Refusing to criticise Northampton's style of play, Alexander said honestly: "What can you do when throws are coming in from 40 yards outside your box, corners are coming in, things are going on around the goal? You have to deal with it.
"It's a side of football which is there, and it's been successful for them so hats of to them."
The two sides are now separated by just one point with the Cobblers creeping up to 9th place in League Two on the back of their excellent home form.
Their play-off ambitions will be tested over the remainder of January as Aidy Boothroyd's side have away fixtures at Chesterfield, Aldershot and Gillingham with Burton Albion to come to Sixfields.