Northampton Town’s hopes of moving further away from the dropzone were dented after a 2-1 defeat away at promotion hopefuls Charlton Athletic.
Dara Costelloe’s penalty had cancelled out Luke Berry’s early opener in South London, but a second half goal by Matty Godden won the game for a Charlton side that confirmed their play-off place with victory.
For Northampton, a first defeat in three games cuts their advantage over the relegation zone down to 4 points after a Good Friday round of fixtures in which Burton Albion and Bristol Rovers both picked up a point after draws.
With injury, loan ineligibility and suspension hindering Kevin Nolan’s options, a reshuffled Northampton side fell behind inside nine minutes. Berry was first to TJ Eyoma’s partial clearance of a cross and he duly dispatched a finish beyond Lee Burge.
But Northampton would only be behind for six minutes. Charlton defender Tom McIntyre was deemed guilty by the referee of handball in the box, with the ref giving Northampton a penalty that Costelloe duly scored.
An open first half saw neither side grab a third goal in the period. Northampton’s best chance was headed wide by Aaron McGowan, while Godden would see a strike blocked by the Cobblers’ Cameron McGeehan.
Former Charlton winger Tarique Fosu blasted a fine chance off target for the visitors just after the break, before the hosts would miss chances of their own. Berry saw a header go off target before Godden saw a strike smash off the crossbar.
But with just under 20 minutes to go, Charlton re-took the lead. A flick-on by substitute Chuks Aneke released Godden, who was able to place a strike underneath goalkeeper Burge and into the back of the net.
Nolan’s visitors gave it a go late on but an equaliser proved elusive, allowing Charlton to take the points that get them into the play-offs and leave Northampton still sweating on their League One status.
Northampton will be aiming to take a big leap towards securing their League One status on Easter Monday.
They will host bottom side Shrewsbury Town, whose relegation to League Two was confirmed on Good Friday after Burton’s draw in the early kick-off, before they also lost to Wigan Athletic, which would’ve sent them down even if Burton drew. A trip to another side in the bottom 4 then follows with the Cobblers playing Crawley in their final away game.
Luton Town picked up a huge victory towards their survival hopes as they won a relegation six-pointer 1-0 away at Derby County.
Millenic Alli scored the game’s only goal inside the opening ten minutes to win the day for Matt Bloomfield’s side, with a defensive performance seeing the Hatters keep Derby out to take the points.
A win wasn’t enough to lift Luton out of the relegation zone but with three games to go, they are only inside the dropzone on goal difference after drawing level on points in the table with the Rams. The Hatters remain in contention in a tight scenario at the bottom end of the table, where just 5 points separate Hull in 20th from bottom side Plymouth.
Luton arrived at Pride Park needing a result after losing at home to Blackburn last time out, and with three games against play-off contenders to close their season, it made it vital they could get a win against fellow strugglers Derby County.
The game’s first goal would come Luton’s way as they scored inside ten minutes. A Jordan Clark corner was headed across goal by Carlton Morris to Mark McGuinness, who headed it back across the face of goal for Alli to thump into the back of the net and duly celebrate in front of the adjacent away section with an acrobatic celebration.
Luton would miss decent opportunities to make it 2-0 as the first half continued, with Lamine Fanne missing the target when well placed and Christ Makosso hitting a shot into the side-netting.
Although Derby struggled to create opportunities, the hosts very nearly equalised in added time just before the break, as Jerry Yates’ strike beat Thomas Kaminski only for McGuinness to make a diving block to divert it away from the target.
McGuinness would then make another intervention after the break, with the Irish defender stopping Marcus Harness’ effort from going in.
Luton then survived another Derby attack, as Yates saw a strike saved by Kaminski and Kane Wilson’s follow-up was blocked on the line by McGuinness, who made his third goalline clearance of the game.
Derby continued to push in search of an equaliser, but interventions by Kaminski to deny Kayden Jackson and then Harness kept the Rams attack at bay.
Despite eight minutes of stoppage time, Derby County couldn’t find a way past a valiant Hatters rearguard, allowing Bloomfield’s team to pick up a huge three points.
With Hull, Cardiff and Plymouth all failing to win in later kick-offs, its a result that means Luton’s hopes of avoiding back-to-back relegations are boosted.
Luton will be aiming for back-to-back wins but face a tricky pair of tests in their next assignments as they welcome Bristol City and Coventry sides currently sat in the play-offs to Kenilworth Road in their final two home games of the season.
The Parks Trust have announced the return of the Big Doggie Do event at Willen Lake celebrating man’s best friend.
This free event organised by The Parks Trust, the charity caring for MK’s parks, returns to Willen Lake on Saturday 17th (12 – 5pm) and Sunday 18th May (11 – 4pm), bringing with it a multitude of events that celebrate dogs.
Over the two-day event, visitors can expect a wide variety of events, including the annual dog show, dock-diving with K9 Aqua Sports, flyball with Keyne Kanines, main arena entertainment with Paws for Thought and Little Nippers and pet supplies.
There will also be delicious treats for pooches and people, a Club Tent for engaging dog-related talks and stalls with local businesses & charities.
Club Tent this year will feature lots of exciting talks, including one about medical dogs, who are trained to detect illnesses which can be less invasive for patients and, in many cases, can give a quicker diagnosis. An interactive quiz will also be taking place.
Julie Dawes, Events & Community Engagement Manager at The Parks Trust, said, “As a dog enthusiast, the Big Doggie Do at Willen Lake each May is hands down my favourite event. It’s wonderful to see so many dogs and their owners revelling in all the canine festivities!”
