Nolan hopes derby will get fans 'back on side'

Northampton Town manager Kevin Nolan believes this weekend's Nene derby against Peterborough United offers a perfect opportunity for his team to "get everyone believing again".

The Cobblers remain 22nd in League One table following Tuesday's home defeat by bottom club Port Vale, who are managed by his predecessor Jon Brady, a display which prompted boos from some home supporters.

They have won only once in the last 14 games and back-to-back home losses against Leyton Orient and Vale have increased the pressure on the ex-Notts County boss.

"I took over when we were in a precarious position last year when everybody thought we were going to go down. We were favourites to go down this year and we knew were going to have a tough time," Nolan told BBC Radio Northampton.

"When the [number of] games calm down a bit and we can work with them and get people back [from injury], we really believe we can turn a corner and hopefully that's going to be here on Saturday.

"We know it's going to be a really good atmosphere and hopefully we can turn a derby day game into a victory and get everyone back on side and get everyone believing again."

Northampton lost 2-1 at Peterborough in December, despite taking the lead through Jack Perkins, but badly need three points at Sixfields on Saturday as all the clubs around them have at least one game in hand.

And they have the distraction of an EFL Trophy semi-final at Luton Town next Wednesday with a place at Wembley at stake.

Nolan wants more positivity from his team - the second lowest scorers in the division - as they try to rediscover the form which had them in mid-table following a 3-1 win over AFC Wimbledon on 19 December.

"My game was getting in the box and scoring goals and that's where I want to play, on the front foot," he said.

"We've got to strip it all back, exactly what we did when we first walked in the building, and get down to basics.

"We've got to stick together, fight together, all the things I was known for [as a player]. I'm not going to hide away from it, I know a lot about football and I know that when it's not going right, people are going to come after you.

"We have to keep believing. There's nothing we can do now in transfer windows or getting people in. Sometimes you just keep getting a dig when you don't need it but we've got to come through that and fight our way out of it."