Joe Widdowson says there is no time for the Cobblers players to ‘feel sorry for ourselves’ as they prepare to take on promotion-chasing Port Vale at Sixfields today (Sat, ko 2pm).
Town go into that game on the back of two defeats, with Tuesday night’s 1-0 home reverse against Bradford City coming hot on the heels of last Friday night’s 4-0 horror show at Barnet.
The Cobblers have now won just one league game in the past seven, picking up just five points out of a possible 21, and they have slipped to 17th in the npower League Two table.
After en encouraging start to the campaign, Town are just five points above the relegation zone, but Widdowson is staying positive.
And the left-back knows how important it is going to be for the team to get off to a good start in the clash with Vale, not only to lift the players, but also the home supporters inside Sixfields.
“We have to try and get off to a good start against Port Vale,” said the former Rochdale man.
“There is no time for us to feel sorry for ourselves, we have a game every three or four days in this league, so we can’t dwell on things.
“We have to look at where we went wrong against Bradford, see where we can improve, and that is what it is all about.
“We have to learn from each game, and we have to improve.”
The Cobblers are likely to again be without the injured Chris Hackett and John Johnson this afternoon, as well as the long-term absentees Luke Guttridge, Ben Harding and David Artell.
It’s an injury list that has left the Town squad looking paper thin, but Widdowson says he and his team-mates just have to get on with it.
“It is a tricky run for us, but it is a long season and you are going to have these spells,” he said.
“Our job as players is to just get on with it, we can’t let it affect us.
“We have to go into every game positively, we have to stick together, and we have to keep working hard to try and get results.”
And he added: “It was a difficult game on Tuesday. Bradford are a strong team, they are a direct team, and the conditions also played a part in the performance.
“It was a bit of a battle, and I think in terms of attitude and endeavour the lads applied themselves brilliantly.
“You can’t fault anybody’s work ethic, everybody was together, but one little mistake has led to a goal and that is what has cost us.”
Widdowson still believes that the Cobblers squad – when everybody is fit – is capable of challenging at the top end of the league two table, but he knows that talk is cheap and that the players have to start proving they are as good as they believe they are.
“We aren’t far away, but we can’t keep saying that,” said Widdowson.
“We are a team that want to try and be successful, so we need to be better, and we need to eradicate the things that we are doing wrong.
“I really don’t believe there is a lot between us and Bradford, and we are getting there.
“But we have been unlucky with injuries, the team is changing a lot from game to game, and it has been hard for us to field a consistent side.
“None of those things help, but we have to stay resilient, we have to keep plugging away, working hard, and whoever comes into the team, and wherever they play, we have all got to try and do a good job.”
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