Northampton Town 2
Luton Town 3
A Northampton Town XI featuring Matt Crooks, Yaser Kasim, Aaron Pierre and Dean Bowditch were edged out 3-2 against a Luton Town XI at Sixfields on Monday afternoon.
The visiting side had the opening change of the game on 2 minutes, the ball was worked down the left hand side before being teed up 25 yards out but a strike from range went over the bar.
Leon Lobjoit managed to get in behind the defence on 7 minutes following a good through ball from Kasim, however the goalkeeper rushed out to the edge of his box to block an effort and Luton managed to clear the following cross from Morgan Roberts.
First year scholar Roberts opened the scoring in the 10th minute, finishing well after intercepting a loose kick from the out of position Luton ‘keeper and finding the back of the net from 30 yards.
Elliot Lee equalised for the visitors just 3 minutes later, dribbling his way into the box and finishing past James Goff from close range.
There wasn’t too much else to separate the sides until 5 minutes before the break when Luton took the lead, a cross from the right was nodded back across goal and converted from close range inside the 6 yard box.
Roberts got the Cobblers back on level terms on 55 minutes, Crooks hit the bar with a flick but from the second phase of play Roberts took a neat touch in the box to get away from his man and slid the ball left-footed past the ‘keeper.
A well worked move almost saw Luton equalise again 15 minutes later, the ball being played across the edge of the penalty area before being set up for a shot but an effort whistled just past Goff’s right-hand post.
Luton then broke forward on the left, the winger cut inside but curled over the bar after being pressured by Sean Whaler on the edge of the penalty area. Lee was then on target from a corner to put the visitors in the lead after stooping low and heading the ball past Goff.
Lewis Irwin came off the bench and combined well with Yaser Kasim on 80 minutes but after a near one-two Irwin’s shot was denied by a sliding block and the following corner was cleared. A cross from Bowditch was then headed towards Iaciofano by Lobjoit but the ‘keeper dived on the ball before the striker could get a touch.
The Cobblers pressed for an equaliser but it was Luton with the last chance, a free-kick swung in from the right was met by Lee but his header flicked on to the crossbar and away to safety.