ACCRINGTON STANLEY 0-2 LUTON TOWN
Town made it five wins from their last six Sky Bet League Two fixtures as they defeated third-placed Accrington Stanley 2-0 at the Wham Stadium this afternoon to leapfrog the hosts into the automatic promotion places.
The Hatters opened the scoring through James Collins, who tapped in Olly Lee's 22nd-minute header from almost on the line, before Danny Hylton netted the second from the penalty spot after Alan Sheehan had been brought down by Janoi Donacien just before half-time.
It took until the 21st minute for either side to fashion a chance of note as Lee picked the ball up in midfield and made a good run down the right, doing well to keep possession before shooting from 20 yards, but Aaron Chapman got down quickly to his left to palm it away.
It was that attack that saw the Town take the lead a minute later as the ball got played into Berry, who saw his well-weighted pass out wide to Potts expertly crossed in and met by Lee, who had made a fantastic run into the box.
The midfielder powered his header towards the bottom left corner and although Chapman was beaten, James Collins was there to ensure it went in as he tapped in at the back stick.
Jordan Clark looked to drag his side back in to the game as he cut in from the right after 24 minutes and shot from range – it was a decent effort, a good height and with a decent amount of power behind it – but it was straight at Marek Stech, who made a good save.
The keeper was called into action again 15 minutes later as he punched Donacien's right wing cross off the line as John Coleman's side pushed for the equaliser.
Luke Berry thought he had added to the Town's lead as the ball was cleared to him 16 yards out, with Chapman out of his goal with four minutes left of normal time in the first half. The ex-Cambridge United man headed it towards an unguarded goal, but Mark Hughes rose well to head it clear for a corner.
It was from that set-piece, however, that the Hatters netted their second goal of the game when their excellent short corner routine saw Alan Sheehan take the ball past Donacien, who brought down the Irishman in his attempts to stop the attack, leaving referee Martin Coy little choice but to point to the spot.
Danny Hylton took it and smashed it into the bottom left corner from 12 yards, beating Chapman who dived the right way, but couldn't get anything on the ball.
Accrington started the brighter of the two sides in the second half, as Sean McConville poked towards goal from Jordan Thorniley's cross, but it was an easy save for Stech six minutes in, with the Stanley man guilty of missing a decent chance for his side.
Mekhi McLeod came on just before the hour mark and his direct approach caused problems immediately on the left side as he cut in and shot, but it was straight down the throat of Stech at his near post.
Stanley should have got a goal back when the ball was swung in from the left with just under 20 minutes to go, Scott Brown got it on the other side of the box and hammered it towards goal, but Stech did superbly well to get down to palm it away, only to the feet of Liam Nolan who smashed it out of the ground.
Hylton could have added to his tally for the day when he wrong footed Farrend Rawson 80 minutes in and sprinted in on goal, but Hughes once again saved his side as he put in a fantastic block on the striker's shot just inside the Accrington box.
The victory for the Town means they now move up to third in League Two, four points off leaders Exeter City and two behind second-placed Notts County.
TOWN: STECH, STACEY, CUTHBERT ©, SHEEHAN, POTTS, REA, O LEE, BERRY (D'ATH 76), CORNICK (JUSTIN 86), HYLTON, COLLINS.
SUBS: JUSTIN, MULLINS, COOK, D'ATH, SHEA (GK), E LEE, FAMEWO.
YELLOWS: POTTS
ACCRINGTON: CHAPMAN, HUGHES, DONACIEN, NOLAN, CLARK (MCLEOD 57), BROWN (BROWN 78), MCCONVILLE (WILKS 57), THORNILEY, RAWSON, CONNEELY ©, KEE.
SUBS: RICHARDS-EVERTON, DALLISON, WOLLAND (GK), MCLEOD, JOHNSON, WILKS, SOUSA.
