Northampton Town picked up a point as they drew 1-1 with Birmingham City courtesy of a stoppage time equaliser.

Jay Stansfield had put Birmingham in front in the second half and it had looked like being enough for the promotion challenging Blues until Mitch Pinnock’s equaliser in the sixth minute of stoppage time.

That was enough for Jon Brady’s side to pick up a point from their trip to the West Midlands, as they managed to be the first team to leave Birmingham’s St Andrews ground without losing since August.

As the Cobblers sought to recover from last weekend’s shock FA Cup defeat to Kettering Town and in turn build on a midweek EFL Trophy win, the Cobblers faced a test in the form of the big spending Birmingham side widely fancied to be contenders for promotion to the Championship.

The Cobblers were unable to call upon Tyler Roberts, who was absent due to being on loan from Birmingham, and thus seeing him join the Cobblers’ absentee list, but despite early Blues pressure, the best chance fell Northampton’s way when Jon Guthrie was denied by Ryan Allsop after the ball fell his way in the box.

Cameron McGeehan headed wide later in the half before Birmingham missed a chance to take the lead late in the half as Willum Willumsson blasted over in first half stoppage time.

Northampton would lose Tyler Magloire and Jack Baldwin to injury in the opening minutes of the second half and they also came under greater pressure, with Alfie May hitting the side netting, Christoph Klarer being denied by Lee Burge and Willumsson again missing the target.

Just before the hour mark, a breakthrough ultimately fell Birmingham’s way. Willumsson turned a cross back across the face of the Northampton goal and waiting in the middle was Stansfield for a tap in to put Birmingham in front.

Stansfield would miss the target in a Birmingham push for a second goal, before Northampton had a chance denied when substitute Will Hondermarck had a strike beat the goalkeeper but not a covering defender on the line.

With time running out, Northampton ultimately broke through to equalise in the seventh minute of stoppage time. Dion Sanderson could only partially clear a cross out to the Cobblers’ left flank, and Pinnock’s first time strike beat Allsop to find the back of the net and take a point for the visitors.

MK Dons made it 4 wins in a row in League Two as they came from behind to beat Swindon Town 3-1.

The Dons had made a dreadful start when they fell behind after less than 20 seconds, as Harry Smith gave Swindon a goal straight away.

But the hosts would equalise as Kane Thompson-Sommers grabbed his first MK Dons goal in first half stoppage time, before MJ Williams and Alex Gilbey scored second half goals to tilt the contest in their favour.

Victory saw the Dons return to winning ways after defeat in the FA Cup in their last game, with a fourth straight league win lifting MK Dons into the top six for the first time this season.

After a week to digest defeat to rivals AFC Wimbledon in the FA Cup, MK Dons returned their focus to league action.

Having won their previous three League Two games, MK Dons were seeking for better than their FA Cup loss as they took on a Swindon Town side unbeaten in three games in all competitions since appointing Ian Holloway last month.

But the Robins would fly out of the blocks, as Swindon scored almost as soon as the match began.

Swindon were able to work the ball forward and from Ollie Clarke’s cross on the byline, Smith got space to guide a header past Tom McGill.

Despite such a slow start, MK Dons began to probe for a leveller, with Jack Bycroft saving Joe Tomlinson and Scott Hogan’s efforts in the immediate aftermath.

Swindon were causing the hosts trouble, however, with Smith firing a shot over.

Aaron Nemane and Thompson-Sommers would miss the target with strikes but as the first half went on, the game began to become more scrappier with less momentum on display.

When the game moved into first half stoppage time, MK Dons then piled on the pressure, with Tomlinson seeing a low shot from the edge of the box denied and a diving header by Gilbey also kept out by Bycroft.

The breakthrough came for MK Dons in the final minute of first half stoppage time. From a short corner, Hogan saw a snapshot denied by Bycroft but the ball fell for Thompson-Sommers to guide home the rebound.

Swindon were unhappy as they felt the corner that lead to the second corner from which MK Dons scored from shouldn’t have been given, but these complaints were duly ignored.

