'Those are just the cold, hard facts' - Brady's frustration at limited options - but it's no excuse for FA Cup defeat

Jon Brady is desperate to get some players back fit and available for selection after another week of headaches.

The Town manager had just one fit natural striker – Kieron Bowie – available for Saturday’s FA Cup tie against Chesterfield after Louis Appéré went down with injury during the week. Danny Hylton was already suspended.

With Cobblers trailing 1-0, all Brady could do was bring on defenders and midfielders and change formation. He put Max Dyche up front in a last roll of the dice but to no avail.

Whilst Brady does not want to make excuses for his side’s patchy run of form, he remains frustrated by the situation.

"It was tough because I had no offensive options to put on the pitch,” he said. “I had to change things and manipulate things around. It's not an excuse, those are just the cold, hard facts.

"What we had out there in the first XI was really strong but we didn't get the result we desired. It's a young group and we have a small squad so when we do carry these injuries, it does hit us because we can't change things too much. I had to put a right-back on at right-wing.

"But those are all excuses, we should be better first and foremost and we shouldn't be giving them a goal like that so I don't want to make excuses.

"It's the old cliche about concentrating on the league but it feels awful and I wish I wasn't stood here saying it right now. We wanted to give our fans something to shout about and a really good cup run and for that, I'm hugely disappointed."

Hylton will be back from suspension this weekend but there was no return date set for Appéré.

"We need to get players back,” Brady added. “Louis went down in the week. It wasn't in training, it was off the back of the game last weekend but he didn't feel anything until two or three days later.

"That's highly frustrating when you are trying to work on your team but obviously we will get Danny back and now we will try and build towards Gillingham.”