Poor defending cost the game

Northampton's inability to defend from set plays was the reason why they fell to defeat at Boundary Park according to their boss Stuart Gray. He told the official Cobblers website, "We were beaten because of our failure to defend against two set pieces. The players have responsibilities to pick up the men they are marking and we lost our men far too easily for their two goals. Once we went 2-0 down we started playing but it was too late by then. Gifting Oldham two free headers cost us the game. The timing of their first goal was particularly frustrating. The game had not really got going and all of a sudden we had gifted them the lead through poor marking."

"When I first arrived our home form was poor and our away form was good. Now it has turned right around and we need to improve our away form quickly if we are to avoid getting dragged into trouble. The players have to have a hard look at themselves and see how determined they are to avoid getting dragged into a relegation fight. Andy Holt picked up a few stitches today and I think a few more of our lads need to start picking up stitches. I do not want anyone getting a free header in our penalty area. We don't get afforded that luxury when we are attacking so we need to show more desire to defend our goal and our penalty area. Two players let the team down and did not do their job properly when required."

"We don't mark zonal so we know exactly who was at fault and we know who has not done their job in this game. I have always been positive and always try to look up the league table, but we have to be looking over our shoulder now and we have to be aware of what is happening below us. No player is an automatic choice. However small the squad, I will have an option to change things and if I can get a loan player in then I will if someone is not performing. At this moment I think some of the players are felling a bit sorry for themselves, but it is only us who can change the situation. Mark Hughes made a couple of great blocks and that is what we need in the team. When we went 2-0 down we seemed to take control, but we have to start doing that from the first whistle."