'No excuses' - Jon Brady's verdict as Cobblers are beaten by Barnsley

Cobblers boss Jon Brady admitted that his side can’t afford to give away goals such as the two they conceded during Saturday’s 2-1 defeat to Barnsley.

Town edged the first half at Sixfields but it was a familiar tale as they struggled to turn possession into chances while one defensive lapse at the other end was ruthlessly punished by Callum Styles’ fantastic finish after just four minutes.

The home side continued to huff and puff after the break but Barnsley’s threat on the break became increasingly apparent, and their victory was effectively secured by Devante Cole’s counter-attacking goal two minutes from time.

Louis Appéré did at least provide some cheer with a consolation in stoppage-time but it’s now three successive defeats for the Cobblers, who have seven points from their opening eight League One games this season.

"You can’t be giving away goals like we did today,” admitted Brady. “There’s no excuses for that. Any slight mistake we’re making at this level at the moment, we’re bring ruthlessly punished and that was the case today.

"I don’t know what it looked like to other people but I felt we dominated the game against a team who were playing in the play-off final a few months ago. I went up and watched them against Portsmouth on Tuesday and it was such a high-level game.

"I felt the aggressiveness in both boxes was the difference. We put loads of crosses into the box in the first half but there was no-one getting across and I said that to the group. We had worked on it but there wasn’t that aggressiveness to arrive between the posts.

"But you look at the quality they have on the bench, it’s unbelievable, and we are the team taking the game to them.”