Brady tells Cobblers to focus on process over outcome to avoid complacency
Town were beaten the last time they hosted a relegation-threatened team
Cobblers boss Jon Brady will remind his players to focus on the process rather than the outcome before they host relegation-threatened Colchester United on Saturday (2pm kick-off).
The Cobblers are strong favourites on paper to keep their promotion charge on track with a third win in the past four outings.
Colchester are in decent form themselves having lost only one of their last six games but they remain at risk of the drop, currently five points and two places above the dotted line.
However, as Barrow proved at Sixfields only recently, league position counts for little on the day.
“We can’t worry about outside pressure at all,” warned Brady this week.
“Our focus has to be on the process and what we need to do to win the game and we don’t lose sight of that.
“We look at our gameplan, how we approach it, what we need to do to try and get a result and how we can stop the opposition.
“That’s what you focus on and if you get that right, the result will follow naturally.”
Colchester sacked Hayden Mullins last month and have picked up under interim boss Wayne Brown.
Among their recent results are impressive away wins at Salford City and Leyton Orient.
“Colchester have only had one defeat in the last six and they made some good acquisitions in the January window,” Brady added.
“They have a new management team and they look rejuvenated and their recent results have really picked up.
“We see every game as a tough challenge in this league and make no bones about it, Saturday will be another tough game.
“We have seen that any team can beat anyone in this league so first and foremost we will respect the opposition.
“We go out trying to win every game, we really do, and we have our small targets which we have had all throughout the year and we’re currently on track with that at the moment.
“The focus stays on our small targets and what we need to do.”