Boothroyd insists Northampton Town are just lacking a ‘little edge’

Boothroyd was frustrated at his side’s 1-0 defeat to Bristol Rovers at the Memorial Stadium on Saturday, but was pleased with many aspects of the Cobblers’ performance.

It was Town’s fourth defeat in five Sky bet League Two outings this season, and their third on the spin on the road.

In matches at York, Southend and now Bristol Rovers they have failed to even to score a goal, and the Cobblers are still third bottom in the table, with only winless pair Hartlepool United and Accrington Stanley beneath them.

Boothroyd, with some justification, was unhappy his team weren’t awarded three penalties in the defeat at Bristol, and he insists the team is trying to play how he is asking them to, but it’s not quite clicking yet.

His plans weren’t helped at the weekend with the loss of Joe Widdowson and Ian Morris to injury, and also Danny Emerton pulling out of the squad at the last minute through illness, but Boothroyd is staying upbeat.

“It is very difficult on Saturdays when you don’t get a win, because we are all very emotional, we all expect to win, and we work damned hard to do it,” said the Cobblers boss.

“When you get a little run like we are on at the moment, it doesn’t help.

“You put up with the injuries to your left side with Morris and Widdowson, and that is part and parcel of football.

“But Danny Emerton has also gone down on the morning of the game with sickness, and I think I am going to have to avoid all black cats!

“I am very disappointed and I am hurt, but I can’t go and rant and rave at the players.

“Maybe one or two I could, but in the main they are doing what I want them to do.

“We are just not getting that little edge.

“Saturday’s game wasn’t like the Torquay one where we have thrown it away, in this one we didn’t get what we should have got.

“We have to just swallow it and get on with it.

“We have the makings of a very good team here when everybody is fit.”

The Cobblers now turn their attention to the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy and tomorrow night’s trip to MK Dons.

“Saturday wasn’t our day, but we start again on Monday,” said Boothroyd.

“We go to MK Dons on Tuesday, and then we have a couple of home games so it is up to us to start racking some points up.

“We will lick our wounds and we will get on with it because that is what I will always do.

“I certainly won’t sulk, and I don’t expect anybody connected with the club to do that, we just get on with it.

“We will be working hard to get a result in our next game.”