Northampton Town simply must use Leyton Orient exploits to compete for near miracle again | OneFootball

Home form is crucial.

Northampton Town beat Leyton Orient in a crunch League One encounter last weekend.

The win could be a significant turning point in the Cobblers' season, as they had lost their previous three at home.

Leyton Orient and Cobblers found themselves in similar moments heading into the match at Sixfields having experienced indifferent starts to their campaigns.

Northampton have since followed up the hard-fought three points at Sixfields with an impressive point at promotion-chasing Stockport County.

Cobblers must defend their patch

If Jon Brady wants to push his Northampton team to the top end of the table, they must defend their home ground.

Back-to-back-to-back losses at home before the clash with Orient means Cobblers have had a mediocre start to the season at home with two wins, one draw and three losses.

Town sit 19th in the home form table currently, something they must improve if they are to push up the right end of proceedings this season.

While seven points in six games isn't a disastrous start by any means it feels as though points were left on the table against Burton, Wycombe and Mansfield.

Brady's side had opportunities to snatch a win against the Brewers, who still haven't won a game. Tariqe Fosu missed a penalty to put Town into the ascendancy against the Chairboys and the Cobblers manager labelled the Mansfield performance as Northampton's best of the season despite not scoring a goal.

Granted, if the fine margins had fallen in favour of Town their home would be nearly immaculate. However, they made sure they did against Leyton Orient.

Cobblers approached the game with a more cautious approach, committing fewer men forward and staying more rigid at the back - something they were punished for not doing when they conceded eight goals in a week before the international break.

While the football wasn't pretty at times, the fine margins tilted in favour of Brady's side this time round when Cameron McGeehan poked home a flicked-on long throw just after half-time.

If Cobblers want to succeed in an ambitious push up to the right end of the table, they must continue to push these margins to fall into their favour, especially at home.

If Cobblers are to make an ambitious run again this season, they must at least replicate, or better, their home stand from last season.

Last season's form saw Town win four more than they lost, a home record better than Barnsley's and they finished in the play-offs.

Cobblers finished ninth in the home form standings and picked up memorable victories against rivals, Peterborough United as well Oxford United and Derby County who both won promotion.

Town were also bulletproof at Sixfields against sides who would finish around and below them, which is why the points dropped against the likes of Burton, Wycombe and Mansfield are frustrating, as Cobblers proved their worth, but came away with very little.

Brady and the management team should take inspiration from Saturday's slightly more pragmatic approach because Northampton must replicate last season's home record to make Sixfields the fortress it needs to be in facilitating a push up the standings.

Northampton's home fixture against Crawley Town this weekend is a great opportunity to extend their winning run at Sixfields to a second game after a decent point in midweek at Edgeley Park.