Blackpool vs Luton Town FC (14th May 2017)

PUBLISHED 21:39 14th May 2017 Blackpool take one-goal advantage into second leg

BLACKPOOL 3 (Cullen 19, 47, 67 (pen))

LUTON TOWN 2 (Potts 26, Vassell 28)

Att: 3,882 (1,648 Hatters)

The Hatters’ seven-game unbeaten run came to an end at Bloomfield Road tonight as former Luton striker Mark Cullen bagged a hat-trick to give Blackpool a one-goal advantage at half-time of the Sky Bet League Two play-off semi-final.

Dan Potts’ first goal in professional football and Isaac Vassell’s 14th of the season had given the Hatters a first-lead after Cullen had shot the Seasiders in front in the 19th minute.

But the man who left the Town in the summer of 2015 netted twice after the break, the second a fine strike into the top corner and the third a penalty controversially awarded for a foul by captain Scott Cuthbert, to give the hosts a slender advantage to take to Kenilworth Road on Thursday night.

Town boss Jones made three changes to the team that beat Morecambe 3-1 on the final day of the regular league season, Alan Sheehan and Lawson D’Ath returning after injury, and top scorer Danny Hylton back from his two-match suspension.

There was also a big boost for Town fans with James Justin pronounced fit to start after being carried off on a stretcher in the second half last Saturday, the teenager starting at right wing-back with Glen Rea, captain Scott Cuthbert and Sheehan as three centre-halves between him and Potts on the left.

Olly Lee, Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu and D’Ath made up the midfield, with Hylton and Vassell – who had scored in both of the last two matches – up front.

It was Jones’ men who had the majority of the possession in an opening quarter-of-an-hour that lacked clear-cut chances, although Hylton created a couple of openings for Vassell with dancing runs through the centre of the Seasiders’ half, the Cornishman not quite able to fashion the space to get a shot away.

The hosts took the lead, however, and it was Cullen who was in the right place at the right time to profit from some nervy defending by the Hatters, the ex-Town striker firing past Stuart Moore, who got a hand on his shot, but could only palm it into the bottom corner.

In the 25th minute Moore needed strong hands to push a Neil Danns blockbuster away, then Rea blocked Andy Taylor’s follow-up.

Seconds later the Town were on terms as D’Ath played Justin in on the right, cut back and Hylton missed his kick, but Potts certainly didn’t – firing in off the underside of the crossbar to the delight of the travelling fans who were making all the noise inside Bloomfield Road.

It was soon to get even better. Within two minutes – and immediately after Kyle Vassell had shaved the Town bar – the Hatters had their noses in front. Vassell found himself in oceans of space in the Pool area and cut-back for Hylton, whose right-footed effort was saved by Slocombe.

Mpanzu was following up, however, but his volley was blocked and the ball found its way to Justin, who crossed low for Vassell to turn in his 14th goal of the season from eight yards.

It was the third successive game in which Vassell had scored, but it was the Town goalscorers’ namesakes – Kyle and Brad – who were soon making a nuisance of themselves at the other end, the Blackpool Vassell again calling Moore into action on 37 minutes, before the on-loan Reading stopper kept a 20-yard Potts effort out almost immediately.

As Blackpool sought a way back to parity, Moore had to get down low again to save Clark Robertson’s shot, then Mpanzu and Sheehan reacted brilliantly to keep out Kelvin Mellor’s follow-up before the Town finished the half strongly, Hylton and Mpanzu both having shots blocked in the same move, before referee Nigel Miller called time on a breathless opening 45 minutes.

Within two minutes of the restart Blackpool were level, and it was that man Cullen again, bending a superb effort into the top corner from 22 yards after Potts had slid in to deny Mellor a shooting opportunity.

The Seasiders were denied a great chance to take a 3-2 lead in the 52nd minute when Cuthbert got back to make a goal-saving block on Vassell, who had taken a chipped ball from Jack Payne in his stride into the area.

Blackpool had come out like a train, and Moore pushed a shot from Danns away then – when the Town struggled to deal with a Taylor free-kick chipped into the six-yard box – Robertson lashed over the bar on the half-volley from close range.