MK Dons spurned a great chance to move ahead just after the break. A long pass down the right flank released Hogan, who went on a charge to be one-on-one with Bycroft, but rather than trying his luck, the Irishman instead tried to square for Gilbey for a tap-in and this allowed Tunmise Sobowale to intercept.

The hosts were nearly punished for this. After a charge forward by former Dons man Kabongo Tshimanga, Swindon kept up the pressure and Clarke would see one strike blocked by Williams and a second tipped wide by McGill.

Just before the hour, MK Dons then took the lead for the first time. From a corner, Laurence Maguire’s initial header hit the post but the ball kindly for Williams, who whacked a shot into the back of the net.

Swindon protested the goal strongly, arguing either for an offside by Maguire after the ball hit the Dons defender on the line or that there had been a foul, but both calls were ignored and the goal stood.

Not long after that, MK Dons duly found their way through again. A one-two with sub Callum Hendry released Nemane down the home side’s right, and from his cross, Gilbey rose highest to head home the goal that made it 3-1.

The visitors had a few chances to try and cut the deficit, with substitute Paul Glatzel seeing a header go straight at McGill and another firm strike clear the bar by inches.

But Swindon’s day remained a frustration one, with Holloway getting booked for his protests after feeling further decisions weren’t going his side’s way.

In the end, MK Dons saw the job through to pick up the points, elevating them to their highest position in the table in the season so far.

MK Dons: McGill – Offord, Williams, Maguire – Nemane (Pritchard 84), Thompson-Sommers, White, Tomlinson – Wearne (Hendry 57), Hogan, Gilbey

Subs not used: MacGillivray, Lewington, Tucker, Harrison, Leigh

Goal: Thompson-Somers (45+3), Williams (57), Gilbey (64)

Booked: Hendry

Swindon: Bycroft – Sobowale, Delaney (Cotterill 78), Wright, Longelo (Glatzel 71) – Drinan (Ofoborh 78), Clarke, Kilkenny – Butterworth (McGregor 45) – Tshimanga, Smith (McGurk 71)

Subs not used: Barden, Minturn

Goal: Smith (1)

Booked: Smith

Luton Town’s difficult start to the season continued as they were beaten 5-1 away at Middlesbrough.

Delano Burgzorg and Emmanuel Latte Lath gave the hosts a two goal lead at the half-time whistle, which they duly extended to 4-0 when Finn Azaz and Burgzorg scored a quickfire double after the break.

Jordan Clark grabbed a consolation for Luton, but a fifth for the hosts by Azaz wrapped up a fine win for the home side late on.

Defeat is Luton’s 8th in 15 games so far this season, equalling the number of league defeats managed in the entire promotion-winning season two years ago, and going into the upcoming international break in the Championship, Rob Edwards’ side are sitting outside the relegation zone only on goal difference.

Having beaten Cardiff in midweek, Luton had been looking for back-to-back wins and only a second away victory so far this season in the league.

An even first half hour would see both sides come close to breaking the deadlock, with Luke Ayling firing a strike off target before Liam Walsh saw his own strike just skim wide of the mark.

With half an hour gone, it was Middlesbrough who broke the deadlock. Azaz’s low corner was worked on by Ben Doak to Burgzorg, who hit a first time drive into the Luton net.

A few minutes before half-time, Middlesbrough extended their lead. Azaz’s through pass played in Latte Lath, who turned away from Mark McGuinness then thumped past Thomas Kaminski.

Luton’s day got worse just after the break when they conceded again, as Doak played in Azaz, who curled a strike into the back of the net.

Cauley Woodrow nearly cut the deficit with a shot kept out by Seny Dieng in the Middlesbrough goal, and moments after that, things got even worse for Luton would Middlesbrough made it four.

Burgzorg would score that one, with the Dutchman rolling in a tap-in after Latte Lath had won possession high-up and squared it.

Luton would score a consolation with just under a quarter of an hour of the game remaining, when Tom Krauß played in Clark, who fired a low strike from the edge of the box into the back of the net.

