Northampton Town Under 18s coach Shane Goddard was disappointed with how his side ended the game as they were beaten at home to Cambridge United in the EFL Youth Alliance South East on Saturday.
Reuben Wyatt scored the young Cobblers’ goal before their opponents turned the scoreline around and went on to secure a relatively comfortable win.
“We were competitive against a good side for 60 minutes, but I can’t put my finger on what happened in the last half-an-hour,” Goddard said.
“We lost our structure and security on the ball, and we weren’t doing the basics out of possession.
“That’s something we’ve been proud of this season, so we need to look back at it and highlight some things.
“We have to regroup really quickly and the boys need to recognise that our standards have to be higher.
“The scoreline was harsh, but we were on the right end of the result based on the last half-an-hour.
“There are some positives to take from the first 60 minutes, and we have to build on them.”
The youth team travel to Mickleover in the FA Youth Cup first round proper on Thursday evening.