Brady explains the plan with Miller and why Hoskins started on the bench against Rochdale

The decision to take off Mickel Miller at half-time against Rochdale on Tuesday evening owed to strict pre-match instructions given to Jon Brady by Cobblers' medical staff.

The winger was making only his second start for the Cobblers and first in exactly a month after he suffered a hamstring injury on debut at Lincoln City.

The 25-year-old Rotherham loanee played the final 20 minutes at MK Dons on Saturday and then impressed in the first-half against Rochdale, but did not appear for the second 45 minutes.

"We had strict instructions tonight - I could not play him over 45 minutes and we wanted him to have the first 45 minutes," explained Brady. "He glided across the grass tonight and he looked so comfortable in possession but no matter how he played, he was coming off at half-time.

"It's frustrating for me managing this team at the moment that I had to bring him off but it's for the long-term and for our benefit in the long run. If he stopped at half-time and then went back out there for the second-half, there was a huge risk he could pull his hamstring again.

"We work together with all the staff here and I've had to twist arms to get 45 minutes out of him, but it should mean we can manage him through the week and he can play a bit longer at Swindon, although he won't be ready to play the full 90.

"He's absolutely fine, I can assure you, and he's feeling good. He's a bit of a Rolls-Royce, isn't he?"

Miller's return meant no place in the team for Sam Hoskins, who did not start a league game for the first time since the opening day of the season.

Hoskins did come on at half-time and had an immediate impact, slipping through Ryan Edmondson for Town's best chance of the game.

"We wanted Sammy to hit the reset button and refresh button so that was the plan," Brady added. "Sammy has done excellently in terms of his work-rate for the team but his efficiency and effectiveness needs to be better in wide areas and we're working on that with him.

"We're working with individuals to make them better but I wanted Sammy to come out fresh in the second-half and he hit the ground running when he came on - he's a great professional.

"We're fighting for our lives and it was a great attitude by Sam to come on and do what he did."