Horsfall enjoying his new role in Town's back three

Cobblers defender Fraser Horsfall admitted his delight at keeping a first clean sheet of the season against MK Dons on Tuesday was tinged with some disappointment after missing two late chances to snatch victory.

Despite MK's dominance of possession, Town kept their visitors at bay - restricting them to just one short on target - and could have won it through Horsfall, who nodded Ricky Holmes' wide of the post and then crashed another header against the crossbar 12 minutes from time.

“I think you’ve got to look at it as a positive and say it’s a point gained, but on a personal note I know I’ve got to score those two headers,” he admitted. “The gaffer has mentioned it to me and I know I’ve got to do better.

"The first one was a great ball by Ricky. He was excellent when he came on and made an impact for us and I’ve just got to score from that position. I was a little bit out from goal but if I got the direction right, it would have gone in, and I think I can do better with the second one as well.

“It’s a bit unlucky because I’ve hit the bottom of the crossbar and on another day it could easily skim into the net, but it didn’t go in on this occasion. Personally, I’m disappointed with that, and I’m disappointed not to come away with the three points.”

It would have been an excellent victory had Town managed to see off MK Dons but keeping a clean sheet, their first in the league this season, was almost as important.

“It’s been coming and it’s massive to keep that first clean for us,” added Horsfall. “We know we’ve needed it and now we’ve got it and it means we’ve got something to build on going into the next game.

“It’s not just down to the defenders, it’s about the whole team and I think against MK the strikers all the way through to Mitch in goal did their jobs and defended well and didn’t really give them any chances.”

After much tinkering, Keith Curle seems to have settled on a back three of Cian Bolger, Alan Sheehan and Horsfall, with the latter now playing in the middle.

The 23-year-old continued: “I really like playing in the middle but to be honest I feel comfortable on the left, right or central and we’ve obviously gelled a bit with me in the middle recently and I think it’s working for the team.

“It’s a good solid unit. They passed the ball a lot but they didn’t hurt us at all and Sheehan has come in and he’s got so much experience. He’s always talking throughout the whole game and for me that’s important to learn off him every day in training and also in games.”