D’Ath believes in-form Cobblers ‘can beat anybody’

Fifth-placed Northampton entertain sixth-placed Mansfield Town at Sixfields on Saturday in the game of the day in Sky Bet League Two.

The Cobblers go into the game on a huge high following their superb 2-1 FA Cup first round win at league one high-flyers Coventry City last weekend.

That was an excellent performance at a special venue in the Ricoh Arena in front of a fantastic 2,500-strong travelling support, and it was a day where motivation took care of itself.

It’s back to the bread and butter of a home game in league two on Saturday, but D’Ath insists there will be no let-up in intensity from him or his team-mates as they try to maintain their promotion challenge.

With Mansfield having already sold 800 tickets for the game, another big-match atmosphere seems guaranteed, and D’Ath is confident he and his team-mates will rise to the challenge.

“Mansfield are going well and it will be a tough game, but we are on a good run and we can take the game to them,” said the former Reading forward.

“We are up for every game.

“We know what we want to do this season, and we know we have to be up for every game, no matter where it is, or who it is against.

“We have to always be on top of our game to succeed in what we want to do.

“If we are on top of our game, we are confident we can beat anybody.”

D’Ath will come up against a former Cobblers team-mate on Saturday as Lee Collins will line up in the centre of defence for the Stags.

Collins was surprisingly released by manager Chris Wilder at the end of last season.

He was a popular player in the Sixfields dressing room, and D’Ath will be delighetd to see him - although he also wants to ruin his afternoon.

“Lee is a good player and it will be a good duel on Saturday, but hopefully Rico will get the better of him,” said the 22-year-old.

“Everybody got on with Lee when he was here, we all know what he can do as he is a good, solid player and a nice lad.

“But hopefully we will destroy him on Saturday!”

D’Ath was delighted to be back in action last weekend.

He started at Coventry after missing three weeks due to suspension, and played a key role in the win, setting up Marc Richards for the winner.

“I was buzzing, I waited three weeks for that game and to also get the assist for the goal was a good thing for me and a good confidence boost,” said D’Ath.

“It was frustrating to be suspended, because every player wants to play every minute of every game. But it was a great atmosphere, and a great result.”

Manager Wilder praised D’Ath for his performance, but the player himself wasn’t so happy.

“I felt frustrated with myself in the game to be honest,” said D’Ath.

“A few times I gave the ball away, but maybe that was because I had been out for three weeks, and I also missed a week’s training to get my back right, but I think I can play better.

“That is a good thing for a player though, when people have praised you and you know you can do better.”