NORTHAMPTON TOWN U18 2 MK DONS U18 2

Charlie Collins and trialist Aaron King were both on target as MK Dons Under-18s twice came from behind to draw with Northampton Town at Stowe School.

Mike Dove's youngsters showed plenty of resilience in their penultimate pre-season friendly ahead of the new Premier Academy League campaign, surviving a frantic first half before emerging the stronger after the interval.

Promising displays were widespread in Mike's ranks, with George Williams and Jordan Ivey-Ward outstanding in defence, Louis Bragg near-faultless in goal and King continuing to show the pedigree one would expect of a former Liverpool apprentice.

King's 11th-minute goal that cancelled out Cobblers' headed opener was a superb effort - the former Rushden midfielder biting into a brave challenge halfway inside the Northampton half before instantly spotting the home goalkeeper out of his ground. The vision was admirable, the execution exceptional.

Bragg, introduced to the action early-on to replace the injured Daniel Glass, produced one excellent save with his feet on 21 minutes. But he couldn't prevent Cobblers regaining the lead on the half-hour as a weaving run and cross from the right was met with a volleyed finish from close-range.

Dons responded positively once again though as Awadh Ahmed went close from a Ryan Plowright cross, before King and Collins combined just before the break. King's perfectly-weighted ball over the defence found first-year pro Collins racing in behind and, though his first effort was well saved, the rebound broke kindly for an easy finish.

Awadh Ahmed holds off a Cobblers challenge.

Eager to chalk up a first win of pre-season, the Dons seized control after the break and inflicted sustained periods of pressure on the Northampton goal. Ahmed continued to be frustrated as he turned another Plowright cross off target before chesting up a spectacular volley that flew wide. King also tried his luck from range, but marginally cleared the bar.

A winning goal looked imminent, but the Dons were grateful to Bragg in the closing stages as the first-year 'keeper made a miraculous, point-blank save as Cobblers strikers closed in on a cross from the right.

A draw is a far-from-disappointing result for the Dons as their preparations for the new season continue. They now travel to Barnet on 14th August, before hosting Bolton Wanderers in their opening game of the Premier Academy League campaign.

Dons (4-3-3): Glass (Bragg 10); Williams, Ivey-Ward, Milton (c), Walster; Gyasi (S. Powell 58), King, McGovern; A. Ahmed, Collins (Spence 65), Plowright.