MK Dons Reserves fell to a 2-1 defeat against their rivals from Northampton Town in a highly entertaining game at stadiummk.

Most of the action came in the first half as both sides went all out for victory, Cobblers taking an early lead through striker Ian Henderson before Stephane Koffi replied with a well-taken equaliser eight minutes later.

But substitute Joe Benjamin produced a sublime header to settle the game on 77 minutes, finding space in the Dons area to convert Daniel May's cross from the right.

While the result may not have gone their way, Dons manager Paul Ince will have much to consider from the match - including a return to action for midfielder Luke Howell and an at-times-brilliant showing from winger Mustapha Carayol.

With players returning from injury, the watching Ince had the luxury of fielding strong side including Howell, Gareth Edds and Scott Taylor.

But the game didn't start well for them as Henderson gave Cobblers the lead with almost the first attack of the game on three minutes.

A long ball from deep was seemingly misjudged by Kieran Murphy and as Ryan Gilligan flicked the ball through, Henderson raced onto it to round Nathan Abbey and slot the opener.

Stephane Koffi draws the Dons level against Northampton Town.

Mike Dove's team looked a little outnumbered in midfield as they tried to cope with Northampton's 3-5-2 formation and they should have fallen two behind moments later when Henderson went clear again.

The striker looked all around him expecting a flag but as he raced on with only Abbey to beat, the Dons' keeper stood up tall to make a great save to his right.

It was all the encouragement the Dons needed and as Edds started to push forward and take advantage of the space Northampton's formation afforded him, he produced a cross for the equaliser.

The Aussie utility man whipped a cross in from the right and when Howell bravely threw himself in to win it, the ball popped up to Koffi who swivelled and hooked in a shot on the turn.

Having started the game a little sloppily, Carayol started to show flashes of the brilliance he is capable of as the half paced on.

The young winger went on a penetrating run after switching to the right flank before leading a breath-taking counter-attack from which Howell should have finished better.

Chances were being created at either end and Henderson was wasteful again after being found by May's pass. Again the striker looked for a flag but when bearing down on Abbey from a slightly wider position, his nonchalant chip went into the side netting.

More was to come to close out a great half of football when Howell came within centimetres of giving his side the lead.

Charging onto Taylor's pass into the box, the returning midfielder did everything right as he touched it round a desperate Mark Haines, but held his head in his hands as his left-foot shot hit the inside of the post.

Carayol was in no mood to let the pace drop in the second half both sides continued to try to win the game. Collecting the ball well inside his own half, he set off on a dazzling 60-yard run, beating three players along the way, and was only denied a chance to finish by Haines' brilliant recovery tackle.

Luke Howell hits a first-half shot that comes back off the post.

Cobblers introduced striker Benjamin in place of Haines as the visitors reshuffled and Benjamin went agonisingly close within minutes.

Receiving a pass left of the six-yard box, he turned and stabbed a shot across Abbey that bounced off the inside of the post and somehow evaded the onrushing Ryan Gilligan.

Inevitably for a game that had been played at break-neck speed in the first half, the second was somewhat more tactical as both sides took a more considered approach.

But Benjamin was not to be denied and he did manage to find the net with 13 minutes to go when he expertly diverted May's right wing cross past Abbey and into the far corner.

Edds came closest to drawing the home side level when he banged in a 30-yard free-kick that Chris Dunn tipped over the bar but neither side looked capable of recreating the fireworks of the first period.

Liam Kelly sent a looping header from substitute Adam Chicksen's cross just over in the closing stages but the Cobblers ensured the points were theirs.

MK Dons: Abbey, Edds, Mitchell-Coop, Howell (Shuter 66), Thorne, Murphy, Williams (Chicksen 80), Kelly, Taylor (c), Koffi, Carayol.

Subs not used: Walker, Powell, Delderfield.

Goal: Koffi (15)

Northampton Town: Dunn, May, Hurrell, Dyer, Haines (Benjamin 58), Johnson, Thorogood, Burnell, Henderson (Emery 73), Gilligan (Maude 66), Taylor.

Subs not used: Jones, Oulton.

Goals: Henderson (3), Benjamin (77).

Attendance: 659