Curle will change formation again after going to back four at Shrewsbury

Manager Keith Curle could use the early part of the season to try different formations and find out what works best for the Cobblers following his switch to a back four at Shrewsbury Town on Saturday.

Town started last season by playing 4-4-2 but Curle switched to 3-5-2 in October and it proved so successful that he didn't change again as his side climbed into the play-off places before clinching promotion with victory over Exeter City at Wembley.

He stuck with the same system at the start of the current campaign but was forced into going back to a four-man defence on Saturday due to his mounting injury list, and with Town beating Shrewsbury 2-1, it might not be a one-off.

"We're not set on one particular formation," said Curle. "We will find that we will settle into a formation as the season progresses and as I feel more comfortable that I'm able to get the maximum out of the individuals that are selected that day.

"There will be switches of personnel and there will be switches of formation as and when I see fit in terms of giving us the best opportunity to win a particular game.

"It's not going to be 'right, we play 4-4-2 week in, week out and the players have to fit into that system' because we're more flexible than that and we're trying to create a squad whereby we can be competitive.

"If that means a change of shape and a shape of personnel, then it's about being brave enough to back your decisions."

Mark Marshall and Sam Hoskins were on target at New Meadow as Cobblers made it four points from their first two League One games of the season.

"Any manager or any coach is desperate to get that first win of the season and it's the same for the supporters because they want to see us competing and they want to points on the board," Curle added.

"It's a good start to the season but at this stage we're looking for performances as well and results and there are still lots of things we need to work on as a group.

"We're learning and developing as a new group with new players and we're trying to put the foundations in place. As hard as we work on the training ground, we still need to have those fundamentals on gameday and that's something we need to improve."