Cobblers pair Wilder and McDonald nominated for Sky Bet League Two February awards

CATCHING THE EYE - Rod McDonald has been nominated for the Sky Bet League Two player of the month award for February

In January, Chris Wilder was named the top boss while Ricky Holmes won the best player award.

In the February nominations, Wilder is again up for the manager of the month prize - his fourth nomination of the season - while central defender Rod McDonald has been named in the player of the month category.

Wilder, who also won the November award this season, guided his team to a second unbeaten month in a row, with the Cobblers winning five and drawing one of their six games, a run that saw them end the month 10 points clear at the top of the table.

FANCY ANOTHER ONE? - Chris Wilder won the Sky Bet League Two manager of the month award in January, and he has been nominated again for his team's efforts in February

Town started February with five straight wins over York City (2-0), Leyton Orient (4-0), Oxford United (1-0), Wycombe Wanderers (1-0) and York again (2-1), before drawing 0-0 at Hartlepool United - a haul of 16 points out of 18.

Wilder’s competition for the award comes from Neal Ardley of AFC Wimbledon, Nathan Jones of Luton Town and Leyton Orient’s Kevin Nolan.

Ardley steered Wimbledon to three wins a defeat in their four games, which is the same record that Nolan achieved at Orient, while Jones saw his Luton team win three, draw one and lose one of their five fixtures - the defeat a 4-1 hammering at Wimbledon.

McDonald is up against two strikers and a midfielder, in Newport County striker Scott Boden, York City frontman Bradley Fewster and Plymouth midfielder Oscar Threlkeld.

The Cobblers defender enjoyed a brilliant month, and was one of the key men in a defence that only conceded one goal in six games in February - and that was a long-range stoppage time consolation strike from Russell Penn in the 2-1 win at York.

McDonald also netted a superb overhead kick in the 4-0 win at Leyton Orient.

Boden scored all three of the goals Newport netted in February, while Middlesbrough loan man Fewster notched five times for York - although not in the two games against Northampton.

Threlkeld was the defensive lynchpin of a Plymouth midfield that only conceded one goal in February.

The winners will be announced on Friday.