The Northampton Town Football and Education Programme Elite squad were defeated at home to Plymouth Argyle in the National Football Youth League South Premier Division on Wednesday afternoon.
The visitors took an early lead when an attacker took a touch to set himself and fired a low shot across goal and into the bottom corner.
A header from a deep corner hit the far post and Kyran Yeomans was quick off his line to block the close-range rebound on the quarter-of-an-hour mark.
The Cobblers went straight up the other end and equalised with their first real chance of the contest, as captain Jack Culwick controlled the ball in the area and slotted past the onrushing ’keeper.
The hosts grew into the game after their goal, and they almost turned the scoreline around midway through the opening period when Jay Hudson lifted a pass through to Rojus Kuzminskas and the forward was denied by the ‘keeper one-on-one.
However, Plymouth restored their advantage shortly afterwards when an attacker finished from close range following a one-handed diving save by Yeomans.
The visitors doubled their lead the other side of the half-hour, an edge-of-the-box header meeting a cross from deep and looping into the back of the net.
They added a fourth on the stroke of half-time as an attacker took the ball down in the area, checked back onto his left foot and found the bottom corner via a deflection.
It was five early in the second half, Plymouth winning possession on the halfway line, playing a few forward passes and converting from the edge of the area.
The Cobblers pulled a goal back on the hour when Romeo Ingman rifled a 25-yard free-kick into the top corner.
The midfielder turned provider as the hosts scored their third a few minutes later. His ball across the face of goal was turned home by Kuzminskas from close range.
Any hopes of a Cobblers comeback were ended going into the final 20 minutes when a penalty was awarded and an attacker placed into the top corner from 12 yards.
Two further goals late on put the visitors’ victory beyond all doubt.
Cobblers: Kyran Yeomans, Mmenim Ekop, Kyle Stratford, Louey Franks, Josiah McWilliams, Jack Anderton-Gill, Romeo Ingman, Jack Culwick, Gabriel Badero, Rojus Kuzminskas, Jay Hudson
Substitutes: Jahmai Akande, Zack Kirk-Bates, Leo Wiles
