Exeter City boss Paul Tisdale admits the odds are currently stacked against his side but was unhappy they failed to deal with Ben Tozer’s trademark long throw at Sixfields.

The Cobblers won 1-0 on Saturday with Marc Richards scoring an overhead kick from a Tozer launch from the right-wing touchline.

The goal came in the final minute of the match to leave Tisdale, who had been working under a transfer embargo during the close season, crestfallen but confident he can recruit the players that will help improve the team’s winless start to the campaign.

“We just fell short at the end of the game but I’ve been really pleased with the commitment in the last couple of games.

“It was disappointing to concede so late on, we expected to have to deal with long throws from Ben Tozer at some stage in the game but we didn’t deal with it.

“Of course I’m desperate to get that first win but there’s no reason to be too upset at the moment it’s a long season.

“It was always going to be a difficult month for us, not being able to make signings, so the odds were stacked against us.

“The injuries haven’t helped and we’re down to the bare bones so I’m having to make changes through weakness rather than through strength, and that’s not a great place for a manager to be. I’m hoping to get in another three, four or maybe five players before the game with Oxford.

“We badly need some senior players back from injury, ones who are combative and who can add to our play, which I’m very happy with.”

The assessment within the Cobblers camp is that eight points from the team’s first five games of the season is ‘quite good’ and that verdict is pretty much accurate.

The home-away split has been favourable in that three of the matches have been at Sixfields and only two on the road but the latter have been against high-quality opposition in York City and Portsmouth.

What we have perhaps learned from the first month of games is that Northampton, through a combination of injuries and a lack of quickness in their attacking approach play, are not at the level of the division’s leading lights at this moment in time.

They are better than Mansfield and Exeter City, who they just about beat on Saturday, with the type of late goal that is quickly becoming the team’s trademark.

There is no reason for this scoring pattern and while one traditional argument is that it points to the greater inner resolve (or something) of a team the fact is it is little more than a statistical anomaly.

They had chances to win the game before the 89th-minute, partly because they got better as the game progressed - and Exeter tired - and partly because Ivan Toney came on, refreshed after his midweek rest and sprinkling stardust in between visiting defenders from the second he stepped on the pitch.

Within five minutes of being introduced, Toney had hit the bar, turned two defenders and had a shot on goal in a single move and, almost just for the fun of it, nutmegged a defender on the run.

His arrival gave the Cobblers an added edge and sparked better performances from those around him, most notably Kaid Mohamed, who was back to his ground-covering best in the second half of the game.

It was perhaps fitting that the decisive goal came from a tactic that was used ad infinitum by Aidy Boothroyd during his time as Northampton manager, with varying degrees of success and to mixed views from the supporters - the fabled Ben Tozer throw.

This was one of the best executions of it; to win three ‘first contacts’ on an aerial ball into the box will have delighted Chris Wilder enormously.

Such things are signals of good physicality and a willingness to compete, two qualities on which the manager places great emphasis.

Richards’ finish was precisely what he is good at, coming alive in the penalty box and getting on the end of things.

His tally now stands at two goals in five league games, which is good, and bodes well if he can continue it through the campaign.

He will feel confident he can do that but by his own admission his timing is a little out at the moment - by his own reckoning it will take many more hours on the training ground before he can read where Chris Hackett is going to put those crosses he is so capable of delivering from the right, for example.

It is the attacking combination play that is letting the team down at the moment.

Goals are in short supply because they haven’t got to grips with their interplay just yet and perhaps that should be expected with a couple of new additions in the forward line.

So to pick up eight points from five games with the team still short of several players through injury and having not really clicked in an attacking sense has to go down as a good return.

And of course it is a vast improvement on last season, when they took twice as many games to reach that number of points.

