Northampton Town Under 18s coach Shane Goddard praised his side after their 0-0 draw away to Stevenage in the EFL Youth Alliance South East on Saturday.
The point extends the young Cobblers’ unbeaten run in the league to three games.
“It’s a good point on the road, and we’ve taken four points off them this season which is a real positive because they’re a strong side who are going well in the league,” Goddard said.
“Their shape and rotation made it difficult for us, but I’ve got to give our boys credit for their out of possession work in the first half which gave us a platform for the second half.
“They found it hard to break down our structure, and we worked really hard individually to make it difficult for them.
“That led to a lot of opportunities for us in transition and in terms of entries into the final third, but we didn’t make effective decisions in those moments.
“The big frustration is our quality on the ball, because we panicked and rushed and didn’t utilise the opportunities to build possession.
“Our decision-making was much better in the second half, we moved the ball quicker and there were better forward-running options.
“Overall, it’s a really positive point on the road, and the boys can be pleased with their efforts.”
The youth team host AFC Wimbledon next week. The Cobblers youngsters conceded a late winner in the reverse fixture on the opening day of the season.