Goalkeeper Burge backed by his manager after difficult few weeks

Goalkeeper Lee Burge has the backing of his manager after a difficult few games between the sticks.

​Burge was at fault for Barnsley’s opener at Sixfields last month when his misdirected clearance fell straight to Callum Styles, who found the net with a first-time finish.

The 30-year-old also strayed from his goal when Dom Ballard scored for Reading last Tuesday, and then he allowed Dan Udoh’s shot to sneak inside his near post against Shrewsbury at the weekend.

Jon Brady felt Burge should have saved Udoh’s stoppage-time winner, but the Town manager has full faith in his goalkeeper and pointed to the two excellent saves he made at crucial times during the aforementioned victory over Reading.

"I don't think he (Udoh) should score from that angle and it's disappointing because a point was the minimum we should have come away with from that game,” said Brady.

"He should save it and I think Burgey will be disappointed with that. It's a side-foot finish and it hasn't got loads of pace on it, but you go back to the other night and he made two tremendous saves against Reading.

"His saves in the first half didn't allow Reading to come back into the match, but I'm sure he will be disappointed not to keep that one out.”

Udoh’s winner came shortly after Sam Hoskins missed from the penalty spot on a frustrating afternoon for the Cobblers in Shropshire.

Brady added: "Sam doesn't miss often but that happens in football and he's bounced back plenty of times before.

"OK, we don't score the penalty, but we've controlled the game and we should still close it out and take at least a point.

"But 90 plus one minutes, we're a bit sloppy in midfield, they get through and there's a couple of ricochets and it falls to their lad and he puts it in. It's very frustrating.”