'Sickened' Northampton caretaker slams 'weak underbelly' ahead of Portsmouth clash

The Cobblers slid bottom of the League One table following a 2-1 defeat to relegation-rivals Swindon on Saturday.

Former Blues skipper Brett Pitman was on target for the Robins at the Couny Ground.

Kenny Jackett's side travel to Sixfields next weekend after a trip to Doncaster on Tuesday.

Caretaker manager Jon Brady admitted he was 'sickened' at the final whistle as Northampton face the drop.

And he believes the Cobbles are currently not mentally strong enough to retain their third-tier status after promotion from League Two last season.

Brady told the Northampton Chronicle: ‘Unfortunately, there's a weak underbelly with us at the moment and we've got to get this sorted.

‘All over the pitch, it's the body language at times. We're in a situation where we are fighting for our lives. This is my hometown, I've lived here for 23 years and for me, it's sickening.

‘I wouldn't say the players are not giving 100 per cent because they are, but it's the attitude and we're having to remind them. At times, we're walking back when they have free-kicks and not even facing play.

‘Dig your mate out in terms of, if your mate gets beaten, be there to cover him. We've got all these insurance policies all over the pitch when we play in how we work and what we need to do.

‘But I feel, mentally, they are not strong enough with themselves or strong enough with each other and time is running out right now.

‘I've faced every single one of them in the changing room afterwards and I've told them that enough is enough."

Asked if he felt some of his players let him down, Brady replied: ‘I would say that. If you've got something about you as a player, you have to look yourself in the mirror and you can't let yourself be rolled over.

‘You have to have fight and you have to find from the first whistle to the last whistle.’

Bryn Morris, on loan at Northampton from Pompey, will not be able to play against his parent club.