Northampton boss Jon Brady impressed by his depleted squad’s heroics

Boss Jon Brady admits Northampton have jumped back into Sky Bet League Two’s automatic promotion places “against the odds” after comfortably beating Doncaster 2-0 despite being without 13 players due to injury.

Goalkeeping blunders by former Cobblers keeper Jonathan Mitchell gifted Mitch Pinnock and Sam Hoskins early goals in each half.

But Brady’s men were still the better side as they extended their unbeaten run to seven games – the club’s best sequence in more than three years.

Doncaster, meanwhile, have now won just one of their last eight games, having suffered a first home defeat to Northampton since 1996.

On his depleted squad’s heroics, Brady said: “I saw a stat recently that we have lost 17 players to injury since the Salford game on Sky in January. Some have come back and some have gone back out again but, for the players to do what they have been doing since then, is absolutely incredible.

“We had 13 players unavailable today and there should not be any expectation at all on us at the moment because I don’t think there are any teams in this league that would cope with that, but we are proving we can find a way to do that and are enjoying the run we are on.

“All the players coming into the team are taking on board how we want to play and are helping us achieve incredible results against the odds.

“Doncaster had their possession but, apart from one header in the first half and a couple of things that flashed wide, they didn’t have a lot more and Burgey (goalkeeper Lee Burge) didn’t have to do anything really. We also had four centre-halves out, so to find a way to keep a clean sheet in those circumstances is very pleasing.”

Mitchell allowed Pinnock’s effort from the edge of the box to slip between both his fingers and legs in the second minute and, after the break, he kicked the ball straight to Hoskins, who gleefully fired in his 20th goal of the season from 15 yards.

When asked about his keeper’s torrid afternoon, Doncaster boss Danny Schofield said: “We lost a game through two mistakes, ultimately, and Mitch knows he has to do better in those situations, but we should have also pressed the ball better from the corner for their first goal and that comes down to organisation.

“For the second goal, it was about decision-making. Playing out from the back does not have to be a short pass – it can be a long pass as well.”

The toothless hosts, meanwhile, only threatened the Cobblers goal twice – a weak Caolan Lavery header and sub Kyle Hurst’s equally tame shot.

Schofield added: “We only had two efforts on target, which we are aware is something we need to improve on. Everyone needs to improve as players and staff now, because we have eight games left to give everything.

“It would help if we had a fully-fit squad to pick from because we have some key players out and some won’t be back this season, but the rest of the squad have to pick up the baton and that’s our focus now.”