Boss Austin expecting a close encounter as Wycombe head to the PTS

Town entertain the Chairboys in the Checkatrade Trophy group stage at the PTS Academy Stadium (ko 7.45pm), just a matter of weeks after the two played out a 1-1 Carabao Cup draw at Adams Park.

On that occasion, Wycombe went on to win the tie on a penalty shoot-out, and Austin believes Tuesday’s game is going to be another tight match against their Sky Bet League One opponents.

Looking back on the League Cup clash, Austin said: “I think it showed on that night that there isn’t too much between the squads.

“They got promoted last season, we got relegated last season, and both squads have been reasonably kept intact.

“I don’t there was much between the teams, and I was very pleased with how we played on the night, and I was very pleased with our reaction to going 1-0 down.

“It’s a game we could have easily won, and okay we lost the tie, but if you were taking that into a league game against a Wycombe team you would expect to be in the top four or five of league two, we have gone away and got a draw.

“The positivity from that performance was very good, and we have to take that into Tuesday night.”

The Cobblers also go into the game still searching for their first home win of the season, with their three league two clashes to date ending in two draws and a defeat.

The home form is not something that concerns Austin, who believes his team has deserved to beat all three PTS Academy opponents to date in Lincoln City, Cambridge United and Tranmere Rovers.

“I don’t think about things like that, I just think about winning the next game,” said Austin when asked about the lack of a home victory.

“This will turn, and we will turn the form around, once we get ourselves going then I believe we are going to be fine.

“We just need to maintain the level of performance that we have been producing.

“As I have said before, I think we will play worse at home that we have been doing and win, but the ball hasn’t quite run for us.

“I don’t think there is any doubting that we have played some very good football, the mood is positive, and I think the supporters appreciate what we are trying to do.

“They appreciate the amount of effort we are putting in and the way we are playing, but ultimately they want to see their team win, and we have to start turning these performances into victories.”

Junior Morias is definitely out of the Wycombe game after suffering a hamstring strain in Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Tranmere, and it is likely Andy Williams will replace him.

Austin says other players were complaining of ‘little niggles’, and the manager has confirmed that he will be making changes to the starting line-up.