Hatters see off the Steelmen to progress
Town Under-18s 5
Rees 1, Banton 52, 85, McKenzie-Lowe 75, Donnachie (og) 90
Corby Under-18s 1
Gibbs 88
The Hatters Under-18s booked their place in the third qualifying round of the FA Youth Cup with a convincing victory over Corby at Kenilworth Road.
Paul Driver’s side got off to the perfect start when taking the lead inside the first minute when Ian Rees headed home Charlie Smith’s right-wing free-kick after just 47 seconds.
It was almost 2-0 a minute later when Daril Ngwala’s fierce shot was well saved by Corby keeper Dan Farrell.
Zane Banton poked a shot goalwards that rolled agonisingly the wrong side of the post on 14 minutes before the striker then side-footed wide 10 minutes later.
Influential skipper Charlie Smith saw a long-range effort fly narrowly over the crossbar on 27 minutes before the Steelmen stopper Farrell began to showcase his reflexes. He kept out a low shot from Jemale McKenzie-Lowe on the half-hour before palming Arel Amu’s shot over the bar four minutes later.
Banton then saw a low shot kept out on 36 minutes and Farrell then denied Ngwala’s goal-bound header following Amu’s cross shortly before half-time.
However, the Town did double their lead seven minutes after the restart when Banton tucked home Nwgala’s right-wing cross.
McKenzie-Lowe and Banton were then guilty of missing good chances to extend the lead before Smith tested Farrell once again with a free-kick from the edge of the box that the goalkeeper did well to tip over at full stretch.
With 15 minutes left the Hatters did make it 3-0 when McKenzie-Lowe buried a first-time shot past Farrell after Smith’s cut-back was half-cleared by the visitors.
Banton then got his second goal five minutes from time when he seized on a poor back-pass and tucked home having raced clear of the Corby back-line.
Corby, thought, stuck to their task well and they scored a consolation on 88 minutes when substitute Israel Gibbs lashed home past an exposed Ben Barnes from six yards.
That wasn’t the last of the action, however, and Corby’s Aeden Donnachie added to the Town’s tally by scoring a freak own goal when attempting to clear Banton’s shot which initially well saved by Farrell.
The Hatters will face either Wellingborough or Leighton in the third qualifying round week commencing 21st October at Kenilworth Road.
Town: Barnes; Hawkes, Perry, Chabata, Tamplin; Rees, Smith (sub Amadi 79), Amu (sub Galliford 63); Nwgala, Banton, McKenzie-Lowe (sub Tayali 76).
Subs not used: Allman, King.
Attendance: 138