Brady: Cup performance against Wimbledon was more like how I want Cobblers to play

Cobblers’ performance during their cup defeat to AFC Wimbledon on Tuesday was a glimpse into how Jon Brady wants his team to play on a more consistent basis.

After their passive defeat to Rochdale on Saturday, Cobblers produced a display packed with energy and intensity in midweek and were deeply unfortunate to lose in stoppage-time.

The first-half was relatively even but Town dominated thereafter and spent most of the second 45 minutes on the front foot, with the League One visitors pinned back.

“Our intensity from front to back was really good,” said Brady. “It did help with the surface having a bit of wet on it because that does help to move the ball quickly, but our intensity with and without the ball was excellent.

“It’s just about putting the ball in the back of the net but that’s more in line with how we want to play.

“I thought Kion (Etete) and (Danny) Rosey led the line really well up front and they probably didn’t get the rewards that their performances deserved.

“The rest of the team was really on the front foot as well. Yes, it’s frustrating and people will see that we’ve lost 1-0, but if you were in the ground and saw the way we played and the way we pressed, that’s more like us us.

“After the work we’ve done in the last couple of weeks, that’s more in line with where we want to be and how we want to play.”

And having then watched the game back the following day, Brady felt much the same way.

"It's fine margins at times at this level," he added. "We felt we were in control of the game and you look at all the final third entries we had, it was a lot more than the opposition.

"I felt we controlled the game and I still feel the same way having now watched it back. We were strong out of possession, we were aggressive in our pressing and we were aggressive in our passing and our play and we had a lot of purpose to what we did.

"Obviously we didn't score and when you do score, it takes the pressure off and it would have changed the balance of the game, but it'll come if we keep having those type of entries. We just need a little bit more quality in that final third."

Town’s performance was made all the more impressive by the fact Brady made six changes.

Jonny Maxted replaced Liam Roberts in goal, Fraser Horsfall returned from suspension, Jordan Flores, Dylan Connolly and Ali Koiki came into midfield and Rose started up front.

Brady continued: “I wouldn’t expect us to be disjointed even with all the changes because we have good players to come in and good energy to come in and all the boys know their roles and responsibilities inside and out.

“It’s just about doing it consistently from the first whistle to the final whistle, that’s all it is. I went into the dressing room and said ‘look, I have to lose like anyone, but I’m extremely proud of the way you played and that’s how we want to play.’

“For me, we’ve got to move forward with this and take all of the positives out of the game.”