'No excuses' as deflated Brady accuses Cobblers of being 'too soft' after poor run continues

Jon Brady cut a dejected, exasperated figure in his post-match interview following Saturday’s 2-1 defeat to Grimsby and few could blame him as Cobblers’ poor run took another turn for the worse.

Town did not play particularly well against the mid-table Mariners at Sixfields but any win would have sufficed in the circumstances and with 16 minutes to play, they were on course for three crucial points thanks to Sam Hoskins’ 17th of the season.

But whereas earlier in the season Tyler Magloire might have headed clear Josh Emmanuel’s cross, those fine margins that Brady so often talks about are not going in Northampton’s favour anymore. Instead, the ball floated over Magloire’s head and Luke Waterfall nodded in, and to make matters worse, Anthony Glennon repeated the dose with a very similar goal to win it in stoppage-time.

Cobblers are now four without a win but this is no brief blip. They have taken just 10 points from their last 10 games and are in serious danger of dropping out of the top seven altogether.

"To allow those crosses in and for them to get two headers in that position, it's not good enough,” admitted Brady. “We need to stand up and be stronger and be better all over.

"I think it's all too soft at the moment and it starts with me as the manager to make sure we come back in on Monday and get it right.

"We have spoken in the changing room afterwards. The players have spoken, I have spoken and we need to make sure we get it right from Monday onwards.

"We have to be harder in what we do, be stronger with our resolve and work tirelessly to get this right next Saturday.”

There are mitigating factors behind Town’s slump, the most obvious being their lengthy and relentless injury issues. Seven players missed Saturday’s defeat and Brady is always have to chop and change as new players get injured just as others come back.

But Saturday was not the time for excuses and Brady knew it.

"I'm not going to make excuses,” he added. “We shouldn't lose that game. We should win it but unfortunately we haven't and fair play to the fans, I agree with them. They can definitely give me criticism and they have every right to be disappointed.

"I've just got to take it on the chin and make sure we get it right – and I get it right – next Saturday. It is a tough moment and with the injuries and that, I can't make excuses.

"We have had loads but they've happened and we had enough out there to win that game and see it out and manage the game properly, so there are no excuses whatsoever.”