Shane Higgs played 45 minutes for the Cobblers in a practice match againts Notts County at Sixfields on Wednesday but will not be considered for selection for the game at Fleetwood Town on Saturday.
The goalkeeper has been sidelined since rupturing an Achilles tendon in January and the club will not risk even having him on the bench until his injury is 100 per cent healed.
Lee Nicholls, who is on loan from Wigan Athletic until the end of October, will continue in goal with 17-year-old Dean Snedker as his back-up.
Higgs played the first half against County in a match that saw the Cobblers run out 3-1 winners thanks to a hat-trick from teenager Louis Moult.
As well as Higgs, who was replaced by Snedker at half time, and Moult, the other first team squad members to have a run-out were Paul Turnbull, Ishmel Demontagnac, Henoc Mukendi, Lewis Wilson and Anthony Charles.
Looking ahead to Saturday’s Fleetwood game, defender John Johnson will undergo a fitness test on the shin injury he sustained a fortnight ago and if he is cleared to play he will contest the right-back position with Hull City loanee Danny East.
Luke Guttridge is back in the selection frame after recovering from a recent illness, while defender Nana is still at least a month away from full fitness after sustaining a bad knee injury more than a year ago.