers fans were offered this position at the start of the season – or even just two weeks ago – very few, if any, would have turned it down.

"Absolutely,” said Brady. “I addressed the boys afterwards and I said I was extremely proud of their performance today and I'll allow them to feel a little bit down for one day.

"But they will rise again tomorrow morning and they will have the mindset of going to Tranmere and going to do a job. Tranmere will be tough opposition but if we play like we did against Bradford, we can beat anyone on our day and that's how we have to approach that game.

"The other thing I said to the players is that you start out as a young kid in football and things never go your own way all the time. There are always ups and downs and today feels like a sucker-punch, and it will do, but it's still in our hands.

"If we play to the best of our ability next week, we have every opportunity to go and win that game.”

There was an element of controversy about the free-kick which led to Bradford’s winner on Saturday, though Brady was reluctant to comment.

"I've only watched the chances back so I haven't seen the foul,” he added. “They hardly had anything the whole game apart from the two goals really.

"I can't comment on that incident but I'll watch it back. It's disappointing to concede both goals in the way we did.”