A superb brace from Excel Ed-Okungbowa helped the Hatters to a 4-0 victory over MK Dons U18’s in the EFL Youth Alliance at The Brache.
In a free-flowing game it was Town who held the cards from the off, when an early strike from the returning Benny Benagr found the net before two goals from Ed-Okungbowa and a second half finish from Archie Shepherd sealed the points for the Hatters.
The first goal of an action-packed opening 45 minutes came after excellent work from Town number nine Ed-Okungbowa, who raced down the right flank before delivering a low cross which found left wing-back Benagr at the back post to open the scoring inside five minutes.
It was the perfect return for highly-rated Benagr, who has been out injured since helping the youth team to a league and cup double last May.
A little over ten minutes later and the Hatters had their second, this time the roles were reversed from the opening goal when more excellent attacking play by Benagr presented plenty of space to cut back and find Ed-Okungbowa, who made no mistake from close range for his fourth goal of the season.
Ed-Okungbowa (pictured above in the recent FA Youth Cup tie at Barnet) was also making his first league start of the campaign, and by half-time he had notched for the fifth time.
With just minutes remaining in the first half, the combination of those two players produced the third goal of the morning, with the wing-back tormenting the opposition defence with his pace and trickery, sending another low cross into the area to find the big striker who finished calmly again with goal-poaching instincts.
Following the half-time interval, Town struggled slightly to maintain their attacking prowess and the visitors looked to capitalise with a curling Dons strike from the edge of the box being tipped behind excellently by goalkeeper Oliver Pipa.
As the Hatters looked to renew their control of the game, it was midfield dynamo Shepherd who nearly secured the headlines with an audacious effort from around 40 yards out that nearly caught out the Dons keeper before dipping just over the bar.
The young talent didn’t need to wait too much longer to make his mark as just past the hour, Shepherd drove into the box and got free of the defenders, drawing the visiting keeper towards him before cooly slotting the ball into the bottom corner to bag the Hatters fourth goal of the game and wrap up the points.
It was the attacking midfielder's fifth goal, and tenth goal involvement, of an increasingly productive season playing just behind the front two.
Town now turn their attention to hosting second placed Cambridge United in the Youth Alliance, with that game taking place on the 13th of December.
Town: Pipa, Mehmetaj, Joy, Barnes (Kwame Anson 69'), Benagr (Takawira 45’), Passley-James (Lesser 69’), El Gourja, Lloyd Asamoah-Junior, Shepherd, Hincapie-Alfonso, Ed-Okungbowa (Gawel 69’).
Sub not used: Flynn
Goals: Benagr 3', Ed-Okungbowa 13', 41', Shepherd 61'
Report: Liam Wilmot
