James Roberts and Shaun Batt were on target as a young Barnet Development Team lost 4-2 against Northampton Town yesterday.

Oxford United loanee Roberts and Batt got the Bees’ goals with Kai McKenzie-Lyle, Nana Kyei, Tom Day, Justin Nwogu Jack Taylor, Wes Fonguck, Shane Cojocarel and Matt Stevens also featuring.

Reflecting on the game, lead development phase coach Ross Eames was pleased with his side’s efforts in the circumstances.

“Northampton Town brought a very strong team, with six or seven first team players,” he told the club’s website.

“They included the likes of Ryan Cresswell, Jason Taylor, Alfie Potter, Sam Hoskins, Lawson D'Ath, Rod McDonald & Ryan Clarke – which provided a great education for our Under-18s and Under-21s, in terms of their physical development.

“We only had two natural defenders, in Tom Day and Joe Payne. Nana Kyei and Justin Nwogu played as full backs, even though they normally play as attacking midfielders.

"The idea was for those two players to naturally come inside and join in with play in the final third - with Roberts and Batt keeping the width on the wings.”

Assessing the side’s display, Eames continued: “We played very well in the first half with great intensity and intelligence on and off the ball; switching the play and breaking their lines with penetrative passes.

"Shaun Batt's goal highlighted our attacking style. Our combinations and forward play were good – linking from the goalkeeper through to the centre-forward.

“There were some lovely overlapping moves in the first half and I thought that we were excellent.

“We started a little bit slowly in the second half and could have moved the ball quicker – that was understandable because the players put in a real shift during the first period.

“When you’re playing men vs boys, you’re going to hit that wall in terms of fatigue.

“But we grew into the game after about 20 minutes, even though we’d conceded two goals by then.

"Despite conceding, we stuck to our attacking principles.”

Barnet: McKenzie-Lyle; Kyei, Day, Payne, Nwogu; J.Taylor, Fonguck, Cojocarel; Batt (Trialist), Roberts, Stevens (Trialist).