Jon Brady has no interest in the League Two table despite Cobblers' brief return to the top three

Cobblers manager Jon Brady has no interest in looking at the League Two table and says he will stick to the old mantra of one game at a time after his side briefly returned to the automatic promotion positions.

Saturday’s 1-0 win over Crewe lifted Northampton up to third before they were knocked back down to fourth by Carlisle’s goalless draw at Bradford on Tuesday. The two teams are now level on points having played the same number of games.

"I don't want to look at the table,” said Brady. “We have nine games to go and we are just focused on the next one. We know what we need to do in each game and we are focused on the process and how we need to go about it.

"We will take each game as it comes. I know it's a cliche but when you're in this situation, you really have to, and at the moment I'm having to take it an hour at a time with the news that comes back after games.

"But I want to enjoy the win. The players on the pitch are the ones delivering. We have a thin squad but the players who have been on the periphery are coming in and keeping the momentum and pushing us forward so they deserve the credit because they are giving absolutely everything.”

Cobblers have won their last three at Sixfields, all 1-0, and it took a particularly big effort to hold off Crewe following their exertions against Mansfield only four days earlier.

Now 37 games into the season, Town have lost only seven matches, just one of which has been by more than a single goal. That’s the joint-best record in the division alongside Stockport.

"It feels good to win at home again and credit to the fans because in the second-half we really needed them,” said Brady. "We looked flat but clean sheets are the bedrock of any successful side that wants to try and achieve something so that was really good.

"That's seven clean sheets in 11 which is really pleasing. We have only lost seven games this season and we have only lost one game by more than one goal. Every other defeat has been by one goal so we are always in games and we have never been beaten heavily.

"The fight within this group, the attitude to not give in, the late goals we’ve scored, the relentlessness to keep going, I think fans have seen that and bought into that and I think it’s galvanised the players.”