Middlesbrough would however extend their lead back to a four goal margin when they made it 5-1. Azaz would score his second goal of the day, who hit a fine curling effort into the back of the net to cap off a miserable day on Teesside for the Hatters.

Luton will seek to try and go back to winning ways after the week off for internationals, when they welcome fellow early strugglers Hull City to Kenilworth Road on November 23rd.

The centre:mk shopping centre and MyMK BID are among local businesses taking part in a city-wide event on Tuesday, 12 November to spotlight accessibility and inclusivity for people with disabilities.

Several local businesses will come together in a step toward making Milton Keynes the UK’s first ‘Purple City centre’ as part of the Purple Tuesday movement to improve the customer experience for disabled people and their families.

The huge initiative, which has supporters in over 30 countries, aims to improve the customer experience for disabled people and their families, shining a spotlight on the needs of disabled people when visiting customer environments and supporting the implementation of ways to improve their experience.

For 2024, local organisations and businesses will set up pop up displays throughout centre:mk and Midsummer Place shopping centres in Central Milton Keynes to raise awareness about services and organisations offering support for people with disabilities and their families.

Participants include PACA (Parents and Carers Alliance MK), who support families caring for children and loved ones with disabilities.

Others include HK Hair and Wellness for fully accessible hairdressing services, the Spectrum Place & Umbrella Project that raises awareness for autism and neurodivergent individuals, The Parks Trust’s project in making Furzton Lake more accessible, and Camphill MK’s work selling crafts made by adults with learning difficulties.

Further participants include the Medical Detection Dogs charity that trains dogs to detect illnesses, the MK Snap charity that supports adults with learning difficulties, MK Theatre and Cineworld to highlight accessible performances and available resources, Spinal Injuries Association, Headway, Carers MK, and many more

Visitors can also enjoy live performances by “What’s The Drama” – a local organisation that provides creative coaching for adults with learning disabilities.

The occasion marks the launch of the centre:mk’s newly added sensory room located in centre:mk’s Guest Services Lounge, offering a quiet and calming space for families to take a break from the bustling environment. The centre’s wide range of accessibility features also includes a Changing Places toilet, free mobility scooter and wheelchair hire, Sunflower Lanyards for guests needing extra support, and Hearing Loops at the Guest Services Lounge for hearing impairments assistance.

MyMK BID is further supporting this initiative by funding a year-long accessibility training programme for retailers and businesses. Available through the Purple Tuesday online platform, the programme will offer monthly recorded webinars and resources to ensure that staff are equipped to offer exceptional service to customers across the full spectrum of disabilities.

In addition, MyMK BID will be commissioning a city centre-wide accessibility audit of the public realm, through specialist organisation AccessAble, aimed at creating a comprehensive access guide for disabled visitors to Milton Keynes City Centre.

As part of the day’s celebrations, buildings across Milton Keynes will light up purple to show their commitment to accessibility and raise awareness of Purple Tuesday.

Kim Priest, Head of Marketing of centre:mk, commented: “We’re incredibly proud to support Purple Tuesday and take meaningful steps towards making Milton Keynes the UK’s first fully accessible ‘Purple City.’ By collaborating with local businesses and organisations, we are not only raising awareness but actively improving the experiences of people with disabilities in our community by bringing together information and resources all in one place. This is more than a one-day event, it’s part of our ongoing commitment to creating a truly inclusive city for everyone all year round.”

Charlotte Pearson, Marketing Director for MyMK BID, added: “Milton Keynes prides itself as a “City of the Future”, and that future must be accessible for everyone. At MyMK BID, we are dedicated to creating an inclusive city centre where everyone feels welcome and supported. This year’s initiatives are just the first step in our long-term commitment to enhancing accessibility for all and we are so proud to be working with a number of like-minded and equally dedicated partners who have come together to make this event happen.”

To find everything happening for Purple Tuesday in Milton Keynes visit:
https://my-mk.co.uk/events/purple-tuesday