Brady's pride as Cobblers young guns give Cambridge a run for their money

Six players made their Cobblers debuts on a night when a total of 11 teenagers took to the field to represent the club, with Cambridge needing goals in the 68th and 77th-minute to finally break Town down.

Feriji Okenabirhie netted both for the Us who kept alive their hopes of qualifying for the knockout stages, but the story of the night was the youngsters in claret and white, who were captained by 19-year-old Max Dyche.

With injuries stocking up and Stockport County coming to town at the weekend, Brady made 11 changes to the team that beat Rochdale last weekend, with seven teenagers starting the match.

More would enter the fray as the night wore on, and the Town boss said: "Overall I feel, to have played such a young side, it doesn't feel like a defeat.

"The way they played, their hard work, and the fact they took on board the organisation was good.

"And to play against a really strong Cambridge United team tonight, and play the way we did, overall the result isn't the desired one that people look, but this a real step forward for those young players.

"A lot of them proved they can do it, but now for those young players it is the consistency levels they must do."

The Cobblers very nearly got off to a dream start when Liam Cross had the ball in the net early on, but it was ruled out for offside, and Brady said: "In the first half, we had the first real chance, and unfortunately the linesman adjudged it to be offside, but I have looked back at it, and it is certainly not offside.

"If that had gone in it might have been a different story, but to go in at 0-0 at half-time was great.

"Jonny (Maxted) made one or two good saves, but to make some final third entries as we did and to make one or two half chances, overall it was quite pleasing.

"It has been a great night, we have had a lot of local youngsters making their debuts, and I think nearly every player that finished the game on that pitch is a Northamptonshire lad."