Brady doesn't want Cobblers to be over-reliant on their phenomenal defensive record

Cobblers boss Jon Brady does not want his team to be over-reliant on their superb defensive record going into the final 14 games of the season.

Town are rock-solid at the back having kept five successive clean sheets and 17 in 32 League Two games over the course of the season.

At the other end, they have not been particularly free-scoring recently - netting two or more goals in only one game in their past nine outings - and were kept at bay by struggling Scunthorpe on Tuesday.

"We can't always rely on our defence and we shouldn't always rely on that - we have to aim to be better," said Brady.

"Of course, it is our foundation and our strength but we need to make sure we are better.

"The other night, we did have to shuffle it around a little bit and our balance wasn't perfect but we will be more balanced this Saturday and in a better place."

Whilst Cobblers were not at their best in midweek, the clean sheet did show the value of having a reliable defence as they secured what could prove an important away point.

"It's not so much we should have lost but sometimes, when you're not at your best, you might go and lose the game," Brady added.

"But for us, we get a draw, and I feel that's a sign of a really strong side, and then on another night where you might only deserve a draw, you could nick a win and that can be so important.

"Throughout the case of a whole season, you are not always going to play brilliantly. You're not going to go to places like Scunthorpe and play teams off the park on a surface like that.

"When teams are fighting like they are for their manager and their football club, you are not going to have things your own way.

"It's another clean sheet and we talk about that a lot because it's in our DNA. Apart from a couple of moments early on, I can't really remember anything.

"They had one shot in the first few minutes and another cross flashed across goal but that was it. There weren't any clear-cut chances.

"We could have been better offensively but we will aim to be better at the weekend."