After several weeks of frustration due to the weather, Moulton U18s were finally back in action against Bugbrooke U18s on a windy, rain-soaked evening. What followed was a game of two very different halves, with Moulton eventually running out convincing 7–0 winners.

The first half, however, was far from convincing. Although Moulton enjoyed spells of possession, they struggled to play anywhere near their usual standards. The tempo was low, energy levels dipped, and the quality in the final third was lacking. Despite this, they remained comfortable defensively and rarely looked troubled.

It took until the 40th minute for the breakthrough — and it came from the only real moment of quality in the opening period. Toby Sainsbury’s early forward pass found Jamil Yusuf in space, and from 18 yards out he rifled a superb strike into the roof of the net. A moment of real class gave Moulton a 1–0 lead at the break, despite what was arguably their poorest 45 minutes of the season.

A few choice words at half-time sparked the response the performance demanded. Within two minutes of the restart, Moulton doubled their advantage. Jamil Yusuf turned provider, setting up Toby Sainsbury to finish confidently and make it 2–0.

The third goal followed quickly, with Yusuf grabbing his second of the evening to stretch the lead to 3–0 and effectively put the contest beyond Bugbrooke’s reach.

Mo Kahn, who had briefly left the pitch early in the game for what can only be described as an urgent tactical toilet timeout, returned in the second half and completely changed the tempo.

A few choice words, during that short break clearly worked. Mo was outstanding after the interval, firing in a superb hat-trick and causing constant problems for the Bugbrooke defence.

Joe Parsans rounded off the scoring to complete an emphatic 7–0 victory and cap a dominant second-half display.

Standout performances were far easier to pick from the second half. Munir Amour & Evan dye showed consistency and commitment throughout, while Jamil Yusuf’s two goals and assist underlined his influence on the game. Mo Kahn’s second-half hat-trick made him a strong contender for recognition.

However, this week’s Man of the Match, sponsored by Plumbase Northampton, goes to Matty Wardell, whose relentless work rate from first whistle to last epitomised Moulton’s second-half resurgence.

Full-time: Moulton U18s 7–0 Bugbrooke U18s.