Jeers for Jimmy as Cobblers struggle

JIMMY Floyd Hasselbaink has urged Northampton’s boo boys to use some common sense.

The former Chelsea striker saw his team booed off by the home fans after their goalless draw against Oxford at Sixfields.

Fans felt aggrieved the manager had opted for a lone striker but Kevin van Veen is injured and Boris Mathis went home ill on the eve of the game.

Hasselbaink’s side have won only once in their last six and sit just above the relegation places.

“I’m disappointed with the reaction of the crowd,” he admitted.

“They are asking for a second striker to come on but come on guys look at the bench! We didn’t have a second striker on the bench.

“Kevin is injured unfortunately and Boris was sent home ill yesterday [Friday].

“If I had a second striker I’d have put him on because we are playing at home and I want to win. It wasn’t meant to be and I think the boos at the end were a little unfair to the boys.

“The guys did ever so well and frustratingly we just didn’t put the ball in the net when we were on top.”

On-loan Burnley striker Chris Long missed a handful of welcoming opportunities for the hosts.

But he just could not quite work Simon Eastwood, missing the target on three separate occasions when he should have done better.

Shot-stopper Eastwood made a fine save to deny Sam Hoskins as the hosts piled on the pressure.

The U’s soaked up all the Cobblers threw at them and almost made them pay late on.

Ricardinho headed wide towards the end before the best chance of the game presented itself.

It fell to substitute Wes Thomas, who could only divert Barnsley loanee Alex Mowatt’s cross onto the post with mere minutes left on the clock.

The U’s first clean sheet since the middle of December ended a threegame losing streak the day after Thai businessman Sumrith Thanakarnjanasuth became the new owner of the club.

Caretaker boss Derek Fazackerley said: “It’s a while since we had one, I can’t remember the last time we had a clean sheet. I’m pleased with that part of the game, and I’m pleased with the lads’ application on a difficult surface.

“Their team is quite strong and physical and I thought we managed the game quite well.

“You don’t get too many chances playing away from home and when they come along you have to profit from them.”