Curle delighted the set-piece goals are beginning to flow for Cobblers

Cian Bolger heads home the only goal of the game against Fleetwood

Town were the kings of dead-ball situations as they claimed promotion via the play-offs from league two last season, and although it has taken some time for them to regain that potency, Curle believes it is coming back quickly.

In recent matches the Cobblers have scored a series of goals from corners and free-kicks, with the latest being Danny Rose's first-half header from Morgan Roberts' cross in the 2-1 Papa John's Trophy on midweek.

Harry Smith (versus Burton and Rochdale) and Cian Bolger (v Fleetwood) have also netted crucial, match and point-winning goals from dead ball situations in recent weeks, and Curle feels his new-look squad is now properly finding its feet.

Harry Smith celebrates his headed opener in the 3-1 win at Burton Albion

That wasn't the case in the first couple of months of the season, but Curle feels that was something that was probably inevitable with the likes of potent penalty box operators Scott Wharton, Charlie Goode, Jordan Tunbull and Andy Williams moving on.

"We know we are competitive from set-pieces, but we didn't start off the season as well as I would have liked," said Curle ahead of Saturday's trip to Crewe Alexandra.

"But with a new group it takes a little bit of time to get the shackles off and to get the players entering the box with the aggression and determination.

"I think we are now starting to take the handbrake off when it comes to set-pieces."

Danny Rose heads home from Morgan Roberts' corner in the 2-1 Papa John's Trophy win at Exeter City

Always a crucial part of the game at any level, games an be won and lost on a team's ability to score from set-plays at one end, and keep them out at the other.

It is something the Cobblers spent a lot of time on, and Curle will never make any apologies for that.

"Set-pieces are the fine margins, and they are going to be the turning points in games," said the Cobblers boss.

"I think last season we finished the top scorers from set-pieces in our division, so that was why I was probably slightly disappointed at the start of this season when we weren't as clinical.

Harry Smith is all smiles after heading home the Cobblers' goal from a Mark Marshall corner in their 1-1 draw at Rochdale

"But we had a new breed of players coming in and picking up the thread, and sometimes it is not all about height, it is about aggression, about having that willingness and understanding.

"I label it as respect, and a set-piece is an opportunity to win a game of football.

"There are different factors within the game over 90-95 minutes that we have to pay a lot of attention to, and we are demanding now the same level of respect when it comes to set-pieces.

"They are opportunities to put the ball in a dangerous area, knowing the movement patterns we want, knowing the areas we want to exploit, and that gives us a slight advantage before the ball is kicked.

"If we can get our movement and patterns right, if we can get our delivery right, and we can get the right people entering those areas then it is a good opportunity to make first contact and to get an effort on goal.

"We won't turn that down."