Northampton Town suffered a late 2-0 defeat at Stevenage after a game where they played a majority of proceedings with ten players.
Tom Eaves had been sent off for two yellows but Northampton initially held out until the final minutes of the 90, only for Dan Kemp to give Stevenage a late lead.
Jamie Reid added to Northampton’s misery with a second in stoppage time, in a result that means the Cobblers are now winless in six League One games and have slipped into the relegation zone.
The Cobblers had created an early opportunity when Sam Hoskins rippled the side-netting with a free-kick.
Stevenage saw a goal disallowed but the game then had a big shift when the Cobblers were reduced to ten men.
Eaves had already been booked for an early incident with home captain Carl Piergianni, when in the 28th minute, a foul on Elliot List earned him a second booking and his dismissal.
Against ten men, Stevenage initially struggled to create opportunities but a few popped up in the final stages of the first half when Cobblers keeper Nik Tzanev made stops to keep out Louis Thompson’s strike from range and then a save to deny the same player at a corner in stoppage time.
While the game was level at the break, a red card was shown the way of Stevenage boss and former Cobblers player Alex Revell during the half time break.
The game remained 11 v 10 on the pitch, and while Northampton’s Tyler Roberts did see a shot lofted just over, most of the game was played in the Cobblers’ half.
Chances were however at a premium, as Stevenage found a stubborn Northampton rearguard difficult to break down.
With 89 minutes on the clock, however, Northampton’s defence would be breached. Eli King picked up space and his ball from the byline fell the way of Kemp, who lashed a thump past Tzanev.
Defeat was confirmed in stoppage time when Nick Freeman played in Reid to score and make it 2-0.
Northampton duly drop into the bottom four on goal difference and will face a test in their attempts to climb back out when they welcome Nene Valley Derby rivals Peterborough to Sixfields on Monday.
Thames Valley Police have commended two Milton Keynes-based police officers for their work addressing serious violence and knife crime in the city.
During a ceremony at Thames Valley Police’s Sulhamstead training centre, Chief Constable Jason Hogg commended Sergeants Tom Neilson and Colin Prickett for their response and leadership in addressing serious violence and knife crime.
Sergeants Neilson and Prickett led the operational delivery of Operation Dina – a local initiative targeting those involved in violence, knife crime and drugs.
The operation was launched in response to a surge in serious violence in the city in 2022, including four tragic knife-related homicides.
In praising Sergeants Neilson and Prickett, Thames Valley Police described Operation Dina as a operation that quickly evolved to be a blueprint for tackling these issues.
They said, “What started as an innovative operation in localised Milton Keynes areas quickly evolved into a proactive operation targeting those who caused the most harm within our communities.”
Operation Dina ran between 1st May 2022 and 1st March 2023 and resulted in 338 arrests, 164 charges, 740 stop and searches and 107 weapons recovered.
Thames Valley Police said that the results of the operation highlight the operation’s success in disrupting serious violence and knife crime, and ultimately reducing threats to community safety.
They also said, “Throughout the operation, Sergeants Neilson and Prickett demonstrated exceptional commitment, adaptability, and leadership, often adjusting plans at the last minute and sacrificing their personal time to ensure its success.”
Sergeant Tom Neilson commented on his commendation by saying, “I am extremely proud to have undertaken this work and been able to contribute to making Milton Keynes a safer city for the great communities that live within it.
“I am very humbled and honoured to have received this recognition and grateful for every officer and member of staff that played vital roles in supporting the operation and its objectives.”
Sergeant Colin Prickett added, “I am proud to be recognised for 18 months of dedication to tackling serious violence and knife crime in Milton Keynes, and a big thank you to all the officers that bought into the operation and contributed to making it a success.”
Superintendent Euan Livingstone had nominated Sergeants Neilson and Prickett and commented, “Tom and Colin were pivotal to the delivery of Operation Dina and volunteered to run this alongside their day-to-day job in neighbourhood policing.
