Northampton Town Under 18’s fell to a narrow 2-1 defeat at home to Cambridge United Under 18’s in the EFL Youth Alliance Merit League 1 at Moulton College on Saturday.
The Cobblers created lots of opportunities, however the away side were clinical and took their chances, winning a cagey contest.
The first opening of the game was created by the hosts, as Ethan Johnston beat the goalkeeper to a short backpass, but Caleb Chukwuemeka’s shot was cleared off the line by a covering defender.
Cambridge took the lead five minutes later, when their frontman capitalised on a loose pass and finished into the bottom corner.
Ewan Clark tested the goalkeeper with a shot from the edge of the box after keeping hold of possession and losing his man, as Northampton looked to respond.
The resulting corner was headed just over.
As the Cobblers pressed for an equaliser, Caleb Chukwuemeka’s shot from the penalty spot was scrambled away by the away goalkeeper.
Chukwuemeka was played through on goal by an Ethan Johnston flick on moments later, but he placed his shot wide.
One minute into the second half, the home side continued to push forward, as Johnston squared for Ewan Clark, but his shot from eight yards was straight at the defender on the line.
The breakthrough came soon after, when Liam Cross saw his drive from the edge of the area palmed behind for a corner, from which Josh Tomlinson headed into the net to equalise for the home side.
From kick off, Cambridge’s goalscorer was denied a second by the on rushing Dylan Berry, who was quick to meet the forward as he ran through on goal.
The striker got his second as his side retook the lead on the hour mark, firing across Berry and into the bottom corner against the run of play.
With a quarter of an hour left, Liam Cross dispossessed the Cambridge defender and carried the ball forward, before shooting wide from just outside the box.
As the away side looked to see the game out, their right back drilled a shot towards the top corner from twenty five yards, which was tipped over by Dylan Berry.
In the dying moments of normal time, Chukwuemeka flicked the ball to Ewan Clark, who fired over from just inside the box, as Northampton fell to a 2-1 loss.