Brady played Pinnock at left-back for 'balance' as seven players miss Rochdale draw

Mitch Pinnock played as a makeshift left-back against Rochdale on Saturday because manager Jon Brady felt he would offer more ‘balance’ in the absence of so many first-choice defenders.

Ryan Haynes and Ali Koiki are the natural left-backs in the squad and Akin Odimayo has also played there to good effect this season, but all three were missing on Saturday. Haynes and Odimayo are injured and Koiki was suspended. Right-back Aaron McGowan is also currently sidelined.

That meant centre-half Sam Sherring was selected at right-back with Pinnock on the other side. The creative midfielder has played at wing-back before but it was needs must on Saturday.

"Obviously we have had to change our back-line again,” said Brady. “I had to put Mitch there and I played him to have more balance in the team because he's a left-footer.

"I felt they put the ball out there on him in the first 15 minutes and it was a bit difficult, but we gave them a goal through our own doing. We should have just cleared it.”

Pinnock was pushed forward as Cobblers chased an equaliser late on with Tyler Magloire and Shaun McWilliams among those taken off. Both were withdrawn with one eye on Tuesday’s game against Wimbledon.

Seven players were missing in total at the weekend with Danny Hylton, Kieron Bowie and Lee Burge also injured.

Brady added: "I had to pull Tyler off because I didn't want him to do his hamstring and we need him ready for Tuesday night. I was just shuffling it around. It's like a Rubik's Cube at the moment because of the injuries to the back-line.

"We have a third of our squad out today – seven players in all. We would be better off if we had them with us and involved but we have to deal with it and get on with it and keep fighting.

"It's tough. We can be better and we need to be better on Tuesday night but I'll let the dust settle and I won’t make snap decisions.

"We will watch the game back, look at the opposition and then make an assessment on how we are going to attack Wimbledon on Tuesday night.”