Top scorer Hoskins enjoys being put on the spot for Cobblers

Cobblers' leading scorer Sam Hoskins says he relishes the responsibility of being the team's go-to penalty taker after successfully converting from the spot for the fourth time against Derby County on Tuesday.

Penalty duties were shared around earlier in the season with Ryan Watson scoring Town's first against Plymouth before Chris Lines stepped up to take a couple against Crawley.

But Hoskins then assumed responsibility when netting from the spot against Salford in October and he's taken all three since, converting from 12 yards against Crewe, Scunthorpe and now Derby, taking him to double figures for the season.

"I enjoy the responsibility," he said. "I think we had a couple earlier in the season when Linesy and Watto took them but I've always wanted to take penalties.

"It's a great opportunity to score a goal and I'll happily take them and accept that responsibility, but if I can keep adding goals and assists in any way I can, the main thing is winning games and climbing the table."

Hoskins' spot-kick at Pride Park came with just six minutes to go and was nothing more than a consolation, but it was still another confidently-dispatched effort.

"It might have been a bit more pressure had the game been level or something but it's different at 4-1 down," admitted Hoskins.

"I still stuck it away nicely but it was still a little too late to change the game. I had that half chance right at the end and either side of the goalkeeper, he might have struggled but they were comfortable winners in the end."