Brady had 'choice words' for Cobblers at half-time after players deviated from detailed gameplan against MK Dons - review and highlights

For those observing from a distance and only taking an interest in results, it might seem that Cobblers' decision to change managers and replace Keith Curle with Jon Brady, at least temporarily, has had little to no effect on the team's fortunes.

And it's true, one point from three games and an increasingly perilous league position does not make for great reading, but take a closer look into each of Brady's three matches at the helm and the transformation in Town's performances is clear for all to see.

With every passing game under Brady, Cobblers have improved and could easily have returned seven if not nine points had luck been on their side. They were the better side in Tuesday's draw at Ipswich and succumbed to late goals in the other two. They also struck the woodwork four times in those matches, including twice at MK Dons on Saturday.

The fact is, Brady's men really should have won at Stadium MK. They not only scored three times, finally ending their goal drought in doing so, but also created a string of other chances and might have had six if not for a combination of former goalkeeper Andrew Fisher and the woodwork.

It represented a clear and distinct improvement on what went previously. Yes, you can point to defensive sloppiness at the other end and that is something which will need rectifying, but doing so would take away from an impressive and encouraging display against a very accomplished MK Dons team.

Brady deserves immense credit. He has made all the right noises off the pitch and has his team playing attacking, enterprising football on it. There's only one thing missing but unfortunately it's the most important thing of all: results.

Continue to play like this, however, and they will come.

Brady and his coaching staff worked on an in-depth plan to stop MK Dons' very distinctive style on Saturday, and when his players veered away from the instructions during a tentative first 20 minutes - even accounting for Fraser Horsfall's very early goal - he was eager to let them know.

"You talk about organisation, we had a pressing phase today, we had a mid-block phase and we had a deep-block phase in terms of how we dealt with them," said Brady, who backed up his words with actions by sending on the two Ryans - Watson and Edmondson - for Danny Rose and Jack Sowerby at half-time.

"We said that we would be in control of the game out of possession and we did control it, apart from that first 20.

"I came in at half-time and I told them in no uncertain terms that we needed to be more aggressive in that defensive third phase and that's why we succumbed to the two goals. We controlled the game after the first 20, 25 minutes.

"I had some choice words and the changes were positive because we had to be more aggressive and I think it showed. We came out, got on top and turned the game around."

The decision to introduce Watson proved an inspired one. Within 46 seconds, he brilliantly drew Cobblers level, and it would get even better when Peter Kioso glanced home his first goal for the club with only 12 minutes to go.

Sadly for Northampton though, that would not be the end of the drama as first Cameron Jerome and then Charlie Brown struck, snatching victory for Dons and keeping Cobblers firmly in the mire.

"It's a step forward," insisted Brady. "We'll have a debrief on Monday, learn what we need to be better at and look at what we did well because there were things we did really well and the boys need to know that.

"We will get there, we will get there."