Hoskins has mixed emotions over his form for the Cobblers this season

The former Yeovil Town man has caught the eye in the majority of Town’s matches to date, and has arguably been one of the team’s standout performers.

But he is in the team to create and score goals, and it is safe to say that Hoskins’ end product hasn’t as yet matched up to his all-round play – an accusation that can be labelled at the team as a whole.

The 25-year-old has had plenty of chances to score this season, but as yet has scored just once, in the 1-1 Carabao Cup draw at Wycombe Wanderers last month.

So, asked if he has been pleased with his form so far this season, Hoskins said: “Yes and no.

“Obviously, with the way the season has been going, whether we’re not taking chances, and that’s me personally or me setting them up.

“I can definitely be more clinical in the final third myself, but then in saying that there are aspects of my game that I am pleased with.

“At the minute, ultimately we are not scoring enough goals, collectively and personally, and that is something we work on every day.

“My main focus as an attacker is on assists and goals, but for whatever reason this season it hasn’t quite worked.

“I don’t think we can change the way we are playing, because we are playing well and we are creating the chances, and once things start going our way then, whether that’s through a bit of luck or whatever, then hopefully we can kick-start our season.”

The Cobblers return to Sky Bet League Two action this Saturday when they travel to fellow strugglers Port Vale.

Town go into the game sitting fifth bottom in league two, having won just one game in all competitions.

It wasn’t the start to the season that anybody was hoping for, and there is a theory the team is suffering from a hangover from the past two seasons of underachievement, which ended in relegation from league one in May.

The Cobblers seem to be a team that has forgotten how to win, but Hoskins, one of only three survivors from the league two title winning team of 2016, insists what has gone on in the past is no excuse for the team’s struggles this season.

Asked if the team is suffering a hangover from the past couple of years, Hoskins said: “I am not too sure about that, because as players we know the job we have got.

“We have the facilities, we have the coaching staff, we have the other players around us, and we have everything we need to go and get the results we need.

“As players we need to fight for each other, fight for everyone, but at the end of the day it is down to us to go out on the pitch and get the results.

“That is the main focus for us, we have to improve our games individually and collectively.”