Curle: Fatigue no excuse for Cobblers despite busy fixture list

Rush of games not to blame for Vale loss
Keith CurleKeith Curle
Keith Curle

Cobblers boss Keith Curle will not allow his players to blame their busy schedule for any drop off in form following a first league defeat of 2020 on Saturday.

The Cobblers were beaten 1-0 by promotion rivals Port Vale just four days after being knocked out of the FA Cup in a fourth round replay against Derby County.

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The visit of Vale was Town's seventh game of nine in just 28 days but Curle, despite also losing key men to injury at various times, refused to blame the defeat on fatigue.

"No, not at all," he said. "This is our work and we're professionals.

"We rest, we work and we prepare and the cycle goes on from Saturday, Tuesday, Saturday.

"The important part is the mental and physical recuperation and then the preparation with good detail and good understanding.

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"We understood what was required and we needed to get that first goal on Saturday and get that first contact in the box because we had enough quality delivery into the box."

Cobblers have the ideal opportunity to bounce back on Tuesday night when league leaders Swindon are in town.

"It'll be an excellent test and an excellent challenge for the changing room," added Curle. "Sunday the players will rest, Monday we will prepare and on Tuesday we'll go.

"There's a lot of games still to be played and lots of twists and turns but the important thing is we have a changing room that's on board, a club that's on board and supporters on board.

"We're all facing in the same direction and we're all on the same page and that's massively important."