Player ratings

MATT DUKE

Didn’t have much to do for long periods but executed the basics well and took the pressure off his defenders with some good claims for crosses ...7

BEN TOZER

Heavily involved in the team’s good attacking play in the first half, picking some good threaded passes to Hackett and completing his defensive duty well ...7

ZANDER DIAMOND

Was never really troubled by the visiting attack, which was powder puff despite the decent possession that they had ...7

LEE COLLINS

Made an early exit with a hamstring injury which had limited his play up to that point ...6

GREGOR ROBERTSON

Saw a lot of the ball, and in some advanced areas too, and used it pretty well while managing to maintain his defensive standards ...7

CHRIS HACKETT

Ripped Exeter apart in the first five minutes and although he never recaptured that form, he was a consistent threat for much of the game ...7

JOHN-JOE O’TOOLE

Seems a little off the pace at the moment and while he is a competent option in central midfield it feels like he would be better used elsewhere ...6

JOEL BYROM

So unfortunate to be booked for what looked like a very good (but strong) challenge in what was his best performance for the club so far ...7

KAID MOHAMED

The pick of the starting players, he played like he did in the first two games of the season, showing good athleticism and carrying the ball over plenty of ground ...7

EMILE SINCLAIR

Had some good moments and passed the ball very well in what was another decent outing for the striker ...6

MARC RICHARDS

Struggled to get to grips with the game at times and was forced to play outside of the box by the visiting defence but came alive at exactly the right moment ...7

Substitutes

LAWSON D’ATH (for Collins 31)

Slotted in nicely as a makeshift right-back and went on a couple of good overlapping runs outside Hackett ...6

IVAN TONEY (for Sinclair 49)

Without question, his introduction changed the course of the game and provided the team with the impetus for victory ...7 STAR MAN

RICKY RAVENHILL (for O’Toole 78)

Played as an extra tackler in midfield and added a bit of energy for the game’s final stages ...6

Not used: Nicholls, Moyo, Archer, Roberts

Cobblers forward Marc Richards paid tribute to the strength of strike partner Ivan Toney for his role in the winning goal against Exeter City on Saturday.

Richards acrobatically volleyed in an 89th-minute decider to beat the Grecians 1-0 at Sixfields.

It came after Toney - and Zander Diamond before him - had flicked on a long Ben Tozer throw into the visitors’ penalty area.

And Richards was hugely grateful for the youngster’s part in his second goal of the season.

“I thought our second-half performance deserved a win,” he said. “We were a bit below par in the first half and the gaffer certainly let us know that at half-time.

“We perked up in the second half and I thought we got our just rewards. Ive (Ivan Toney) isn’t a small lad, he puts himself about and he’s very good in the air.

“His hold-up play is exceptional as well for his age, he’s got good strength and he flicked it on very nicely for me to get the goal.”

Richards was also pleased with the spirit the team showed in fighting to the end to get the victory - an attribute that has been in strong evidence with goals coming in the final minute of three of the past four games.

“You need to have that never say die attitude if you want to be a promotion team,” he said. “I’m not saying we’re going to get promoted but it will stand us in good stead.

“If we’re picking up points and keeping clean sheets then it will set us up nicely for the second half of the season.”

Northamptonshire have moved themselves into a good position after the first day of their LV= County Championship clash with Somerset in Taunton.

Having bowled the hosts out for 314 after Stephen Peters had won the toss, the visitors closed on 39-0 which leaves them 275 runs in arrears.

Despite the fact that relegation to the second tier is almost a certainty, the County continued their improved form in the four-day game in the south west.

David Willey was the pick of the attack with 4-64 and he was well supported by Muhammad Azharullah who weighed in with 3-67.

Only Neil Wagner went wicketless with the New Zealander’s 21 relatively expensive overs going unrewarded.

For the hosts, Alex Barrow top scored with a 97-ball 88 and Nick Compton contributed a more circumspect 79 as a recovery of sorts was staged from a potentially perilous position of 70-4.

With 11 overs to negotiate before stumps, Peters and James Kettleborough ended the day on 14 and 18 respectively and the aim on day two will be to secure a first innings advantage.

It took 10 minutes for him to enter the fray and just a few more for Paul Diggin to ensure his final run-out at Franklin’s Gardens would go the same way as many before.

The wing, who racked up 62 tries in 148 appearances for Saints, charged forward in support of his All Stars team-mates, picked up the ball and dived over the line for a first-half try in his testimonial match.

