Northampton Town Under 18s won 2-1 away to Gillingham in the EFL Youth Alliance Merit League Two on Tuesday.
Francesco Obiagwu and Reuben Wyatt scored the young Cobblers’ goals as they earned back-to-back victories for the first time in the second stage of the season.
Coach Shane Goddard made four changes to the side that won at home to Newport County at the weekend, as Jacob Scott, Josh Tomlinson, Wyatt and Joziah Barnett replaced Kiantay Licorish-Mullings, Archie Murray, Charlie Carroll and Harry Guess in the starting lineup.
Gillingham took an early lead when Stan Sargent ran onto a curled cross and poked past the onrushing Marcus Bald.
The hosts largely controlled the opening half-an-hour, but the Cobblers came inches from scoring an equaliser when Wyatt’s cross was headed clear and Barnett’s well-hit volley flew wide of the upright.
Barnett was involved again when his side drew level a few minutes later. The forward dispossessed Kacper Kot and squared the ball to Obiagwu, who placed his shot in off the near post.
The Cobblers were now in the ascendency, and they almost turned the scoreline around with a quick-fire second goal as Neo Dobson dribbled into the area and drove a low effort wide.
Wyatt did put the visitors ahead on the stroke of half-time, controlling Barnett’s cross on the edge of the box and firing home.
The second period was even with the Cobblers looking to extend their advantage and Gillingham searching for an equaliser.
James Owen curled narrowly over the crossbar from long range, whilst Joe Gbode had a strike beaten away by Bald at the other end shortly after the restart.
Gbode thought he had drawn his side level on the hour when he smashed a shot towards the bottom corner through a crowd of bodies, but the striker was denied by Bald’s one-handed diving save.
The youth team held onto their lead in the time that remained. They travel to Exeter City a week on Saturday.
Cobblers: Marcus Bald, Tom Cartwright, Jacob Scott, Josh Tomlinson, Matthew Ireland, Reuben Wyatt, Josh Rayfield, James Owen, Joziah Barnett, Neo Dobson, Francesco Obiagwu
Substitutes: William Ronald, Freddie Findlay, Harry Guess, Charlie Carroll, Jamari Hart
