Brady asking for more help from Cobblers fans as Swindon visit Sixfields

Boss Jon Brady is urging Cobblers fans to create a ‘buoyant’ atmosphere at Sixfields when promotion rivals Swindon Town and Leyton Orient visit over the next five days.

Cobblers, who are third in League Two, host fifth-placed Swindon tonight (Thursday, ko 7.45pm) before leaders Orient come to town next Monday (3pm).

Both games are crucial to Town’s promotion aspirations this season and Brady says his players need as much help as they can get from the home supporters inside Sixfields.

He said: "Hopefully we have a buoyant home crowd behind us and we just want to create a bit more atmosphere at home.

"The onus is on us to create that through our performance but sometimes we just need a little extra noise from the home fans to really get behind us during this period, especially against Swindon.”

Swindon are fifth in League Two and were beaten in stoppage-time by Walsall on Boxing Day.

"Swindon are a good side,” added Brady. “They are quite expansive in the way they play and they move the ball well.

"We say it week in, week out, I must sound like a broken record, but it will be another tough game. But if we are at our best, I feel it’s a game we can win and we proved at their place earlier in the season that we can beat them.

"That will be our aim again. We won’t take anything for granted and we will work extremely hard to get the right result.”

Jonny Williams gave Swindon a 61st-minute lead in the reverse fixture but Ben Fox quickly levelled before Mitch Pinnock won it late on.

Brady added: "I wouldn’t say that gives us an edge and there will be a bit of a difference to them but we will sit down and take a close look at them.

"It’s important to exploit any weaknesses they have and nullify their threats and make sure we play above the level of the game.

"We’re looking forward to the challenge of the game and we are enjoying being in this Christmas period.”