Brady: Cobblers won't be at our best for a while yet

Manager Jon Brady expects it will be a few more weeks yet until the Cobblers find their very best form.

Town are third in Sky Bet League Two with four victories and five clean sheets from their seven games.

But three of those wins have come by just a single goal after tight, hard-fought encounters, including Tuesday's most recent success at Newport County.

"We talk a lot about improving and moving forward within the group and I still don't think we'll be at our best until 10 or 12 games into the season," said Brady. "I expect more and more, even with the changes.

"I felt both full-backs got further forward at Newport, which was good to see, and there was a lot of good movement between Nicke (Kabamba) and (Danny) Rosey up front and that's what we're trying to create.

"We talk about those connections all over the pitch and we're still working on them, but there are trade-offs all of the time because you're playing against good opposition and you can't always have it exactly the way you want and the way you planned and there are so many variables in football.

"You need to be adaptable and have a flexible mindset throughout the match. It's just pleasing that we are that way at the moment and that's how we want them to be."

Whilst Brady praised the whole team for their performance at Rodney Parade in midweek, he was pleased with one man in particular.

He added: "We made three changes the other night and one player who really did well was Jack Sowerby.

"He hasn't been in the team a lot this season but he showed some real intelligence the other night because there were a couple of things in the press which he did that we want but we haven't been getting.

"We're really pleased because, although he's been out injured, he's been taking things on-board and listening to things we've been saying and that's really pleasing for a manager and for us as coaches.

"He seemed click with Shaun (McWilliams) and they both got on the ball and moved it quite well and they also did a lot of graft out of possession so it was a good combination."

Cobblers next face Ben Garner's eighth-placed Swindon Town at Sixfields. The Robins, who were in crisis shortly before the season started, are a club transformed under new ownership.

"Swindon are a good side," continued Brady. "They're very fluid in what they do and they try to play and move the ball well.

"Ben has done a brilliant job to be where they are straightaway and I take my hat off to him because only two or three weeks before the season started they were still putting the team together.

"Fair play to them and and their fans because they'll bring down a lot on Saturday which will make for a great atmosphere - but we need to make sure they don't enjoy the game too much!

"They have a few offensive dangers which we need to make sure we nullify but everyone is strong this season and it's a very even league so it's about how we set out to exploit any of their weaknesses and nullify any threats."