BRADY’S BUNCH EAGER TO TURN ALL THE PAIN INTO JOY...

COBBLERS CLOSING IN ON PROMOTION DREAM

- John Lyons

AFTER seeing promotion cruelly snatched from their grasp last season, you can understand why no-one at Northampton Town will be counting any chickens this time around.

In any normal campaign, a 3-1 victory at Barrow on the last day of the season would have wrapped up third place. However, Joey Barton’s Bristol Rovers demolished already-relegated Scunthorpe 7-0 to pip the Cobblers on goals scored.

While Rovers have enjoyed clashes with the likes of Ipswich, Sheffield Wednesday and Derby this term, Northampton – who then lost in the playoff semi-finals to Mansfield – have had rather more mundane matches in League Two. But rather than feel sorry for themselves, Jon Brady’s men have attempted to right the wrongs of last term by putting together another promotion push.

A glut of injuries haven’t helped, but their hard-fought midweek win at Sutton – and other results going their way – cemented their grip on second place.

And yesterday’s 3-1 home win against Harrogate has put Northampton on the cusp of regaining the League One place they lost a couple of years ago. However, you get the feeling they won’t truly believe they’ve done it until it’s signed, sealed and delivered.

“I’ve got mental scars from where we’ve been before,” admitted Australian boss Brady after edging out Sutton 2-1. “We just keep chipping away at the next game.”