Jon Brady: Northampton must be at their best against Derby, says boss
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Jon Brady guided Northampton to promotion last season, finishing third in League Two
Northampton Town boss Jon Brady believes they will have to be better than their best to compete with second-placed Derby County at Sixfields.
The Cobblers have secured their League One status for next season with seven games left to play.
But Brady's side have only picked up two points from the last five games
"This is what we worked hard for last year to play against sides like this, we're not just here to make up the numbers," he said.
"They're second in the league, they've had a strong season so far, they're fighting for automatic [promotion].
"It'll be a game they're targeting to get three points in and for us to compete at this level, I said at the start [of the season], every single player has to be at their best.
"In any game in this league, we've got to be really good at what we do and we've got to be even better than that against Derby because they are a very good side," Brady told BBC Radio Northampton.
They lost 4-0 at Derby back in October and Brady is looking for a big improvement on that display.
He said: "To perform at our best is what we try and do every week but as of late we haven't been consistent throughout the 90 minutes and we need, especially against Derby, to be consistent from the first whistle to the final whistle.
"If we can, we may have a chance in the game."
Midfielder Shaun McWilliams said that despite the relative security of their league position - they are 14th but 15 points clear of the relegation places - Northampton did not want to just "amble over the line" in their remaining fixtures.
"You don't want to go out and lose, so I wouldn't say it's hard to get yourself motivated. We haven't got a win in five but I wouldn't say that is the case," he added.
"When we've played the biggest teams in the league this season, we've let too many goals in for one thing, so with how it went away [at Derby], I feel we've got something to prove, that we've still got that urge.
"We've got to give one back; they beat us quite heavily at their place, and we don't want that to happen again."
Northampton-born McWilliams is one of several players out of contract at the end of the season.
He said: "With all my contracts, I've always let it play out in the background, so that's what I'll be continuing doing. Me and the club both know where we stand. I'm not in a place where I want to leave, so we'll see how it pans out."