Northampton Town Under 18s lost 2-1 away to Cambridge United in the EFL Youth Alliance Merit League Two on Saturday morning.
Joziah Barnett scored the young Cobblers’ goal as they were defeated in their second fixture of the second stage of the season.
Coach Shane Goddard made four changes to the side that lost at home to Bristol Rovers in the opening match of the Merit League last week, as Kiantay Licorish-Mullings, Matthew Ireland, Archie Murray and Barnett replaced Jacob Scott, Jozef Baxter, Reuben Wyatt and George Daldy in the starting line up.
Both sides created chances in a competitive opening 45 minutes. The Cobblers were first to threaten early on when Harry Guess played Neo Dobson through on goal, the striker rounded Jasper Briggs and Zak Sowden-Fletcher slid in to clear his effort from the tight angle off the line.
The hosts came inches from taking the lead on the quarter-of-an-hour mark when George Munday headed Jamie Murefu’s cross towards goal from six yards, and Marcus Bald managed to stop the attempt with an outstretched arm.
The visitors were denied by the woodwork twice late in the first half. Ireland cut inside and hit the base of the post with a low drive, and Charlie Carroll hit the corner of the post and crossbar on the turn from the penalty spot.
The Cobblers opened the scoring shortly after the restart when Carroll played the ball to the edge of the box and Barnett placed into the bottom corner first-time.
Momentum shifted on the hour when Jahkyah Ebanks-Blake dribbled into the area and Ireland was penalised despite winning the ball with his slide tackle. Bald saved Munday’s penalty with his legs, but the winger finished Jahrel McKoy’s through ball from a tight angle less than a minute later.
Munday doubled his tally and turned the scoreline around going into the final quarter-of-an-hour, shifting the ball out of his feet and firing into the far bottom corner from 20 yards.
Cambridge created numerous opportunities to extend their advantage in the last 10 minutes. Ebanks-Blake flicked a header wide of the far post, Tom Cartwright cleared an effort off the line and Bald made a one-handed save to deny substitute Ryan Gray’s volley from captain Peter Holmes’ cross.
The Cobblers pushed forward in search of an equaliser in added time, with sub Oliver Evans shooting and Kiantay Licorish-Mullings heading their closest chances wide.
The youth team host Brentford in their fourth Merit League fixture next week.
Cobblers: Marcus Bald, Josh Rayfield, Tom Cartwright, Kiantay Licorish-Mullings, Matthew Ireland, Archie Murray, James Owen, Harry Guess, Charlie Carroll, Joziah Barnett, Neo Dobson
Substitutes: Elliot Smith, William Ronald, George Daldy, Oliver Evans, Francesco Obiagwu
