Brady expects Flores to improve and says Etete will score goals

Cobblers boss Jon Brady expects Jordan Flores to keep improving after the midfielder got through two games in four days last week.

The 25-year-old, who is now at Sixfields permanently after initially joining on loan from Hull, missed a couple of games with Achilles tendinitis but played over an hour against Wimbledon last Tuesday and then managed the full 90 at Crawley on Saturday.

Brady felt Flores enjoyed his best game for the Cobblers in the EFL Cup tie, and whilst he wasn't as good at the weekend, one flash of quality set up a great chance for Kion Etete early in the second-half.

"I thought he played better the other night," said Brady. "I think he will be building his fitness and he wasn't at his sharpest and there's more to come from him.

"He was excellent on Tuesday but at Crawley he probably wasn't quite at his best, but he's been out for quite a while so for him to have those two games, it will be a blessing in disguise and now I feel he can really step on further."

Flores partnered Paul Lewis in midfield on Saturday but was shifted further forward in the closing stages as Town chased a winning goal.

"You do want him further forward but with the shape we play, it's harder because you need to balance it off and a midfielder has to hold," said Brady. "Or a full-back needs to hold and then it might release a midfielder

"In the end, we changed shape and we brought him up higher for the last 10 minutes just to try and unlock that because he's a technician and he has the quality to play those passes in the final third."

Etete could not make the most of Flores' through ball, denied by Glenn Morris for the second time in the match having also been thwarted early on.

"Kion will score goals," Brady added. "The lad is doing brilliantly. He's 19 years of age and he worked his socks off again.

"The one thing you'd say is that, at U23s football, they don't deal with playing two games in a week and it's not as physical as that.

"But that boy is putting his body on the line, working his socks off and leading the line well and for him to play 90 on Tuesday and then 70-odd on Saturday, they don't teach that in U23s football.

"His body will be getting used to it. It'll be screaming but he'll get used to it and he's giving it everything he's got."

Brady had spoken about the 'unfair' treatment of Etete in the build-up to Saturday's game.

"Early on I thought it was disappointing again and I said as much to the fourth official," he said post-match. "I don't know what he has to do to get a foul given in his favour sometimes, but you just hope that the referees have a look at some of their decision-making."