It was what the crowd bathed in the Tetley’s Stand sun had come to see and the joy was etched on Diggin’s face.

And his smile grew even wider in the final seconds as he was handed the chance to score the final try of an entertaining afternoon.

While the result was unimportant - the Legends seemed to have the edge over the All Stars at the denouement - the overall occasion and the money raised for local causes, including Niamh’s Next Step, were not.

On a less serious note, there was a large comedy element to proceedings - and some equally sizeable players - with Lennie Newman, who called for fresh body parts after his early stint on the pitch, doing a lengthy routine on the PA system.

Saints mascot Bernie did his bit too, getting a slice of the action before being replaced by Academy coach Mark Hopley. It was a surreal moment.

There was the return to the Gardens of Kiwi full-back Bruce Reihana. He was lavished with chants of ‘Bruuuuuce’ by the adoring Saints faithful, who hunted in packs after the game as they sought to get the autograph of their long-time hero.

And there were plenty of other Northampton greats playing their part, with Budge Pountney pocketing a pair of tries and Allan Bateman battling hard.

But it was a day that was all about Diggin, who fought an ankle injury to ensure he could get on the pitch and milk the acclaim of the Gardens.

Some things never change - and memories of the true Saintsman’s playing career will continue to live long in the memory of everyone who witnessed it.

Saints All Stars: Bruce Reihana; Phil Robinson, Allan Bateman, Matt Allen, Matt Goode; Rory Teague, Johnny Howard; Tom Smith, Dan Richmond, Robbie Morris; Jon Phillips, Christian Short; Gavin Kendall, Budge Pountney, Mark Hopley.

Replacements: Sam Miller, PAUL DIGGIN, Dave Abrahams, Fen Gallagher, Chris Kirby, Mark Tucker, Ben Barwell.

Saints Legends: Alex Foster; Tom Foden, Chris Hyndman, Ed Binham, Richard Blank; Alex Rose, Ben Jones; Mark Kefford, Kyle Dufty, Ben Briddon; Johnny Chance, Lennie Newman; Charlie Smith, Darren Fox, Mark Soden.

Replacements: Liam Wilkinson, Andrew Phillips, Ben Mann, Chris Kirby, Joe Newman, Dougie Rafferty, George Newman.

Bruce Reihana has paid tribute to Paul Diggin, claiming he always knew the Northampton-born winger would be a star at Saints.

After amassing 148 appearances and scoring 62 tries for Saints, Diggin celebrated his career at the club with a testimonial match at Franklin’s Gardens on Sunday afternoon.

Former Northampton full-back Reihana was one of the men who turned out for the event, which drew a crowd of more than 3,000.

And the Kiwi was full of praise for what Diggin, who is now an Academy coach at the club he joined during his teenage years, managed to achieve during his playing career.

“I grew up playing here with Diggs when he was coming through the Academy and the first time I saw him I knew he was going to be a star,” said Reihana.

“He’s got the character and the strength of anyone and it’s a true testament to him that his career was as large as it was here at the Saints.

“He’s a true Saintsman through and through and full credit to him. I was delighted to come back and help him for his testimonial.”

Cobblers assistant manager Alan Knill says the coaching staff are happy with the current squad at Sixfields but did not rule out making any transfer deadline day additions.

Town have until 11pm on Monday to recruit any permanent additions before the summer transfer window closes, although they can still loan players after that time.

Knill and Chris Wilder do have targets in mind and could present the names of those targets to chairman David Cardoza but they are also happy with the current balance of the squad, especially as injured players such as Darren Carter and Danny Alfei should return to the fold this week.

“We think it’s competitive - we’re always looking to improve, which I think you have to do if you want to be progressive,” said Knill.

“If someone comes up, we’ll put the name to the chairman and then it’s down to them, but either way, all we can do is try to find players that we think will make us better.

“I think we’d all like it to be busy (on Monday). Obviously we’ve got a strong squad but we’re always looking to make it better if we can.

“If we can, then I’m quite sure we will do our best. We’ve been well backed by the chairman and the board and all we can do is try to identify players.

