Hatters youngsters hold higher level Reading
The Hatters development squad earned an impressive 2-2 draw against Category 1 academy opponents Reading at the Sky Bet Championship club’s Hogwood Park training ground yesterday afternoon.
Kavan Cotter (pictured above) scored both goals as Andy Awford’s side took an early lead, before trailing 2-1 towards the end of the first half and then levelling up with a quarter-of-an-hour to go.
Awford was pleased with his team’s efforts in a game rearranged at short notice after AFC Wimbledon pulled out of the scheduled fixture late last week due to their FA Youth Cup commitments.
He told lutontown.co.uk: “It was a really good experience once again for a Category 3 academy club to come up against a Cat 1 side.
“Reading had Under-23 and Under-18 players they wanted to get game time into, and the two teams were evenly matched in terms of age – both quite young.
“We went in front through Kav’s goal after ten minutes, then they equalised and scored on the stroke of half-time to take the lead – exactly the same as in the first team game last night.
“Kav has struck again to get us a deserved draw though, and I was really pleased with the overall display. We passed the ball well and created plenty of chances. The only gripe for me over the course of 90 minutes was that we didn’t take more of them.
“We’ve gone up against a higher category club and done very well and it all adds to the lads’ learning curve.
“Over the course of the season we’ve played them against Non-League sides, higher level academy clubs, young players and experienced pros, to try to give them the full range of possible opponents.
“Overall I was delighted with some of the play and especially some of the defending. The icing on the cake would have been to have snapped up a few more of the chances.”
The Town’s line-up was: Trialist, Bean, Musonda, Mead, Senior, Bakinson, Cotter, Read, Snelus, Hinds, Banton. Subs: Atkinson, James, Murray, Jones.