Northampton must avoid 'sloppy' mistakes - Pinnock

Mitch Pinnock had an early free-kick well saved by Barnsley keeper Jackson Smith

Northampton Town midfielder Mitch Pinnock says they must avoid "sloppy" errors in defence as they look to secure their League One status for next season.

Having won three of their four previous games, The Cobblers were beaten 2-1 at home by Barnsley on Tuesday - with Davis Keillor-Dunn given too much time and space for the visitors' goals.

They remain 17th, four points above the drop zone ahead of Saturday's trip to Exeter City, the team immediately below them in the table.

"We started really well and after the last game [a 2-1 win over Bristol Rovers] the confidence was up for everyone," Pinnock told BBC Radio Northampton.

"Then two sloppy goals out of nothing for them killed us a bit - but even when we were 2-0 down, I still thought we were going to come back and get something from it."

Pinnock was restored to midfield by boss Kevin Nolan, having been given defensive roles in recent matchers.

"When I saw the team (sheet), I didn't think I was playing because I looked at left-back and right-back and I wasn't on it. I'll play anywhere for the team, it's something me and Sam (Hoskins) can do and I don't mind doing it," he added.

Northampton pulled one back from Hoskins - his 94th goal for the club - but were unable to force an equaliser despite the visitors having centre-back Mael de Gevigny sent off late on.

Hoskins is now the joint fifth-highest scorer for the club but he said: "The personal records are very nice for me, but I'm just trying to help the team as much as possible and if I can keep scoring goals to help us win points, that's what I want to do."

He was on target when Northampton won 2-0 at Exeter last season and is hoping they can produce a similar result to push them further away from the drop zone.

"The gaffer keeps telling us he's not worried about the teams below us, it's the teams above us that we can catch," said Hoskins.

"That's what we're looking towards, the team above us, the team above them, that we're looking to catch.

"Every game, we believe we can win and it's just how far we can go up the table. I don't really take too much notice of it, but whenever we win we don't seem to go anywhere so I may start looking now."

Northampton have 36 points from 33 games played, having totalled 60 under former boss Jon Brady last season when they finished 14th.