Northampton Town swooped yesterday to sign Burton Albion striker Shaun Harrad on a two-and-a-half-year deal.

The 26-year-old joins after the Cobblers missed out when trying to sign Crewe’s Calvin Zola earlier in the week.

Northampton, 17th in the table,, felt they were just a bit short at the top end of the pitch and played a 4-5-1 formation at Gillingham last weekend, with midfielder Andy Holt on his own up front.

Their big summer signing, Tadhg Purcell, who arrived from Darlington, injured his knee ligaments early in the campaign and was ruled out for the season.

Leon McKenzie and Billy McKay have been manager Ian Sampson’s main men in attack recently.

McKenzie, who scored Northampton’s goal in their 3-1 defeat to Oxford at the Kassam Stadium, returns to the team.

The 32-year-old has scored six goals in ten starts, but has suffered from some injury niggles this season, and has recently been troubled by a thigh strain.

Centre half Dean Beckwith was suspended for the first meeting with Oxford in October.

Another new player is former Southend player Francis Laurent, a pacy French winger. They have also signed 18-year-old New Zealand midfielder Michael Built.