Scan frustration for Cobblers boss Brady as he waits for results on key duo

Midfielder McWilliams suffered a groin injury in the 2-0 win at AFC Wimbledon last Tuesday, while central defender Magloire was forced out of the 3-0 win over Rochdale on Saturday after just 40 minutes with a hamstring problem.

"On Shaun, unfortunately I still haven't got the scan results back so I am still waiting on those, which has been a bit frustrating," said the Cobblers boss following Tuesday night's 2-0 Papa John's Trophy loss to Cambridge United at Sixfields.

"We are also still waiting on Tyler's. He went to London for a scan on Tuesday, and again we are waiting."

There was at least some encouraging news for Brady against Cambridge, as Josh Eppiah successfully completed 23 minutes after starting the game before being withdrawn to protect him a he returns from injury, while midfielder Ben Fox got through another 45 minutes.

Both were made to start so the Cobblers could comply with EFL Trophy regulations that state four senior outfield players that fit the qualifying criteria must start in any game.

Brady made 11 changes as he rested the bulk of his senior pros, with the four to meet the qualifying criteria in an extremely youthful Town team being Leicester City loan man Eppiah, Fox, Harvey Lintott and Ryan Haynes.

On Eppiah's unusual cameo, Brady said: "Josh is okay, but it is just the way we had to do it.

"It was how I had to build his minutes up, and with the rules he was a player that helped us qualify from the start, and I was directed that I couldn't play him any longer than I did."

Both Eppiah and Fox could well be involved from the start against Stockport on Saturday, but Brady admits he doesn't know if any of his other players struggling with injury will be back.

Aaron McGowan, Danny Hylton and Akin Odimayi have all been working hard to get themselves fit and ready for action, but Brady said: "We have a fair way to go until the end of the week.

"I am trying to remain positive and work with the group we have got, and I can't put a time frame on any of those players at the moment.

"That again is frustrating, but it is just where we are at the moment."

The Cobblers’ injury concerns did at least offer up the opportunity for a batch of the club’s youngsters to get some senior action against a strong Cambridge side, with six players making their first team debuts.

Striker Jack Connor started, while Dylan Hill, Kai O’Keeffe, Brad Smith-Howes, Ayo Luketi and Reuben Wyatt all took their bows off the bench on a night when 11 homegrown teenagers took to the field and did themselves proud against a strong Cambridge team.

The Town line-up that ended the contest included nine players under the age of 20, with nine of the 10 outfielders having come through the club’s academy system – the other, Ryan Haynes, was born in Northampton.

The average age of the starting XI – boosted by the inclusion of goalkeeper Jonny Maxted, Eppiah, Fox and Haynes – was 21, the average age of the entire squad was 19, and the average age of the bench was just 17!