“From there it’s down to the football club; so far, we think it’s working well, we think we’ve recruited well and it’s been a pretty good month.”

While deadline day is likely to be quiet in terms of arrivals, there could be a departure with Alex Nicholls potentially moving to Exeter City on loan.

That deal is seen as the best course of action to rebuild the 26-year-old striker’s fitness but it now appears a move away for Emile Sinclair, who was in line to join Cheltenham 10 days ago, is unlikely.

“We’re all aware that Alex needs games and it was the same with Emile but it’s worked out that Emile has played,” said Knill.

“He’s getting back to where we know he can be and with Alex if somebody comes in and makes an offer for him, and he wants to go, then we’ll look at it.

“At the moment, it’s just training for him and that’s not really helping him so we’ll see what comes up and make a decision from there.”

Cogenhoe played well enough against Kettering Town but the Poppies produced the flair in front of goal to overcome a potential banana skin.

Andy Hall gave Kettering the lead after 13 minutes and he scored a second for the visitors in the half hour.

It was game on three minutes before half time as Dan Thomason’s angled shot revived Cogenhoe hopes of an upset.

Ash Robinson’s 25 yard strike on the hour restored the Poppies two goal margin and Hall completed a matchwinning display with his hat trick goal after 77 minutes.

Sileby Rangers also went out of the competition at the preliminary round stage as they were beaten 4-0 by Kempston.

All the goals arrived in the final quarter of the match.

Ben Gallant opened the scoring eight minutes past the hour.

Grant Fryer doubled the home advantage on 77 minutes.

Gallant scored his second goal five minutes later with Scott Joseph rounding off the scoring in the last minute of the match.

Spencer returned to winning ways with an comfortable 4-1 win over struggling Blackstones.

Stones took a 10th-minute lead through Roberto Da Silva.

Spencer hit back to grab the initiative with three goals in six first half minutes.

Ryan Dove squared the contest on 28 minutes, and a minute later Spencer went in front through Matt Long.

Defender Dan Stevenson scored the Millers’ third four minutes past the half-hour.

The scoring was completed 10 minutes from time by Dove with his second goal of the afternoon.

Woodford United picked up their second win of the season with a 1-0 success over Rushden & Higham.

Reds assistant manager Ben Foster was his side’s matchwinner with the decisive goal from a Dan Childs pass a quarter of an hour from the end.

ON Chenecks hit back from a goal down to win 2-1 at Stewarts & Lloyds.

Jake Thompson put S&L ahead on the half hour with their first goal of the new campaign.

Adam Hancock put Chenecks on terms from the penalty spot five minutes later.

Montel Dore’s goal four minutes before the interval settled the contest.

Olney Town edged out Raunds Town 2-1 as the Shopmates saw their unbeaten record bite the dust on a ground where they have struggled in recent years.

Aaron Murrell put the Nurserymen in front 11 minutes in.

Christian Smail added a 29th-minute second from Olney.

All Raunds could manage in reply was a Karl King consolation after 85 minutes.

Cobblers striker Alex Nicholls has joined fellow Sky Bet League Two club Exeter City on loan for a month.

The 26-year-old made his first competitive appearance - after 22 months out with a broken leg - in the 3-0 Capital One Cup second-round defeat at Bournemouth last week.

Nicholls played the final 14 minutes at Dean Court and has been training with the squad full time since the start of pre-season.

Manager Chris Wilder has been keen to get Nicholls out on loan to improve his match sharpness, feeling he would not get a long run of games at Sixfields until he has done so.

Nicholls scored eight goals in 18 appearances prior to his injury, suffered in a game against Port Vale in October 2012, and recently signed a contract at Northampton until the January transfer window.

A 999 call from a woman who contacted police because she had no mobile phone credit has been highlighted as one of the inappropriate uses of Northamptonshire Police’s emergency telephone number.

Throughout Monday, the county’s police force has been tweeting out the details of the wide variety of calls the control room, based in Wootton Hall, receives from members of the public.

