Curle unhappy with players having 'hands on hips' for Vale's winner
Manner of Worrall's goal 'disappoints' Cobblers boss
Keith Curle was unhappy with three of his players for having 'hands on their hips' in the build-up to Port Vale's winning goal against the Cobblers on Saturday.
David Worrall was left unmarked at the back post to head in Tom Conlan's cross with 17 minutes to go at the PTS and end Town's four-month unbeaten home run.
But Curle expressed his disappointment with an earlier passage of play as Vale were able to work the ball forward from a defensive throw-in before Conlan was afforded space to set up Worrall.
"I'm disappointed with the goal because if you analyse it, they've got a throw-in 10, 15 yards in their half and we've got three forward players, Vadaine Oliver, Andy Williams and Mark Marshall, still parallel with the ball with hands on their hips," said Curle.
"That tells me they're not ready and they're not in a defensive shape and that's not just a criticism them because a lot of things happened but it's having that starting position as a defensive unit and being able to turn defence into attack.
"But what you can't do is let them attack. We've got to be in the right position when out of possession but for that goal we weren't and it cost us with one ball into the box. I think they had one shot and one cross."