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Boothroyd: We're not there yet

Image: Boothroyd: Wants consistency

Despite seeing his side hit three goals without reply, Northampton boss Aidy Boothroyd preferred to concentrate on his side's defending.

First half goals from Adebayo Akinfenwa, his sixth of the season, and captain Kelvin Langmead put Cobblers on their way to a 3-0 victory over Exeter City. Top scorer Alex Nicholls edged back in front of Akinfenwa when he bagged his seventh of the campaign late on to finally end City's second-half fightback. Goalkeeper Lee Nicholls produced a fine performance to help Boothroyd's side keep a clean sheet, much to the manager's satisfaction. "It's a good win for us but I still don't think we played anywhere near as well as we can do," said Boothroyd. "The fact that I'm saying that after we've comfortably beaten a very good team like Exeter shows what expectations I have of my players. "I know we will always score goals, from open play out wide and from set-pieces, but it's vitally important we keep clean sheets. That's what gets you success on a consistent level, and I think that's our fifth one of the season. "We could easily have gone behind in the first half before we scored but that's what Kelvin Langmead and Lee Nicholls are there for. And the save from Lee (Nicholls) at 2-0 in the second half was vital against a player like (Jamie) Cureton who usually doesn't miss. There is still a lot more to come from us defensively and offensively. We're getting better but there is still plenty of work to be done."

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