Big Doggie Do is billed by the Parks Trust as, “one of the most popular free events in The Parks Trust calendar and a true celebration of one of the largest park user groups – dog walkers and owners.”
MK Dons’ first game after appointing Paul Warne as Head Coach saw them draw 0-0 with Newport County.
A tight game at Stadium MK saw two out-of-form sides drift to a stalemate, with neither the Dons nor the Exiles able to breakthrough.
The draw means that both sides are now on a run of six games without a win. MK Dons sit 19th in the League Two table with three games of the season still remaining, with the team 7 points above the relegation zone after Carlisle scored a surprise win over leaders Port Vale.
Warne took charge of an MK Dons game for the first time, with the former Rotherham and Derby boss having been appointed as the permanent successor to Scott Lindsey earlier this week.
His first assignment saw the Dons take on Newport County, with both sides having failed to win any of their last five League Two outings. The Welsh club had scored six against MK Dons when they met in Wales just before Christmas, so the Dons were looking for better things.
One notable absence was Alex Gilbey, with the Dons’ top scorer out through a groin injury expected to keep him out for the last games of the campaign.
The early stages saw a half-chance come for MK Dons, with Luke Offord’s header across goal failing to be turned home in a melee in the box.
A few early free-kicks at either end were negated by fouls in the box or offsides, but as the half progressed, the game began to be a stop-start affair, with neither side able to turn promising play into something more tangible.
Newport’s Cameron Antwi had an opportunity full his way as he cut inside before firing a curling effort that was held by MK Dons goalkeeper Craig MacGillivray.
MacGillivray then did well to reach a pass down the right flank before Michael Spellman, who was being played through by a deep pass down the Newport right.
MK Dons then had positive play. Jack Sanders bundled the ball wide at a free-kick before Connor Lemonheigh-Evans nearly found a breakthrough in unconventional fashion as his angled cross-shot had to be tipped away by Nick Townsend before it could creep into the top corner.
The hosts did suffer a blow, however, as despite wanting to stay on, two knocks left Callum Hendry unable to continue and the striker was taken off.
Spellman had a half-chance when his strike was deflected wide, before Scott Hogan was able to get into a promising position only to pass rather than shoot.
After the break, Sanders had a go when a corner was half-cleared to him and the centre-back’s attempt was held by Townsend.
Townsend would also keep out a low angled strike from Laurence Maguire, in a game that continued to look for someone to take control of proceedings amid the stop-start flow with a lot of fouls being given.
Perhaps the best chance of the second half, maybe even the game, nearly came single-handedly. Lemonheigh-Evans, who was in a blank shirt after an early facial cut, picked the ball up and beat several Newport players to reach the box. After the ball ricocheted back into his path, his lofted show beat Townsend only to glance off the post.
As it was, the game ultimately fizzled out. Jonathan Leko and Danillo Orsi would be frustrated with late half-chances, but that would be it for the Dons as they welcomed their new boss with a scoreless draw.
MK Dons: MacGillivray – Offord, Sanders, Maguire – Tomlinson, Lemonheigh-Evans, Thompson-Sommers, Kelly (Leko 74), O’Reilly (White 45) – Hogan, Hendry (Orsi 31)
Subs not used: Trueman, Nemane, Tripp, Waller
Booked: Thompson-Sommers, Maguire, Lemonheigh-Evans, O’Reilly
Newport: Townsend – Thomas, Clarke (Warner 79), Baker, McLoughlin – Antwi, Brennan, Whitmore (Evans 62) – Spellman (Ajiboye 79), Baker-Richardson (Hudlin 62), Kamwa
Subs not used: Webb, Martin, Patten
Booked: Baker-Richardson, Hudlin
Milton Keynes City Council has made a £12,500 donation to Willen Hospice thanks to a national scheme which recycles metal left behind after cremations.
Willen Hospice supports the families of end-of-life patients with bereavement and emotional care as well as caring for people in the local community who have life-shortening illnesses. They work closely with GPs, hospitals, community nursing staff and social workers to ensure that local care is co-ordinated, informed and supportive at all levels.
When a bereaved family gives permission, the city council works with the ICCM (The Institute of Cemetery and Cremation Management) to raise funds from the sale of metals recovered after cremations at Crownhill Crematorium. The metals come from items such as medical implants and artificial joints.
MK City Council has nominated Willen Hospice to be the latest recipient of funding raised through the scheme. This brings the total donated to local charities through metal recycling to more than £65,000 since 2014.
Nikki Poole, Community and Events Fundraising Manager at Willen Hospice said, “We’re enormously grateful to the city council for our nomination of funds and ICCM. We provide free expert care and support for local people with a life-limiting illness, and their loved ones, at what may be the toughest time of their lives. But as one of the most poorly funded hospices in the country, we rely on the generosity of our community to raise vital income for us. Events like this really do help us continue supporting patients and their families across Milton Keynes.”
Councillor Mick Legg, Cabinet Member for Regulatory Services, added “Thanks to the kindness of those families who give us their permission, this fund-raising scheme has enabled us to provide a boost to Willen Hospice who do so much to support the local community. Their compassionate care makes an enormous difference to those living with a life-limiting conditions and their families.”
In the past year, more than a thousand people have been supported in their own homes or cared for in the In-Patient Unit at Willen Hospice. To learn more about Willen Hospice and the care they provide to local families, visit: https://willen-hospice.org.uk
