Brady gives the latest on Cobblers' growing injury problems

Cobblers boss Jon Brady hopes to have at least a couple of his injured players back fit this coming week after losing two more prior to Saturday's game against Port Vale.

Town were already without Aaron McGowan, Jack Sowerby, Chanka Zimba and long-term absentee Sid Nelson for their trip to Vale Park.

It was then discovered only late last week that Peterborough loanee Idris Kanu had fractured his jaw in the previous Saturday's game at Walsall, while Leicester forward Josh Eppiah picked up a calf issue in training.

McGowan and Sowerby were both 'touch and go' for the clash with Vale so could well return this week. Brady will be particularly keen to have Sowerby back available with fellow central midfielder Shaun McWilliams suspended for the next two games.

Eppiah went for a scan over the weekend and Kanu faces a significant period on the sidelines.

Brady said: "At Walsall, Idris came back to make a challenge, won the ball and gets absolutely smashed in the face and fractures his jaw, which we didn't know at the time.

"It's about six weeks for it to heal and then it'll be building up fitness after that so it's frustrating.

"Josh has a muscle injury. He came on the other night (against Newport) and didn't stop running but unfortunately he felt an issue and we just hope to get him back as quickly as we can.

"It's hard because at the moment half of the new boys are out injured.

"I would hope we would have one or two players back for next weekend but only time will tell."

Brady was also absent from his usual position on the touchline at Vale Park, instead forced to watch from the stands having picked up a suspension for receiving four yellow cards this season.

"I don't mind watching it from up in the stands because you get a good overview of the game," he said.

"I did that quite a lot last season when there were no crowds and it's not a problem to me.

"We have Colin and Marc on the touchline and I can easily radio down what I feel and I can see things a lot better from up there, especially ay my height!

"I was at the very top and you get an overall view. When you're pitchside, you can only see what's just in front of you, but up there you get the aerial picture and that's really important."