Bradford City: Mark Hughes pleased as half-time chat has desired effect at Northampton Town

With little to play for in the remaining weeks of the League Two season, Hughes has made clear his intention to use the final games to assess his squad ahead of what is expected to be a busy summer.

The former Manchester City and Blackburn Rovers manager felt his side struggled in the first half but was pleased with the response in the second 45 minutes.

“I was more pleased with the second half,” said Hughes. “I thought we really took the game to Northampton, we finished strong and if not for a fantastic save by their goalkeeper at the end we would have won the game. They put the ball in our box, which is to be expected, and in the first half we were a little bit too anxious when we didn’t need to be. We tried to get the ball forward too quickly and we had to be calmer.

“Sometimes you can’t snap out of that but we had a sit down at half-time and calmed everyone down and I thought we were better in the second half.

“It’s a good point away from home against a team in the play-off places. You can see why they are up there because they ask questions of you and put the ball into good areas and you have to defend well. There were a few scrambles but you expect that as an away team and sometimes you have to ride your luck. I thought we dealt with them well and finished the stronger team.”

Northampton Town: Roberts; McGowan, Horsfall, Guthrie, Mills (Koiki 74); Sowerby; Hoskins, Pollock, Pinnock, Eppiah (Zimba 73); Appere (Lubala 77). Unused substitutes: Harriman, McWilliams, Maxted, Rose.

Bradford City: Bass; Hendrie, Songo’o, O’Connor, Ridehalgh; Evans (Vernam 63),Watt; Pereira, Walker, Gilliead (Cooke 81); Cook (Angol 63). Unused substitutes: O’Donnell,Foulds,Kelleher,Lavery.

Referee: David Rock (Hertfordshire).