DERBY DAY: Hoskins has sights set on revenge as Posh come to town

But that doesn’t mean they have forgotten just how much it hurt.

Hoskins insists what happened at London Road is something the team didn’t dwell on - a statement backed up by Cobblers winning their next two Sky Bet League One fixtures, and also thrashing Harrow Borough 6-0 in the FA Cup.

The club’s mini winning streak was brought to a halt with last weekend’s last-gasp 2-1 defeat at Gillingham, but Hoskins insists the mood at Sixfields is still a positive one.

After all, Town are still in pretty good shape, but Hoskins also admits that 3-0 defeat at Posh was a painful one - and that he wants revenge.

The defeat hurt the players, but it hurt the club’s supporters even more, and Hoskins knows he and his team-mates have to do all they can to put things right when Peterborough make the trip to Sixfields on Saturday.

“Everybody was disappointed with what happened in the last game,” said the former Southampton trainee.

“We recognised what we needed to work on, and I think we are ready to go and get revenge, if you want.

“We definitely need a big performance against them in front of our home fans.”

And he added: “It is another game for us, although we know there is a lot riding on it for the fans, and from a personal point of view because of the rivalry, and the way the last game went.

“We just have to prepare as we do for any other game, and we know we have to go and get the three points. That is the aim.

“It is important we don’t do things differently to what we have been doing, because things then might not go our way.

“We focus on our game and our performance. We are at home so we can go out and show everybody what we have been showing recently.

“I believe we can beat anybody in this league on our day, so if we get our game right then we can get the win.”

The Cobblers were forced to field a much-changed team at London Road due to suspensions and Rob Page’s surprising team selection, so is Saturday a chance to show Peterborough’s players the real Northampton?

“We have such a strong squad and everybody who comes into the team they can step in and do a job, “ said Hoskins. “So I don’t think it is a case of showing them the real Northampton, because some games just don’t go right.

“So we can dwell on that last performance or we can move on, and we have all moved on and we are looking to put this right.

“I think 3-0 was a bit harsh on the night, and if we had taken one of our chances, then it is a much closer game. We are backing ourselves to go and put on a performance this weekend.

“If we had managed to nick a goal then we would have been right back in it, but we are going to put that behind us, move on, and hopefully get the win.

“From defence to attack we know our jobs, and we know what we have to do.”