Jake Robinson concedes the fact he is cup-tied for the Cobblers’ FA Cup first-round replay at Bradford City on Tuesday night will damage his momentum.
Robinson enjoyed a goalscoring return to the Town side at Accrington but is ineligible for midweek selection after featuring for the Hatters in a qualifying-stage game against Nuneaton at Kenilworth Road earlier this month.
It has been a strange season so far for the 26-year-old, who scored the winner in a Johnstone’s Paint Trophy game against Milton Keynes Dons, went out on loan to Luton where he did not score and then notched for Northampton 24 hours after arriving back at Sixfields.
Robinson is desperate to rebuild his career in claret and white but although he hopes his goal in the 4-2 win at the Crown Ground will lead to further opportunities he knows he faces an immediate setback by having to sit out the Bradford Cup tie.
“I can’t play on Tuesday so that’s going to kill some of my momentum a little bit,” he said. “But the team will go there in good spirits after the win at Accrington and I’ve got to get myself ready for Saturday.
“It was great to score and great to be back in the fold. I didn’t expect it three or four days again but it was a good feeling and a good game to play in.
“Every player goes out to show the manager what they can do and I’m no different in that sense.
“I had perhaps a slighted added motivation to show what I’m capable of, that’s two games I’ve played this season and I think I’ve done well in both of them.
“Apart from that I’ve had a lot of energy stored up so I just gave it everything when I got out on the pitch.”
Luton boss Paul Buckle commented last week that he would like to re-sign Robinson for the Hatters despite his drought while on loan there.
The player himself wants to carve out a Cobblers career but is intelligent enough to realise that plans for his future might not be in his hands.
“You never know how things are going to go,” he said. “I’ve spoken to the manager and he knows I want to play here and play regularly.
“That’s why I came here in the first place and if he gives me that chance I’ll show him what I can do.
“Everything changes so quickly in football. I didn’t expect to go to Luton and then all of a sudden I’m there doing set-pieces on the Friday, so you never know what’s going to happen.”
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