Northampton Town Football and Education Programme Elite won 3-0 at home to Crawley Town in the National Football Youth League South Premier Division on Wednesday afternoon.
Rojus Kuzminskas scored a hat-trick as the Cobblers secured their second league win in a row and a third consecutive win in all competitions.
The visitors seized control of the contest after a scrappy opening quarter-of-an-hour, but it was Northampton who created the game’s first chance when Louey Franks’ long-throw was flicked on by a defender and Gabriel Badero’s shot on the turn was blocked.
Crawley came inches from taking the lead five minutes later when an effort from a tight angle travelled across the face of goal and a fierce long-range strike crashed off the underside of the bar in the aftermath.
Kyran Yeomans dived at full-stretch to tip a curled shot from the edge of the area past the post soon after.
The Cobblers broke the deadlock against the run of play 10 minutes before the break, Kuzminskas sweeping Daniel Collin-Kolawole’s cutback home from six yards.
The striker almost doubled his tally within a minute when he let the ball bounce in the box before being denied by the onrushing ‘keeper from a tight angle.
He did manage to score his and his side’s second goal moments later, converting the close-range rebound after Franks’ header from a corner was well-saved by the ‘keeper.
The Cobblers defended well after the interval and Kuzminskas had the chance to complete his hat-trick midway through the second period when captain Romeo Ingman reached a loose ball before a defender and was tripped in the area. However, the striker’s low penalty was saved and Badero turned the rebound over.
Kuzminskas was involved again shortly after, almost reaching Leon Considine’s low ball across goal in the middle.
Crawley were still threatening at the other end, hitting the bar for the second time from a cutback, but the hosts increased their advantage going into the final quarter-of-an-hour when Kuzminskas dispossessed a defender on the touchline, drove into the area and placed past the ‘keeper to finally complete his treble and secure all three points.
Cobblers: Kyran Yeomans, Leon Considine, Kyle Stratford, Louey Franks, Joel Halsall, Jay Hudson, Mmenim Ekop, Rojus Kuzminskas, Gabriel Badero, Daniel Collin-Kolawole, Romeo Ingman
Substitutes: Leo Wiles, James Owen