Opposition view: Frustration for new Carlisle boss Millen after defeat to Cobblers

Keith Millen admitted it was far from an ideal start to his tenure at Carlisle United after his first game in charge ended in Saturday's 3-0 defeat to the Cobblers.

The out-of-form Cumbrians started well enough at Sixfields and created the better chances, albeit without troubling home goalkeeper Liam Roberts.

But as soon as Paul Lewis put the finishing touch to a sweeping counter-attack late in the first-half, there was only going to be one winner.

Lewis completed a fine hat-trick after the break and Carlisle's strikeforce also became the latest to be blunted by the Cobblers defence.

"Obviously it was not the start we wanted," admitted Millen. "We didn't have much time to do a lot of work but it's a difficult one to take.

"The goals we conceded are poor goals and those are the sort of goals you tend to concede when you're on a bad run.

"But take the goals out of it and I thought we were OK in the first-half, we were solid and you could see what we were trying to do.

"We created some half chances and with a bit of luck, we might have scored the first goal and I think that would have been huge for this group of players.

"We were then on the attack but they go up the other end and score with their first chance and then in the second-half, you could see the belief and confidence drained out of the players.

"The second goal is a mistake from us and the third isn't a penalty. I thought it had to be a clear handball but there's no way that is - none of their players or fans appealed for it.

"That was harsh on us but we now have to find a way of being better and more effective with what we've got because you can see the identity of Northampton and what they do to win football matches and they're good at it."