Sampson: I'm to blame for defeat

16 October 2010 21:30
Northampton boss Ian Sampson shouldered some the blame as Northampton surrendered a 3-0 half-time lead to lose 4-3 against Hereford. Leon McKenzie had scored a first-half hat-trick to put the Cobblers firmly in control of the clash. However, Stuart Fleetwood reduced the arrears with a brace, James McQuilkin levelled and Mathieu Manset grabbed the winner. To end a miserable day for Northampton, defender Ben Tozer was sent off for throwing the ball at a Hereford player. Sampson said: "I take full responsibility but the players have to stand up and be counted. We let everyone down and I'm lost for words as to how we can play so well in the first half and so badly in the second half. "We played very direct in the first half and it worked. I asked them to do the same thing in the second half but they did the opposite. "There can be no excuses for any single player, young or experienced. All 11 players in the second half let us down and they need to sort themselves out quickly."

Source: PA