McGowan tells Cobblers to maintain 'full focus' when they return to action

The Cobblers have enjoyed a superb few weeks, claiming three straight wins against high-flying rivals to move up to second place in the table and stay hot on the coat-tails of leaders Forest Green Rovers.

A run of eight wins in their past 10 games has seen them open up a five-point gap to fourth-placed Port Vale, despite being left frustrated by the postponement of the weekend clash with Barrow due to a Covid outbreak in the Town camp.

Forest Green, Vale and other promotion rivals Swindon Town and Exeter City also saw their games called off, with Sutton United taking full advantage to go third and within four points of the Cobblers thanks to their 1-0 win over Harrogate Town.

Tranmere Rovers were the other big movers, rising to fifth thanks to their 1-0 win over Leyton Orient, who drop to ninth as a result.

For the Cobblers, crucial wins over Orient, Exeter and Harrogate , the latter two on the road, were mightily impressive, and leave the team in a great place as the halfway point of the season approaches.

Town are due to be back in action against mid-table Walsall on Boxing Day, although that fixture has to be in doubt, but whenever they do eventually get back out on the grass, McGowan knows there can be no easing up from Town.

“I have touched on it before, there is no easy game in this league,” said the Liverpudlian.

“If we start turning up now and thinking ‘oh, we are doing alright, we are second in the table’, then we will end up having a few difficult games and problems.

"I think the main good thing about our group is that we taking things game by game.

“I know fans are going get excited, and people will get excited, but we’re taking it game by game, which is an old cliche I know.

“But honestly, if you don’t you will get turned over at this level and in this league because there are too many good teams in it.

"And if we turn up and say ‘we are going to win today because we are expected to’, that is not how it works, it’s not how it will operate.

"So we have to ensure it’s full focus on."

One of the main reasons where the Cobblers are currently where they are is the team’s outstanding defensive record.

Town have conceded just 17 goals in their 21 league games this season, keeping an impressive 10 clean sheets along the way.

Only Tranmere have better defensive stats in league two, having let in just 14 goals in their 21 matches.

Right-back McGowan is obviously a key component in what has become a settled back four. alongside central defenders Fraser Horsfall and Jon Guthrie, and left-back Ali Koiki.

Liam Roberts has also impressed behind them in goal, but McGowan is keen to extend the credit for the team’s miserly record to the rest of the team as well.

“We have worked on it,” said the former Kilmarnock, Hamilton and Morecambe defender.

“I wasn’t here for a lot of pre-season as I signed on late, but you could tell when I came in there was a real emphasis on it.

“I have said before that strikers win you games, but defences win you promotions, so if you start from the back then you have that foundation.

“I have been part of it and hopefully people can see that we have built up a good, solid foundation, but it is not just about the defenders.

“It is about the lads that are doing the work up front, they are helping us so much as well.

“It is not just the back five that should get the plaudits.

“You have Shaun McWilliams and Jack Sowerby who do so much, you have Paul Lewis who goes under the radar, but he runs the most every game.

“The thing is, as a team, we are just a good team and we all build and work as one.”