EFL YOUTH ALLIANCE CUP SECOND ROUND
Saturday September 25th, 11.00am
Stanley Park Sports Ground
SWINDON TOWN UNDER 18s 1
George Cowmeadow 87
NORTHAMPTON TOWN UNDER 18s 3
Rico Duggan 24
Jack Connor 35
Tommy Curry 41
Cobblers: James Dadge, Brad Smith-Howes, Courtney Lashley, Dylan Hill, Reece Irwin, Jack Connor, Ethan Lack (sub Josh Brown 78), Tommy Curry (sub Miguel Ngwa 67), Kai O’Keeffe (sub Kieran Watkins-Robinson 74), Rico Duggan (sub Jamari Hart 80), David Sarpong
Sub not used: Callum Cook
Northampton Town Under 18s won 3-1 away to Swindon Town in the EFL Youth Alliance Cup second round on Saturday.
Rico Duggan, Jack Connor and Tommy Curry scored the young Cobblers’ goals as they progressed to the third round.
Coach Shane Goddard made six changes to the team that lost to Gillingham last week. Curry, Duggan, Brad Smith-Howes, Courtney Lashley, Ethan Lack and David Sarpong all came into the side. Dylan Hill captained the team, and there was a late alteration to the bench as Jamari Hart replaced Jacob Scott.
Cobblers’ youngsters controlled the first half and missed a great opportunity to take an early lead. Duggan flicked the ball through to Connor, who curled wide.
The visitors deservedly opened the scoring midway through the first period. Hill played a great cross-field ball to Kai O’Keeffe. He found Duggan, who half-volleyed into the far corner.
Connor doubled the advantage a quarter-of-an-hour before the break, tapping in from Curry’s square ball.
Curry (pictured) added a third five minutes later, looping a header home from Duggan’s cross after Cobblers’ opening goalscorer chased down Hill’s ball over the top.
Lack fired narrowly wide from the edge of the area after another good Cobblers move on the hour mark.
George Cowmeadow scored a late consolation for the Robins, cutting inside and curling into the top corner from long range, a minor blemish on a good Cobblers performance. Goddard’s side return to EFL Youth Alliance League action next week when they travel to Luton Town.
SWINDON TOWN MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (1) 4
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (6) 9
CORNERS: (6) 8
FOULS: (7) 10
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (0) 0
COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (5) 6
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (2) 5
CORNERS: (2) 4
FOULS: (1) 8
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (2) 2