“Witnessing their unwavering commitment to leading officers while consistently prioritising community safety was truly outstanding. It stands out as some of the finest operational leadership I’ve encountered in my career.
“Both Tom and Colin are highly experienced neighbourhood sergeants and a credit to Milton Keynes Local Command Unit. They are passionate in doing the right thing, they always lead from the front and they are so very deserving of this commendation.”
A further announcement have been made confirming Gyptian as a performer at next year’s Reggae Land Festival at the National Bowl in Milton Keynes.
Jamaican star Gyptian has been confirmed as a headline performer on the main stage on Saturday August 2nd.
Gyptian’s repertoire features a fusion of reggae and dancehall styles, and with a career spanning over a decade, Gyptian has established himself as a big name artist in both genres, with a large fan base and critical acclaim for his music.
Reggae Land 2025, taking place on Saturday 2nd and Sunday 3rd August, will also feature the previously announced headliners Chronixxon Sunday and Capleton on Saturday.
Further names will be confirmed in due course.
With a diverse range of artists and entertainment across multiple stages, this year’s event promises to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience for reggae fans. Tickets are on sale NOW from £54.50 + booking fee. Payment plan options are available from just £10 deposit with the remaining cost split between three following monthly payments.
Tickets are available on the Reggae Land Festival website.
Milton Keynes City Council has unveiled their Smart City Action Plan aimed at tackling climate change, enhancing public health and delivering more cost-efficient public services.
The action plan is towards the city council’s previously announced Tech, Smart City, Digital and Creative Industries Strategy, which is designed to grow MK’s global reputation as a smart city and home of innovation.
MK City Council say that the plan is geared towards their goals from its smart city and innovation work, and a workplan over the next two years.
Part of the plan is to enable advanced technologies to operate in the city and encourage more innovative trials to address societal challenges, including sustainability, access to healthcare and the rising operational costs of public services.
Key initiatives include
- Enhanced partnerships – working closely alongside partners, including The Open University to drive marketing and engagement through the MK:Smart programme – a joint partnership to align smart city work
- Engagement – launching a comprehensive plan to involve residents through the new Experience Centre at centre:mk – a joint initiative between private sector partners and the city council, serving as a shop window for customers to experience and interact with robots and digital technologies
- Developing the Testbed – The city council’s plans to build a world leading ‘city as a testbed’
In addition, MK City Council will continue to support nationally strategic innovation projects, positioning MK as a hub where cutting-edge technologies can be tested and scaled to benefit modern urban environments.
Any organisation with an interest in trialling new technologies in an urban environment can contact the city council through Invest Milton Keynes on [email protected].
A council decision to approve the Smart City Action Plan is set for next week.
Last month, more than 1,000 people attended the city council’s Artificial Intelligence Festival which brought together tech experts and businesses to showcase cutting-edge technologies that the city will benefit from in the coming years. Plans are already underway for next year’s Milton Keynes Tech Week event.
Current live trials of technological solutions in the city include self-driving shuttles, urban drone deliveries, and advanced radio communications.
The City Council added that with one in three jobs in the city already are in the technology sector, they are determined to encourage further local tech investment, creating more skilled jobs for local people.
Cabinet Member for Economy, Sustainability and Innovation, Cllr Shanika Mahendran, said, “We’re really passionate about tech and innovation in Milton Keynes, especially if it means we can tackle climate issues, improve access to public health, create local jobs and deliver better public services for our residents. Our Smart City Action Plan ensures we continue to break down barriers between emerging tech and everyday life to prioritise how our residents can benefit. If you have an idea for a smart city trial that can improve the lives of Milton Keynes residents, we want to hear from you.”
MK Dons’ first game in 16 days saw them record a 3-0 win over Chesterfield at Stadium MK.
The Dons made a flying start to their return to action with a Scott Hogan goal inside the opening 15 seconds of the match.