Among the incidents tweeted this morning included a call from a woman who had rung police because she had no credit on her phone.

Other inappropriate calls included someone who phoned 999 to say she had been receiving morse code down her phone and another person who rang to report a the theft of a dog that happened a month ago.

Chief Inspector Fay Tennet, who manages the control room, said people needed to make sure they only called the 999 number if it is an emergency.

She said: “People should use the 101 number to report crimes that are historic. The 999 call is for what is happening now.

“We have calls from people who lost their dog a week ago or have rung 999 because they have run out of phone credit.

“People need to think about their call and decidedif they need an officer to attend in a police car using blues and twos.

“We want to make sure we give every incident the appropriate response.”

Ms Tennet said there were 150 staff in the control room, working different shifts over a 24 hour period, and they took an average of 1,000 phone calls a day.

The busiest part of the day was from 2pm to midnight and the busiest days of the week were Friday or Saturday.

Five sheep have been killed in a field in Northamptonshire.

It is believed the sheep were attacked by a dog in a field by the railway sidings, Burton Latimer, Kettering.

Police are now investigating the attack which happened sometime between 9am and 11pm on Wednesday August 27.

Witnesses, or anyone with information, are asked to call Northamptonshire Police on 101. Alternatively, they can call Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.

Thieves got into a house in a village just outside Northampton by climbing through an open upstairs window.

They stole various property from the house in Brayfield-on-the-Green including electrical items and jewellery, and it is believed they may have been disturbed when the alarm was activated.

The burglary happened on Tuesday August 19 between 2pm and 2.30pm.

Officers would particularly like to speak to the driver of an old-style blue Ford Fiesta which was seen using a nearby driveway to turn around in at around the time of the burglary.

Witnesses, or anyone with information, are asked to call Northamptonshire Police on 101. Alternatively, they can call Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.

Vandals have damaged three diggers at a construction site in Northampton.

Police are appealing for witnesses after three Hitachi diggers were damaged at a construction site in Newport Pagnell Road.

The criminal damaged happened sometime between 5pm on Friday August 29 and 7.30am today (Monday).

Witnesses, or anyone with information, are asked to call Northamptonshire Police on 101. Alternatively, they can call Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.

Valuables have been stolen from two homes in the Towcester during burglaries which police believe could be linked.

One of the burglaries took place at a house in Cappenham Close, Towcester, sometime between 2pm on Monday August 18 and 7pm on Wednesday August 20.

Various items were stolen, including electrical items and jewellery.

The second burglary happened sometime between 11pm on Tuesday August 19 and 5.45am on Wednesday August 20 at a house in Sycamore Yard.

The offender/s stole various property including a handbag, mobile phone and cash. They also took the keys to a Volvo XC60 which was then stolen from the driveway.

In both burglaries, the offender/s got into the property by removing a glass panel from a window and either climbing through or reaching in to open a door with a key that was left in the lock.

Witnesses, or anyone with information, are asked to call Northamptonshire Police on 101. Alternatively, they can call Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.

The Cobblers have signed Leicester City midfielder Ryan Watson on a window-to-window loan deal, ending a nine-month pursuit for the player.

Manager Chris Wilder revealed Watson has been on his wish list since last Christmas and has watched the 20-year-old around half a dozen times.

Watson, who plays in central midfield, started his career at Wigan Athletic, during which time he had a brief loan spell at Accrington Stanley.

After a successful trial, he joined Leicester City in September 2013 and has been part of their development squad since, making his senior debut in the Foxes’ Capital One Cup defeat to Shrewsbury last week.

“Ryan is a player we have tracked since last Christmas,” said Wilder.

“I have seen him play at least half a dozen times and he has impressed me.

“He is a an all round good midfield player. He gets about the park, he is strong in the tackle and he can pass the ball well.

“He wants to come and play senior football and that is a really refreshing attitude.

“We have tried to bring him in before and I am really pleased we have been able to get the loan completed now.

“Thanks to Leicester City for allowing us to borrow Ryan, there is a good relationship between the clubs.

“They know we will look after him, he will help us and he will also gain valuable experience at the same time.”

