EFL YOUTH ALLIANCE MERIT LEAGUE TWO
Saturday March 19th 2022, 10.30am
Milton Keynes Dons Training Ground
MILTON KEYNES DONS UNDER 18S 0
NORTHAMPTON TOWN UNDER 18S 1
Kenny Ndefo 63 pen
Cobblers: Callum Cook (sub James Dadge 46), Tom Cartwright, Josh Brown, Josh Tomlinson, Conor Thomas (sub Rico Duggan 58), Dylan Hill, Reuben Wyatt (sub Harry Guess 85), Jamari Hart (sub Ayo Lekuti 79), Brad Smith-Howes, Kenny Ndefo (sub Reece Irwin 70), Miguel Ngwa
Northampton Town returned to winning ways with a 1-0 win away to Milton Keynes Dons in the EFL Youth Alliance Merit League Two on Saturday morning.
Kenny Ndefo scored the young Cobblers’ goal as they recorded a third win over their opponents this season.
Coach Shane Goddard made three changes to the team that lost to Sutton United last week, as Callum Cook, Conor Thomas and Ndefo replaced Tom Ladyman, Rico Duggan and Jack Connor in the starting line up.
The Cobblers were first to threaten when Ndefo shrugged off a defender and drilled a low cross towards Miguel Ngwa, whose first-time effort was saved.
Ndefo spun his man and broke through on goal but was tackled as he shaped to shoot the other side of the quarter-of-an-hour mark.
The hosts’ first chance fell soon after, but Callum Cook saved Edwin Daffern’s effort from a tight angle with his feet.
After an action-packed opening 20 minutes, neither side were able to create any clear-cut opportunities before the break.
The Cobblers began the second half well. They came close early on when Ngwa fired towards goal from Ndefo's cutback and Adam Hayton tipped the ball onto the cross bar.
Substitute Duggan almost made an instant impact on the hour, setting-up a tap-in for Ndefo, but the flag was up for offside.
Duggan was involved again a few minutes later when he won a penalty. There was no denying Ndefo this time as he stepped up to slot into the bottom corner.
Ngwa twisted and turned in the area and forced Hayton into a save as the Cobblers looked to make sure of the three points in added time.
The youth team saw out the dying moments to secure a third Merit League win. They host Forest Green Rovers at the midpoint of their Merit League campaign next week.
MILTON KEYNES DONS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (1) 2
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (1) 1
CORNERS: (0) 1
FOULS: (5) 11
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (5) 5
COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (1) 4
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (4) 5
CORNERS: (1) 3
FOULS: (2) 8
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (1) 5