Hoskins insists Cobblers players' mentality is not a problem

Sam Hoskins insists there is no problem with the Cobblers players' mentality, saying confidence is still high.
Cobblers attacker Sam HoskinsCobblers attacker Sam Hoskins
Cobblers attacker Sam Hoskins

Town travel to take on fellow strugglers Port Vale on Saturday, reeling from last weekend’s desperately disappointing 3-1 home defeat at the hands of Cheltenham.

The clash with the Robins followed a similar pattern to other games this season, with the Cobblers dominating early on without taking their chances, only to struggle to react once the opposition has got their noses in front.

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Manager Dean Austin has also criticised some of his players for not being able to handle understandable moans and groans from the stands, but Hoskins doesn’t feel there is any issue with the Town players.

He believes they are doing ‘a lot of the right things’, and the the team’s luck will turn.

Asked if he felt there was a problem with mentality when the Cobblers fall behind in games, Hoskins said:“No, I don’t think so.

“We are very confident in the group we have got, the coaching staff we have, everybody at the club, and we have everything we need to push forward.

“It is all very frustrating and I understand that.

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“It is frustrating to watch, it is frustrating to be a part of, and I know it is easy to say we have to keep on doing what we are doing, but we are doing a lot of the right things.

“It is the fine details that we need to improve on, and then hopefully we can start picking up a lot more points.”

The fine details that Hoskins refers to are the key ones of scoring goals at one end, and keeping them out at the other.

As an attacker, his focus is on the former, and he insists that he and his fellow forwards are doing everything they can to bring that clinical cutting edge to the team.

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Asked how Town can become more clinical in front of goal, Hoskins said: “I think it is a mixture of a lot of things.

“A lot of it is about practice, and you have to be practising lots of different types of finishes in training, which we do on most days.

“But whether it’s luck, or it’s somebody else doing all the hard work and you have a tap in, it can be a number of different things.”

So does he believe there are enough goals in him, and his team-mates?

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“Oh, yes, definitely. I am confident in the way we are playing, I am very happy with the group we have got,” said the former Yeovil man.

“It has been tough the past couple of games, we have been getting little injuries and stuff, but we have strength in depth and I am confident we can keep creating the chances and then, on Saturday, hopefully, start taking them.”

Port Vale have endured a similar start to the season as the Cobblers, winning just two matches from eight, and Hoskins is confident of Town getting their second win of the season this weekend.

Asked about Vale’s own form issues, Hoskins said: “It is important not to think too much about what is going on at different clubs.

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“We have our job to do, we know how we are going to go and get three points, we know how to play against them.

“We will base our week in training on how Port Vale play, but ultimately we are not going to change the way we play for them.

“We are confident in the way we play, and it is now down to us to go there and show what we know we can do.”