Curle confident Cobblers can '˜cause problems' for erratic Mariners

Cobblers boss Keith Curle will not be taking Grimsby Town lightly when they visit the PTS Stadium this weekend - but he believes his side have the tools to '˜cause problems' for their inconsistent opponents.

The Mariners have endured an erratic season to date and currently sit 20th in Sky Bet League Two, four points above the relegation zone and four points beneath 14th-placed Northampton.

Only bottom side Macclesfield Town have suffered more defeats (13) than Michael Jolley’s side (10) in 18 league games, but Grimsby’s inconsistent form has been mixed with some impressive wins, including the scalps of leaders MK Dons in the FA Cup and also fourth-placed Colchester United, both in the last month.

So Curle knows his team can’t afford to take their foot off the pedal as they go in search of a fifth straight home win and also fifth successive game unbeaten in the league.

“It’s been fits and starts,” said Curle of Grimsby’s season up to this point. “They’ve had a couple of good results and I actually went to the Newcastle game when they played the U23s and spoke to a few people there.

“They said the biggest problem they’ve had is inconsistency. They get a couple of results against good teams, but also have indifferent results against other teams and then lose games as well.

“That’s indicative of this division. On their day they can be a threat and they can cause you problems but on another day you can earn the right to play the style of football you want against them and get them pinned in.

“We’re wary of their threats but we think we can cause them problems.”

Northampton’s biggest improvement under Curle has arguably been in their mentality, which was key in twice coming from behind to peg back Exeter City last weekend while they also came from 2-0 down at Lincoln the previous Saturday before succumbing in stoppage-time.

“I think it (resilience) is something we’re trying to instil within the changing room,” added Curle. “We want to enhance that feeling that there are 94, 95 minutes to be competitive in the game and we we will go right from minute one to the 94th or 95th minute.

“There’s a good attitude and good endeavour to the players that we will get everything we possibly can from every single game we play.”