Boss Hasselbaink confident Cobblers can save themselves

Confident Cobblers boss Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink insists his team has the capability of launching a run to save their Sky Bet League One skins in the final weeks of the season.
Cobblers boss Jimmy Floyd HasselbainkCobblers boss Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink
Cobblers boss Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink

Town have just seven matches left to find the anticipated 12 points needed to secure their survival, and avoid a speedy return to league two following the title glory of less than two years ago.

Asking a team that has won just once in the past 10 games to win four games out of seven looks a tall order, but Hasselbaink knows his team has it in them to put a winning run together, as they have done it already this season.

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Twice in this campaign, the Cobblers have won three league games on the spin, in October and November when they beat Gillingham, Blackpool and Oxford United, and again in January when they saw off Southend United, Bradford City and Milton Keynes Dons.

They are more than likely going to need to replicate those runs, and a little bit more, if they are to stay up, and Hasselbaink believes they can do it.

“We have won three games in a row this season,” said the Dutchman. “We have done it before, so why can we not do that again?

“We need a little bit more than three games, but we know that, and why can we not start that from this Friday?”

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The Cobblers have just three home games remaining this season, with the first of them against Charlton Athletic on Good Friday (ko 3pm).

Town drew 1-1 with title-chasing Shrewsbury Town in their most recent Sixfields outing.

It was an impressive performance from the inconsistent Cobblers, and there was some great backing from the supporters, and Hasselbaink would love to see the same again - although he says it is down to the players to ‘earn’ the backing of the fans.

“We have to go and earn that support,” said the Town manager. “We have to go out and put some tackles in, and get them going.”