YELLOWS: CONNEELY
REFEREE: MARTIN COY
ATTENDANCE: 2,193
AWAY: 587
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMJu3tOnXX4
NATHAN JONES ON THE 2-0 WIN OVER ACCRINGTON STANLEY
Nathan Jones felt his side put in a "professional performance" as they defeated Accrington Stanley 2-0 at the Wham Stadium
James Collins gave the Hatters the lead with a tap in from an Olly Lee header before Danny Hylton netted from the penalty spot after Alan Sheehan was fouled just before half-time.
The result means the Town move up to third having picked up five wins in their last six Sky Bet League Two matches.
Jones said: "It was a real professional performance away from home against a side that started above us going into the game. It's a difficult place to play – these are always a good side, Stanley, at this level. To come here and be relatively comfortable, a 2-0 win, I am delighted."
The first goal came just after the first real chance of the game when Lee saw his effort saved – the move continuing and eventually seeing Collins put the Hatters in the lead.
"We had a littlle bit of pressure there, it was a great ball in, a great rise from Olly Lee – we've seen him do that in pre-season at Boreham Wood – and then to Collo who is Jonny on the spot in terms of that back post area," Jones continued. "We are not worried about that sort of stuff (getting first half goals). We score and we keep clean sheets that's all we are worried about.
"We are relatively high scorers, I'd be surprised if we're not the top scorers in the league. So we know whether we take it first half, second half, 80th, 90th, 98th minute, we don't care. The level of performance today showed professionalism. The second half wasn't the most entertaining game, it wasn't as fluent. We did all the ugly stuff you have to do to win games away from home, especially when you come to difficult places."
Collins and Hylton earn Town victory at Stanley
League Two: Accrington Stanley 0 Luton Town 2...
Luton Town climbed back into the top three after a hugely professional victory at Accrington Stanley this afternoon, their fifth victory in six League Two encounters.
The Hatters were everything that is needed from an away side at a wet and windy Wham Stadium, resolute in defence, solid in midfield, and with a front three, who always possessed a potency as well.
With Barnet drawing 0-0 against Coventry in the early kick-off, Town knew that a victory would see them up into third place, as visiting boss Nathan Jones made one change from the team who beat Newport 3-1, Luke Berry back from suspension to replace Luke Gambin, who was with Malta.
After a quiet opening 20 minutes, Luton then stepped it up, with Olly Lee instrumental in doing so.
First he twinkled his way past a few challenges and unleashed a shot from the edge of the box that keeper Aaron Chapman parried away.
He then played a huge role in the opener on 22 minutes, the first goal Luton have scored in the opening half on their travels this season.
Dan Potts did superbly to flick the ball down the line and send over a cross that Lee arrived on time to power a head goalwards, James Collins turning the ball over the line from a yard for his seventh of the season and first in three matches.
Jordan Clark shot was well handled by Marek Stech, before there was a huge case of argy-bargy on the half hour in the home area, when Potts took exception to a challenge in the area, remonstrating with a Stanley defender.
He was then barged to the floor by Billy Kee and after a period of uncertainty from the otherwise excellent referee Martin Coy, saw yellow for his troubles, meaning he will miss next weekend's home game with Stevenage after chalking up five cautions, while Kee somehow escaped unpunished.
With five minutes to go until half time, Luton almost had a second as Alan Sheehan's free kick saw Chapman punch clear under pressure, Berry's header from the rebound, drawing a fine diving clearance by Mark Hughes.
However, Luton did make it 2-0 when a clever corner routine saw the visitors win a penalty on 44 minutes, Hylton teeing up Sheehan who was fouled by Janoi Donacien.
Hylton stepped up from the spot, with no Panenka this time, shooting hard and low beyond Chapman into the bottom corner, for his fourth goal in four games.
After the break, Stanley almost had one back straight away, Stech making a smart stop at full stretch from Sean McConville's clever flick.
The visitors then had their best spell, as they put the Hatters under pressure, but Luton ensured there were no clear-cut chances and remained a constant threat themselves too, Harry Cornick rounding Chapman on the edge of the box, his cross was cut out by the covering defenders.
