Hackett calls on Cobblers to keep Sixfields run rolling

Town downed Accrington 2-0 on Saturday to make it 11 wins in their past 12 home matches and 14 in total for the season at Sixfields.

It also means that by the time the team play on their own ground again - against Oxford United on March 23 - the club will have lost just one Saturday home game in almost 11 months.

After Oxford, Northampton play host to Torquay and York City before wrapping up their campaign with a final-day clash against Barnet - and Hackett wants to see four wins out of four.

“We probably could have got a couple more goals in the first half (against Accrington) and we know we dropped off a little bit after the break,” he said.

“We definitely dropped off a little bit but I think we all knew the game was won and that we were quite comfortable at that point. The job had been done in the first half.

“Our momentum at home is really good at the moment and we were disappointed to lose at Exeter but generally our form has been good home and away.

“We’ve got to keep our home form going until the end of the season, pick up a couple of away wins and we’ll be right up there.”

Hackett played 70 minutes on his return to the side after a two-week absence with a calf injury that kept him out of training for that entire period.

Although the winger showed some signs of rust - notably in the conceding of several free-kicks while attempting to recover possession - he also scored an excellent free-kick that came early enough in the match to set its tone.

“The keeper left that side open and the wall drifted over slightly so I knew I just had to get a clean strike on it,” he said.

“It did that and it was a nice feeling. It was a good time to score because it settled everybody’s nerves and got us going.”