Curle believes Town's promotion success has been underplayed

Manager Keith Curle believes Cobblers have not earned the recognition they deserve for the achievement of winning promotion out of Sky Bet League Two in the summer.

Town finished seventh, just inside the play-offs, via the points-per-game method used to determined the final standings after the season was cut short by the coronavirus pandemic.

After losing 2-0 in the first leg of the play-off semi-final, Cobblers produced two stunning performances to clinch promotion, overturning Cheltenham's lead at Whaddon Road before thrashing Exeter City 4-0 in the final.

Curle's side have struggled to adapt to League One following the step up, however he believes the club deserve more praise for the achievement itself.

"Its been difficult," he said, reflecting on 2020. "Obviously we had a step up with the promotion and I think it's been minimised in terms of how big an achievement that was last season. We finished one point behind sixth so we didn't exactly just creep into the play-offs.

"It was a very good achievement. Very quickly we then faced the challenge of stepping up and we had limited time to get in the players that we first targeted.

"Like anybody in this division, we're still striving for consistency but unfortunately it doesn't just happen. There have been lots of teams who have gone on a run like we have where they've wondered where the next win is coming from.

"But suddenly they get that win and then they get another win and they start thinking about winning and not losing and we're no different to anyone else.

"We lost four or five games at the start of the season but then we got two wins and a draw and everyone was looking up the table. Then you lose a few games and you start looking at everyone else's results again.

"It's the same for every team in this division - I don't think any team in the bottom half has put together a consistent run that they would be hoping for but we need to get enough wins to stay in this division and that's one thing that has remained consistent. We need to find a way."

Curle feels Town's 10-day break between games against Lincoln City and Gillingham, who visit the PTS on Tuesday, will help his players refocus.

"I think the break will help us," he added. "Our planning is good and our preparation is good and we have the information, but we just need to make sure we turn up on the day.

"We've stepped up a level which means the players need to step up every game and that is their challenge."