Northampton Town Football Club

Cobblers: James Goff, Sean Whaler, Pru Anaele, Ben Toseland, Jamie Hall, Sean McCammon, James Hammond, Seth Patrick, Shama Bako, Joe Iaciofano, James Gillard.

Barnet: Charlie Busby, Dwight Pascal, Tyler Brown, Tobi Coker, Joe Payne, Lewis Hobbs, Daniel Cheema, Roy Sylla, Javarn Campbell, Rio Connell, Antonis Vasiliou.

The Northampton Town youth team came from 2-0 to defeat Barnet 4-2 at Moulton College on Friday afternoon.

The two sides met in the sunshine at Moulton College on Friday as the Cobblers looked to build on last weekend’s 3-1 victory over Gillingham.

Young striker Joe Iaciofano was in the starting line-up following his competitive first-team debut on Tuesday evening against West Ham United u21’s.

However, it was Barnet who started quickest and took the lead on 3 minutes through Javarn Campbell after he was put through on goal and slotted past Goff from close range.

It was Iaciofano who provided an early chance for the Cobblers but after creating space on the left side of the box he couldn’t quite pick out James Gillard’s back-post run and Barnet cleared the danger.

The Cobblers then looked dangerous on the break after Hammond burst over halfway and fed Iaciofano into the box, but again he was unfortunate not to pick out a claret shirt in the box and Barnet got back in numbers to clear away on 17 minutes.

Northampton then equalised on 26 minutes after Iaciofano was tripped inside the box following a corner, and the 18-year-old picked himself up to send the keeper the wrong way from the spot.

Barnet almost re-took the lead 5 minutes before the break after Campbell was picked out again but his powerful effort hit the side netting of the near post.

The visitors then scored with their next attack on 44 minutes. A free-kick floated in from the left caused problems and Tyler Brown slid in at the back-post to score from close range.

Barnet started the second half well with Roy Syla playing a clever ball over the top to pick out Tobi Coker’s run but his left-footed strike on the turn flew just over Goff’s crossbar.

The Cobblers reacted with a spell of pressure and made that dominance count when substitute Vaughn Marett played in a great ball into the box and Iaciofano was there to claim his second goal from close range. 

Northampton then almost took the lead for the first time after Shama Bako’s free-kick picked out Gillard but the forward was unlucky to see his header hit the crossbar and Barnet cleared the rebound.

But Gillard wouldn’t be denied again as he slotted a ball past the Barnet ‘keeper after being played through by a clever Iaciofano pass in behind the defence. Gillard stayed cool to slot past Busby and put the Cobblers into the lead.

Gillard was called into defensive duties with 12 minutes to play and he did brilliantly to track back and slide the ball to safety as Barnet looked bound to equalise at the back-post after a dangerous ball was rolled across the 6-yard box.

The Cobblers scored their fourth after good forward pressing led to a defensive error which Marett seized upon and remained cool to slot the ball past the goalkeeper with 6 minutes remaining.

Ben Toseland made an important clearance off the line in the final few minutes to deny a nervy ending and secure a second successive win for the Cobblers youth team.