The response was not exactly spiky, but there was definitely an edge to Aidy Boothroyd’s answer when I asked him how pleased he was to end a run of four games without a win on Tuesday night.
Statistics, said the Cobblers boss, can be manipulated to prove all kinds of different things, a sentiment which every point-making PR man in the land knows is accurate.
But to have gone five games without a win would have added to the growing doubts - not necessarily among the supporters, but within the playing squad.
The Johnstone’s Paint Trophy is a competition that has no shortage of critics and people who are happy to describe it as little more than a means of padding out the fixture list.
There is little argument that during the early stages it does not fire the imagination of the supporters and there is every chance the club lost money on Tuesday night’s game once all the expenses have been deducted from the meagre gate receipts.
As a means of getting things back on track, though, it has proved pretty handy for the Cobblers. It has proved to the players that they are capable of winning games.
After beating the Milton Keynes version of the Dons they then won against the real thing in the league before a narrow loss at Fleetwood and another three points at Dagenham.
Things have been a bit sticky since then but the hope is their form in the much-maligned ‘Paint Pot’ can provide a timely tonic ahead of a difficult-looking league encounter with Exeter City and a Friday night trip to perennial strugglers Barnet.
JEFFERSON’S COBBLERS RATINGS v COLCHESTER UNITED
SHANE HIGGS
Comeback was cut short by a concussion that will now keep him out for another fortnight - 6
CHRIS HACKETT
Did very well both defensively and on the overlap and is definitely a viable option in this position - 7
KELVIN LANGMEAD
Put his head on everything and put in a real captain’s performance for the second half of the game - 7
DAVID ARTELL
Not as sturdy as he was in the first month of his Northampton career but did the basics well enough - 6
JOE WIDDOWSON
Another high-quality outing for a player who has made consistency his watchword throughout the campaign - 7
ISHMEL DEMONTAGNAC
Some moments of high class and raw pace but also some instances of play that were quite simply baffling - 6
KEMAR ROOFE
Had a hand in both goals and did enough to cement his place in the team for Saturday (though probably not in central midfield) - 7
BEN TOZER
Kept things simple but his shoulders almost got a full night off as Colchester kept the throw-in count low - 6
ALEX NICHOLLS
Commitment playing wide could not be faulted and maintained his hunger right to the end - 6
ADEBAYO AKINFENWA
Stuck to the simple stuff and took his penalty with emphatic coolness and power - 6
HENOC MUKENDI
Plays with a languid style that is often mistaken for laziness. Header for his goal was classy and should give him confidence - 6
Substitutes:
DEAN SNEDKER (for Higgs, 44mins)
Another confident performance from a player who, if he maintains his focus, could go on to have a great career - 7
LEWIS HORNBY (for Roofe, 61mins)
Played with class and composure and did not look like a player making his senior debut - 7
LEWIS WILSON (for Demontagnac, 74mins)
Looked more comfortable on the wing than he did as a full-back at Bristol Rovers at the weekend - 6
Not used: Moult, Dias
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