Cobblers boss Austin delighted with quality of his five-star forward line

It emerged this week that Town have created more chances (74), and had more shots on target (28) than any other team in the basement division, but as it stands they have only netted six goals in their five matches.

Of the strikers, only Kevin van Veen (3) and Billy Waters (1) have netted in the league, with Sam Hoskins scoring in the Carabao Cup clash at Wycombe Wanderers.

Andy Williams and Junior Morias have yet to get off the mark, but Austin is in no doubt they will all come good as the season goes on.

Asked if he was frustrated by the lack of goals from his team in relation to the chances created, Austin said: “I believe it is going to come, because I don’t believe we can keep doing what we are doing and creating the amount of chances we are creating, and continually miss them.

“I believe we will start to take them, because I know the quality we have got in our strikers.

“Which league two club would want to swap Andy Williams, Kev van Veen, Junior Morias, Billy Waters and Sam Hoskins? Really?

“I don’t think there are too many clubs that would swap them if they had them, and there aren’t any that I would want to swap with, but I bet there are loads that would want to swap ours.

“I believe that with that quality, that if we keep creating the chances, then we will put more away, and hopefully give ourselves more of a cushion.”

Austin inherited van Veen, Hoskins and Waters when he took charge in the summer, but he signed both Williams and Morias, and he was delighted with the performance of the latter in what was his first league start of the season at Colchester last weekend.

The former Peterborough United man got through 90 minutes, and Austin said: “I was really pleased with Junior. He worked so hard in pre-season, and has been desperate to play.

“He is the biggest pain in the neck in the world, but in a great way, as he wants to improve.

“It is so refreshing to be around a young player who just constantly wants to improve.

“He is a sponge, he wants to know what he needs to do better, is a great person who has a real energy, which has really helped us in the dressing room.”

The Cobblers are likely to name an unchanged team for Saturday’s league two date with Tranmere Rovers at the PTS Academy Stadium.

With Shaun McWilliams finally recovered from his hamstring strain, Austin is set to have a full strength squad to pick from, but he is likely to stick with the 11 that started at the Jobserve Community Stadium last weekend.