Jon Brady was delighted with a professional away display from his Northampton side at Burton.
Marc Leonard and Mitch Pinnock both scored from distance to secure a 2-0 victory.
“It was a really professional performance. The first five to 10 minutes were quite tough,” Brady said.
“We couldn’t get out and, with (Tom) Hamer’s long throws it was quite difficult and we knew we had to weather those storms and win a lot of first and second contacts, which has probably been our Achilles heel of late.”
Brady was happy with how Cobblers dug in early on and on a tricky surface began to grow in the game.
“Testament to the players, they stood up to that today,” he added. “It was hard going at the start but we started growing into the game and I felt we built really well out from the back especially, with no disrespect to Burton, on a pitch like this.”
Leonard’s opener took a decisive deflection off defender Toto Nsiala and Brady acknowledged it was a turning point.
“Marc Leonard got his goal and that was important for us and I felt that took the wind out of their sails and then we could control the game a little bit,” Brady said.
The second goal was an even better strike as Pinnock latched onto Mark Helm’s poor pass to double Northampton’s advantage.
Brady added: “I haven’t seen him hit a truer strike since Leyton Orient two years ago.”
Burton boss Martin Paterson calmly dissected a home defeat following back-to-back away wins.
“I think Northampton are a team who have gone about their season really well,” Paterson said.
“If you look at the start of the game, the first 15 minutes or so and in terms of territory and putting them under pressure, it seemed like just a matter of time before we scored.”
Albion’s best early chance saw Mason Bennett head narrowly wide but, as Paterson acknowledged, failure to capitalise saw the game swing towards the visitors.
“It’s football,” he continued. “With that sort of momentum you have to score goals or else you leave yourself open to the first goal. There’s an element of lady luck because he’s hit it and it takes a deflection, our keeper is at the near post and it goes in the opposite.”
The Brewers briefly threatened an equaliser but the second goal ultimately killed off their chances.
“You have to regroup, but then you have a side like Northampton who are really organised and who are one-nil up away from home. It becomes hard to break them down,” Paterson added.
“The second goal we are architects of our own downfall and we pass the ball to their forward in the middle of the goal and it’s a great finish.”
