Northampton Town Under 18s began their EFL Youth Alliance League South East season with a 0-0 draw at home to Leyton Orient on Saturday.

The first half was even but lacking in goalmouth action with both sides creating only a few opportunities each.

The first fell to the visitors inside two minutes, James Dadge holding Charlie Pegrum’s shot from the edge of the area.

Northampton responded on the quarter-of-an-hour mark, Kai O’Keeffe driving the ball just out of Rico Duggan’s reach at the back post.

The best chance of the first period came less than a minute later when Leyton Orient’s Ebraima Davies hit the inside of the post and the ball rolled across the face of goal.

But the Cobblers ended the half on top, O’Keeffe almost catching Lenny Holden out with a low effort towards the near post and Duggan forcing the goalkeeper into a diving save from 20 yards.

The second 45 started how the first had ended, Scott threatening for the hosts this time with a cross-shot that looped over Holden but clear of the far post.

Both teams continued to cancel each other out and it took until the 72nd minute for the next notable highlight, Duggan half-volleying wide from just inside the box.

Northampton came close again soon after when Reuben Wyatt flicked Kiantay Licorish-Mullings’ flat throw-in on target, but Holden caught the ball to deny the midfielder a second goal in as many games.

Neither side were able to find a winner despite both pushing forward late on, and the match ended goalless.

The youth team travel to Sutton United in the second fixture of their league campaign a week on Tuesday.

Cobblers: James Dadge, Kiantay Licorish-Mullings, Josh Tomlinson, Tom Cartwright, Dylan Hill, Reuben Wyatt, Jacob Scott, Ayo Lekuti, Rico Duggan, Reece Irwin, Kai O’Keeffe

Substitutes: Marcus Bald, Leo Jenkins, Jamari Hart, Josh Rayfield, Fin Amidi