Nolan up for the fight with struggling Northampton

Northampton Town boss Kevin Nolan admits his side are now in a "dogfight" for survival in League One.

Sunday's 1-0 defeat at AFC Wimbledon left the Cobblers next-to-bottom of the table, three points from safety, and they have won only once in their last 16 league games.

It rounded off a disappointing week for the club who also lost 2-1 at Luton Town in the EFL Trophy semi-finals, missing out on a trip to Wembley.

"We've got to scrap our way out of it - that's the only way you get out of these situations," Nolan told BBC Radio Northampton.

"We're in a tough place at the minute and we're not enjoying it. We've got to start picking up wins and picking up points very quickly.

"The relentless schedule has been ridiculous, it has hurt us, affected us but it's now up to us to fight our way out of it."

Northampton have 10 games left to save themselves from a return to League Two after three seasons in the third tier, and next up is a home fixture against Burton Albion on Saturday.

"We've won one in 16 and I'm not someone to shy away from that. I walk into a fight never away from it. We are in a dogfight and I am up for the it," added Nolan.

"I was the man [for the job] last year, and why wouldn't I be the man now?

"We've been playing well and have deserved more than we've got over the last few weeks. Sometimes you need a little luck - one to go in off a backside or whatever.

"What we've got to do is keep the lads believing, keep repetition, get them back to where we were before we went into this period. I know it's hard for everybody but we're well up for the fight."