Sheehan took aim with a free kick from 25 yards, arrowing an attempt that Chapman had covered.
Stanley brought on sub Mekhi McLeod, the winger causing plenty of problems to Jack Stacey on Hatters' left, sending in a shot that required Stech to save.
With Luton dominating the corner front, their 10th of the afternoon saw the ball find Scott Cuthbert, and his effort was deflected behind by Chapman.
Stech had to have his wits about him on 72 minutes, parrying Scott Brown's drive, with Liam Nolan skying the rebound over the top.
Luton threatened from yet another corner, Collins glancing over, but Town brought on Lawson D'Ath for his first league action of the season and then James Justin, as they confidently held on for victory, becoming the first team to stop Accrington scoring this term in the process.
Stanley: Aaron Chapman, Mark Hughes, Janoi Donacien, Liam Nolan, Jordan Clark (Mekhi McLeod 58), Scott Brown (Erico Sousa 77), Sean McConville (Mallik Wilks 58), Jordan Thorniley, Farrend Rawson, Seamus Conneely (C), Billy Kee.
Subs not used: Ben Richards-Everton, Tom Dallison, Nathan Wolland, Callum Johnson.
Hatters: Marek Stech, Jack Stacey, Dan Potts, Scott Cuthbert, Alan Sheehan, Glen Rea, Olly Lee, Luke Berry (Lawson D'Ath 78), Harry Cornick (James Justin 86), Danny Hylton, James Collins.
Subs not used: James Shea, Akin Famewo, Jordan Cook, Johnny Mullins, Elliot Lee.
Booked: Potts 33, Conneely 44.
Referee: Martin Coy. Attendance: 2,193 (587 Luton).
Hatters MOM: Olly Lee – got through plenty of hard work in the midfield.
Jones thrilled by Town's 'professional performance'
Hatters boss Nathan Jones hailed his side’s professionalism as they battled to a hard-fought 2-0 win at Accrington Stanley yesterday afternoon.
The visitors made it five wins from six games in League Two thanks to first half goals from James Collins and Danny Hylton’s penalty.
They had to defend at times after the break, with John Coleman’s team pressing to get back into the contest, but speaking afterwards, Jones, who saw his Luton leapfrog their opponents into third, said: “It was a real professional performance, away from home against a side that started above us going into the game.
“It’s a difficult place to play, these are always a good side at this level, so to come here and be relatively comfortable in a 2-0 win, I’m delighted, really, really delighted.”
Town’s opening strike came when Olly Lee produced a fine run into the box to meet Dan Potts’s cross, with Collins turning the ball home from a yard out for his seventh of the campaign.
It was the first goal Luton had scored before half time on their travels this term, as Jones continued: “We had a little bit of pressure, it was great ball in, great arrival from Olly Lee, we’ve seen him do that in pre-season at Boreham Wood and then straight to Collo who’s Johnny on the spot in terms of the back post area.
“We’re not worried about that kind of stuff (first half goal), as long as we score and keep clean sheets, that’s all we’re worried about.
“We’re relatively high scorers, I wouldn’t be surprised if we’re not the highest scorers in the league , so we know whether we take if first half, second half, 80th, 90th, 98th minute, we don’t care.”
“I think the level of performance just showed professionalism, it really did.
“As the second half wasn’t the most entertaining game, wasn’t the most fluent, but we did all the ugly things you have to do to win games away from home, especially when you come to difficult places.”
Although Luton couldn’t add to their tally in the second period, Jones preferred to look at how his side kept their hosts at arms length for the majority too, adding: “You’re not going to win every game and we had less dominance, less opportunities, less fluency than we did at Morecambe.
“But as long as the level of performance is good week in week out then you’re going to pick up points, and that’s the only thing. Coming away here, I’m delighted, and this is a difficult place to come to. “They will beat sides here, they’re a dangerous side and I was delighted how professional we were.”