Cobblers boss Keith Curle praised the defensive resilience of his side but felt they lacked creativity as he reflected on Saturday’s goalless draw at home to Crawley Town.
“It wasn’t a classic by any stretch of the imagination but it’s a point earned,” he said.
“I’m pleased with the clean sheet but I’m not going to shy away from the fact we need to be better in the final third.
“At the minute we are lacking a little bit of creativity and quality in the final third but it’s important that if things don’t come off for you in a game the very least you come away with is a point. Difficult to beat has to be part of the team DNA and we showed we have a backbone and we make no apologies for that.
“We could have done better with possession when facing their goal and our decision making with the ball needs to improve and the players know that. We need to work more on the creative side of the game in the final third.
“It’s frustrating when you see the work we do with the players in the week and when it comes to game day that quality just eludes them. We need players who can turn up on game day, understand their roles and responsibilities and deliver.
“We need to encourage the players to make the right decisions at the right time and that is on game day. It is going to take a little bit of time but the building blocks are in place.”