Brady made changes to keep players fresh

Town's team against Rochdale included four alterations
Danny Rose came on as a late substitute against Rochdale.Danny Rose came on as a late substitute against Rochdale.
Danny Rose came on as a late substitute against Rochdale.

Cobblers boss Jon Brady says he made four changes against Rochdale in midweek with one eye on players' match sharpness amid a run of 11 games in 34 days.

Ryan Edmondson, Ryan Watson, Mickel Miller and Alan Sheehan all came into the side for Tuesday's goalless draw, with Sam Hoskins, Danny Rose, Jack Sowerby and Fraser Horsfall dropping out.

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Brady said: "We are playing a lot of games at the moment and it is important we adjust the training to try and keep the players fresh in both body and mind at the top end of the pitch. That means we will monitor things closely and make changes when we think players need a rest.

"For example, Danny Rose has emptied the tank for us in recent games and on Tuesday I felt Ryan Edmondson came in and looked fresh and caused Rochdale a lot of problems with his energy and movement.

"Sam Hoskins looked so much fresher for even just a 45 minute rest on Tuesday. He responded fantastically, he came on and created two good chances within a few minutes at the start of the second-half and that is what we are looking for."

Hoskins replaced Miller at half-time before Sowerby and Rose came on as late substitutes.

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"I felt we had lost the ascendency," Brady explained. "They closed off the midfield and brought their wide men inside.

"The wind was really bad so they went a bit longer and tried to land on the second balls by boxing off the midfield and it made it harder for us because we were outnumbered in there.

"I thought Ryan (Watson) was tiring from his work ethic and I needed to bring Jack on to land on those second balls and to try and turn the ascendency the other way.

"Marshy was also tiring a bit and I wanted to keep our height on the pitch, especially with that wind against. They were trying to expose us so we had to make sure we saw out the game.

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"I could have put Rosey on a bit earlier but Marshall is our highest assister at the moment and you're damned if you do and damned if you don't.

"You were just hoping he would free up because he did earlier and had that one-on-one and went through on goal, but I think we're still trying to chase the ball down the river!

"I believe Marshy will have that bit of quality to get that chance in the box, but those are the things you go through on the sidelines and you believe in your players."