Boss Wilder keen for Cobblers to show true colours against Cambridge

The loss at the Abbey Stadium on October 17 was the the Cobblers’ most recent league two defeat on the road, and they have been beaten just once in 22 matches since then, the only defeat to Portsmouth at Sixfields on December 19.

Cambridge come to Sixfields on Saturday still in with a serious chance of reaching the play-offs, and with a different manager at the helm in Shaun Derry, who took over after Richard Money was sacked just a fortnight after that win over the Cobblers.

Their form has been inconsistent, winning four and losing three of the past seven games, but Wilder is well aware Cambridge, who will be backed by a large following, will be a threat this weekend.

“We played Cambridge pre-Christmas, and we didn’t deserve to get a result there, they deserved the win,” said Wilder.

“It was a tough place to go, and they were a team that I think many would have expected to possibly be pushing to get out of the division with the recruitment they made in the summer, and the players they brought in.

“They have since had a change of manager, and that game against them was six months ago.

“Cambridge have had some good results, they are pushing to get into the top seven and it will be another difficult game for us.

“We are looking to get our heads down, to go again and get another three points and we know if we play well that we give ourselves an opportunity to do that.

“We have worked extremely hard all season, we will respect the opposition, they have a lot of good players and a new manager who has come in and has lifted results, and they will be looking to finish the season on a high.

“From our point of view, yet again, without sounding boring and always giving the same answer, it is on to the next challenge.”

Wilder was full of pride at his team’s performance at Carlisle United last Saturday, the Cobblers shruggling off the minor blip of two draws in a row to hammer the Cumbrians 4-1 on their own patch.

“I was delighted with the players last Saturday, I thought there was a real determination and focus in their eyes to go and win that game,” he said.

“Results wise, people had talked about us dropping a couple of points, and the players were determined to go and get the three points and we went for that game and deservedly won it.

“But the focus and the determination of the players to get the job done was great.

“Going up on the coach on the Friday, seeing them on Saturday morning and in the changing room, they were really, really at it to go that little bit more to go and get those three points.

“It was a big day for us last Saturday, and we will be looking to make it a big day again this Saturday against Cambridge.”