Jon Brady has found it 'excruciating' to be without a natural number nine

Injuries to Tom Eaves, Callum Morton and James Wilson and then Roberts’ red card against Lincoln City left Cobblers without a match fit striker for their FA Cup defeat to Kettering.

Roberts was also ineligible against parent club Birmingham last weekend so Sam Hoskins, who was not 100 per cent fit at the time, had to lead the line. Martyn Waghorn did come in on a free transfer earlier in the month but he was short of match fitness.

"Tyler had to come off (against Blackpool) because hasn't started a league game in a while,” said Brady. “It's been excruciating without a number nine and it's been bloody hard. People expect us to get results when you don't even have a number nine.

"We're trying to get him back up to speed but we don't want to break him so I had to shuffle it around and I put Sam up there for a bit longer and then Waggy (Martyn Waghorn) comes on. He played 90 minutes the other night. I didn't want to do that but (Liam) McCarron came off injured so I'm having to juggle everything at the moment.”

Despite all of his current problems, Brady managed to guide Town to a very solid away point at Bloomfield Road.

"The players need to be commended fully for their efforts,” he said. “I felt we controlled most of the game but they are the home team so they're going to throw everything at it in the last few minutes.

"But our boys stood up tall and they made blocks and that recovery at the end from Will Hondermarck typified the effort. We've given the ball away sloppily but Will's read it and he's determined to get back in and stop (Rob) Apter getting an effort off. That epitomises all of the work the players are doing at the moment.”