Winger Whalley earns another victory
A fine second half goal from Shaun Whalley ensured the Town development squad maintained their 100 per cent record this season with a victory over Northampton at Kenilworth Road.A strong Hatters side took the lead in the seventh minute when Whalley’s right-wing cross was headed home by Mark Cullen.
Dave Martin came close to doubling the Hatters’ lead on 24 minutes when his header flashed past the post following a right-wing cross before an audacious effort from Cullen from distance clipped the stanchion.
At the beginning of the second third, Whalley was allowed to return to the action, and two minutes after the restart Martin wasn’t far away once more with a low shot that scuttled just wide after a slaloming run goalwards.
Whalley shot over the crossbar from inside the box four minutes later but Northampton spurned a great opportunity to take the lead on 42 minutes when their centre-half headed straight at Elliot Justham from close range following a right-wing corner.
Hakan Hayrettin made three changes at the start of the final 30 minutes, introducing Zane Banton, Matt Robinson and O’Donnell again, and the latter tested the visiting goalkeeper on 63 minutes with a low shot from the edge of the penalty area.
Whalley came close to scoring direct from a right-wing corner on 65 minutes but the winger did find the net on 77 minutes. He received the ball on the right flank before cutting inside and unleashed a clean, left-foot strike from the edge of the box that nestled into the bottom corner.
That proved to be the last action as the Town development side made it six wins out of six in their matches so far this season.
Town: Justham; Trialist, Trialist (sub Trialist), Charles, Trialist; Whalley, Stevenson, Taiwo (sub Robinson 61), Martin (sub O’Donnell 61); Viana (sub Banton 61), Cullen.