Jon Brady disappointed with Cobblers' lack of 'bravery' in draw against Rochdale

Cobblers boss Jon Brady said his side’s lack of ‘bravery’ on the ball was the most ‘disappointing’ aspect of their performance after they limped to a 1-1 draw against bottom-of-the-table Rochdale on Saturday.

Ian Henderson’s smart finish handed Dale a deserved lead early in the second-half and that looked as if it would consign Town to a damaging and surprising defeat, until Ben Fox popped up with a wonderful strike in the final minute of normal time.

"I’m glad I’m standing here with at least a point,” said Brady. “We knew the challenge would be tough – Rochdale have been in every single game.

"We have set the expectation with our fans and with ourselves that we should come to places like this and get three points but I’ve said all along that this league is really tough.

"They changed shape today, they went 4-4-2 and sat right in with a deep block and tried to hit us on the break. That made it really difficult for us to break their back-line but in the first-half we weren’t bright enough to get behind their defence.

“We then gave them a goal through our own doing. The ball should be cleared but we mess about and we’re indecisive in that moment and that cost us.

"The subs made a difference, we were braver on the ball, we got down the sides of them and Foxy was exceptional and deserved his goal, but it shouldn’t take us going a goal down to be braver on the ball and that’s the most disappointing thing.

"But we didn’t even get a point here last season and that point today could be the difference come the end of the season.”