Chesterfield saw Darren Oldaker sent off for a pair of yellow cards, with the second booking quickly followed by Alex Gilbey making it 2-0.
Gilbey then grabbed a late second for himself and third for the Dons, allowing the home side to pick up a sixth straight win in League Two and move to a season-high of third in the League Two table.
Having seen their trip to Fleetwood postponed and then a free weekend for FA Cup action, the Dons were playing for the first time since playing Cheltenham in mid-November.
Making the trip to Stadium MK were Paul Cook’s Spireites, who had played twice since the Dons’ last game but arrived with several players absent through injury.
MK Dons had been hoping to make a fast start, but a reshuffled side truly flew out of the blocks with a goal virtually straight from kick off. The hosts worked the ball out to Joe Pritchard, who slung in a cross from deep on the left flank that Hogan was able to divert past Chesterfield keeper Max Thompson and put them in front.
Chesterfield had a half-chance when Ollie Banks saw a drive kept out by Tom McGill, before MK Dons came close to a second as Hogan fired over.
A decent array of chances then came, with McGill keep out Chesterfield’s Armando Dobra before Thompson saved Hogan’s low strike.
The visitors’ best chance for an equaliser came when a through-pass opened up space for Liam Mandeville, who charged through to face McGill one-on-one only for the keeper to make the stop.
Seconds after that, however, Chesterfield’s task became harder. Oldaker had already been booked for a foul on Joe White when dissent at not getting a free-kick saw him get booked again, and in the process, he was sent off.
MK Dons duly rubbed further salt in the away side’s wounds when they grabbed a second goal less than two minutes after the sending off. Space opened up for Aaron Nemane down the Dons’ right and although his cross missed Hogan, it landed nicely for Gilbey to pass a strike into the bottom corner.
Chesterfield had a few half-chances in the remainder of the first half but a better effort came just after the break. Kane Drummond, brought on as a half-time replacement for ex-Don Will Grigg, saw a snapshot fly across goal and just wide.
The hosts then put Chesterfield under further pressure, with Thompson making two stops in quick succession to thwart Gilbey and Hogan.
Hogan would again be denied with a header from a Nemane cross kept out by Thompson, with the scorer of the Dons’ first goal then again denied with a strike kept out by the keeper.
Having missed multiple chances, MK Dons nearly saw their opponents reduce the deficit. Substitute Ryan Colclough – another one-time Dons loanee – was able to get space on the edge of the box, and his low strike rebounded off the base of the post.
But moments later, MK Dons grabbed their third goal. A fine pass by sub Tom Carroll released Gilbey into space, and the Dons’ top scorer was able to advance before rolling a shot into the bottom corner.
Chesterfield struck the post again when Branden Horton’s effort hit the same post that Colclough had hit a few moments earlier.
MK Dons would however have the points sealed, although they came close to an unconventional fourth when first Thompson had to tip over Nemane’s cross and then Thompson had to clean up his own mistake after he’d initially struck a clearance against Gilbey and seen the ball trickle goalward.
While there would be a confrontation after the whistle after an incident between Callum Hendry and Tyrone Williams, when the dust settled, MK Dons were able to take the points and in the process continue building up their recent winning streak.
MK Dons: McGill – Offord, Maguire, Lawrence – Nemane (Leigh 90), Kelly (Thompson-Sommers 90), White, Pritchard (Hendry 58) – Wearne (Carroll 76), Hogan (Harrison 76), Gilbey
Subs not used: MacGillivray, Lewington
Goal: Hogan (1), Gilbey (25)
Booked: Wearne
Chesterfield: Thompson – Jessop (Grimes 27), Williams, Araujo (Horton 75), Gordon – Banks, Oldaker – Markanday (Berry 75), Mandeville, Dobra (Colclough 75) – Grigg (Drummond 45)
Subs not used: Boot, Sheckleford
Sent Off: Oldaker
Booked: Oldaker, Araujo, Gordon
