Brady frustrated by 'constraints' as injuries continue to limit his options

Jon Brady admits the hectic early-season schedule and a series of injuries, particularly in defence, have been frustrating even though the Cobblers have started the season with 11 points from five games.

Akin Odimayo was back on the bench at Crewe Alexandra on Saturday but did not get on, while Jack Sowerby and Sam Sherring could again miss this weekend’s visit of Doncaster Rovers and Aaron McGowan is still a few weeks from a return. New signing Josh Eppiah will also need to build up his fitness before being able to start games.

"We hope over the next few weeks to get some key players back and build their minutes,” said Brady. “I think Harvey Lintott has done exceptionally well at right-back and with AK we were in a position to give him some minutes at the weekend but the state of the game didn’t allow for that.

"But he’s back in full training now and it will be about building his minutes. With Jack Sowerby and Sam Sherring, they will be touch and go whether or not they make the squad on Saturday but there’s no point rushing them back. They are both there or thereabouts but only time will tell over the next few days.”

Brady has had to throw the likes of Lintott, Tyler Magloire and Marc Leonard straight into the team with little preparation work.

"You have had to put them straight out for their final examination without any prep work and that has been tough,” admitted Brady.

"The way we do it, if we can’t do it on the grass, we will show them visually and and we will talk to them and hope they can take things on board very quickly without being out on the grass. We are finding a way at the moment.”

Cobblers held an open training session at Sixfields on Tuesday with fans invited to go along and attend.

"No-one realises the constraints and it has been hard with it being game after game,” Brady added. “People will see at the open training session that some players are being protected and some are doing rehab and you only get a limited amount of numbers on the grass.

"People will realise that watching today’s session and it is hard but you have to organise and get the team right and if you can’t do it on the grass, you have to find another way.”