A man was cycling through a wooded area in Northamptonshire when he was attacked by a gang of men.

The victim, a 45-year-old man, was cycling through the wooded area of West Glebe Park in Corby when the attack happened.

As he passed a group of six or seven men, he was pushed off his bike, punched and kicked and threatened with a glass bottle. The men searched the victim’s pockets and stole cash.

The men were described as having Irish accents and one of them had curly black hair.

The incident happened on Friday August 29 between 2pm and 3pm.

Witnesses, or anyone with information, are asked to call Northamptonshire Police on 101. Alternatively, they can call Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.

Saints have signed Jon Fisher following the back row forward’s successful trial period at the club.

The former London Irish player was involved in pre-season games against Rotherham Titans, Leinster and Newport-Gwent Dragons.

Fisher, who can play on the flank or at No.8, will help make up for the loss of Sam Dickinson, who is out for three months after having neck surgery.

And Saints boss Jim Mallinder says his new recruit deserved a permanent deal after displaying plenty of desire in training and friendly matches.

“Jon is a talented player who will give us depth across the back row,” said Mallinder. “He has worked hard throughout our pre-season training, putting in plenty of effort in both conditioning and rugby sessions.

“More importantly he has shown that he has the determination to play and succeed here at Franklin’s Gardens, and we were delighted to offer him this contract.”

Fisher, like Dickinson, has played for the England Saxons in the past and was once hailed as a future London Irish captain.

The 25-year-old is the second new signing at Saints this summer following the arrival of Joel Hodgson, and he is looking forward to helping the club build on last season’s success.

“I’ve had a great time at the Saints this summer, working with a superb group of coaches and outstanding players,” Fisher said.

“I had no hesitation in accepting Jim’s offer to join the squad full-time and am looking forward to helping the Saints maintain their place at the top of English rugby.”

Meanwhile, Saints have announced that Rob Verbakel has left the club.

The Kiwi lock, signed from Otago last summer, departed Franklin’s Gardens without playing any part in the pre-season preparations.

Only 29 overs were possible on day two of Northamptonshire’s LV= County Championship encounter with Somerset in Taunton.

By the close of play, which was heavily interrupted by a lengthy rain delay during the middle of the day, the visitors had moved on to 135-4 which constitues a deficit of 179 at the halfway stage of proceedings.

Play resumed in the morning with the County on 39-0 and the duo of Stephen Peters and James Kettleborough advanced their partnership to 107 before the latter fell to Craig Overton.

Only five more runs were added before the rain arrived and it knocked the County off their stride.

It wasn’t until late in the evening session that the players were able to return and the brief period of play before the close was dominated by the home side.

Peters failed to add to the 46 he had reached before the break and became victim number two for Overton and the same bowler added Kyle Coetxer to his tally four overs later.

Alfonso Thomas got in on the act by getting rid of nightwatchman Neil Wagner but Rob Keogh and Adam Rossington made it to stumps without any further mishaps.

The Cobblers have signed Fleetwood Town centre-back Ryan Cresswell for an undisclosed fee with hours remaining before the closure of the summer transfer window.

Town have paid money on the second successive deadline day to bring in the 26-year-old, who was bought by Fleetwood from Southend for a fee understood to be in the region of £150,000.

In January they paid a fee, believed to be around the £50,000 mark, for forward Emile Sinclair.

Cresswell, like fellow summer signings Marc Richards, John-Joe O’Toole and Zander Diamond, has signed a three-year contract at Sixfields and completes what Wilder feels has been some ‘fantastic’ business.

“I am delighted to sign Ryan,” said Wilder. “Alan Knill and I have worked with Ryan before (at Bury).

“He is a quality defender at this level and a top, top character.

“He is a winner, he has been involved with a lot of teams at the top of this league in his career and he is another player who can help take this club forward.

“He is an excellent age and we have done some fantastic business today.”

Cresswell was in the PFA League Two team of the year for the 2012/13 campaign with Southen, after which he was bought by Fleetwood.

He made 27 appearances for the Highbury Stadium club, including just a single appearance during the current campaign.