Brady sees so much 'growth' in Cobblers despite tough run of results

Cobblers boss Jon Brady is seeing a lot of ‘growth’ in his team but admits they need to be more ‘ruthless’ after losing by one goal for the third game in a row on Saturday.

After narrow 1-0 defeats to Wycombe and Port Vale, Northampton were again on the wrong side of a tight encounter against Barnsley at Sixfields. Callum Styles and Devante Cole scored for the visitors before Louis Appéré grabbed a late consolation.

Cobblers had more possession, took more shots and won eight more corners but lapses at the back coupled with some frenetic play in the final third is undoing a lot of their good work.

"You can see the growth in the team,” said Brady. “We aren't getting the results we deserve and we're losing by the odd goal but the way we're playing, our attitude, the work-rate, it's all there.

"For most of the game, I felt we dominated against a team who lost in the play-off final a few months ago, and I feel the only difference at the moment is being aggressive in both boxes.

"The difference on their bench and what they can put on up top is unbelievable, they have some million pound players, but we took the game to them for the whole game.”

Brady’s side were on the back foot from the moment Lee Burge kicked the ball straight to Callum Styles, who brilliantly volleyed Barnsley into a fourth-minute lead.

"It's a poor goal,” admitted Brady. “Burge should clear it. At this level you can't gift teams goals. We're the team that had more shots, we were more on the front foot and we had more possession, but it's about putting the ball in the back of the net.

"Robbo (Liam Roberts) played well for them in goal, he made some really good saves, but what Barnsley did was not give anything away. They didn't make it easy and everything we need to do at this level we have to work hard for.

"We have to be more ruthless but the belief needs to stay there because the way we're playing, and the way we have played, apart from Port Vale, is really good. The difference is that the top teams have some unbelievable strikers for this level.”