There was brief respite as Mpanzu tricked his way to the byline and won a 58th-minute corner that Cuthbert met with a firm header, comfortably gathered by Slocombe, before Robertson got his head on a Payne set-piece at the other end, but couldn’t keep it down.

The hosts were proving a real threat from high balls into the box and Aldred was the next to steer a header goalwards on 64 minutes, but Justin was in the right place to volley clear.

Two minutes later the teenager was harshly adjudged to have fouled Danns to the left of the penalty area, giving the hosts the free-kick that Taylor whipped into the six-yard box, where ref Miller then penalised Cuthbert for dragging Aldred to the ground.

Cullen, inevitably, did the rest, stroking home from 12 yards to complete his hat-trick and give the hosts a 3-2 lead.

Town tried to respond and after some neat interplay between Lee and D’Ath on the edge of the box, the ball found its way left to Potts again, but his piledriver was blocked by Mellor.

Jones took threw Jack Marriott – three goals in his last two sub appearances against Accrington and Morecambe – into the fray in place of Vassell, but it was Hylton at the centre of the next big talking point, the striker going down in the area when seemingly pushed by Aldred, but ref Miller waved appeals for a penalty away.

At the other end Potts fired high and wide before Cullen was substituted, and Jones brought on Ollie Palmer in place of D’Ath in a bid to get the goal that would see the tie head back to Kenilworth Road all-square.

It was Sheehan who came closest, his 89th-minute volley from Lee’s corner flying across the face of goal and just past the far post.

Then, deep into injury-time, the home defence managed to block close range shots from Palmer and Lee, with Miller again waving away appeals for a penalty, this time for handball.

But a first defeat in eight games was the final outcome, although the Town – and the 1,648 travelling fans who made this seem like a home game at times – will more than fancy their chances of overturning that one-goal deficit in front of a packed-out Kenilworth Road on Thursday night.

TOWN: Moore, Justin, Rea, Cuthbert ©, Sheehan, Potts, Lee, Mpanzu, D'Ath (Palmer 86), Hylton, Vassell (Marriott 74). Subs: O'Donnell, Smith, Gray, Gambin, King (GK)

Yellows: Sheehan, D’Ath

BLACKPOOL: Slocombe, Mellor, Aimson, Aldred, Robertson, Taylor ©, Danns (Flores 80), Payne, Potts, Vassell (Delfouneso 68), Cullen (Black 86). Subs: Lyness (GK), Nolan, Osayi-Samuel, Gnanduillet

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_JjkB2E7-s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-5fvKE1k34

http://www.lutontown.co.uk/news/article/2016-17/luton-town-football-sky-bet-league-two-blackpool-3715843.aspx

PUBLISHED 22:01 14th May 2017 Jones gives his verdict on the loss at Bloomfield Road

Town gaffer Nathan Jones felt the display from his defence was ‘out of character’ as the Hatters slipped to a 3-2 defeat at Bloomfield Road in the first leg of their play-of semi-final.

Blackpool took the lead when ex-Hatter Mark Cullen slotted home, before Dan Potts smashed in his first goal for the Hatters to bring the score level.

Isaac Vassell curled home from James Justin’s cross just two minutes later to give Town the lead going into the break, but a stunning strike from Cullen in the second half restored parity, before the 25-year-old sent Stuart Moore the wrong way from the penalty spot to give Pool a slender lead going into the second leg at Kenilworth Road.

Jones said: “It’s disappointing, because how we defended was totally out of character for us. We’ve got the second best defensive record in the league and I didn’t envisage that. Little mistakes, little errors and they cost us, and that was the frustrating thing.

“We showed some wonderful play to get back into the game and then to take the lead into half-time, 2-1. Just a bit of naivety second half, pretty much straight from the kick-off we concede. From a poor throw and a knock inside, it was out of character for us, but we are still in the tie.

“We have got a massive game at Kenilworth Road on Thursday night that we are going to need to show up for.

“We went behind through little errors. We should have snuffed that out, it shouldn’t have happened. Then we showed real character to come back into it and then we showed naivety.

“I don’t think it was a penalty. You can see they’re both pulling shirts. To give a penalty is a big, big call.”

League Two play-off semi-final first leg: Blackpool 3 Luton Town 2

Former Hatters striker Mark Cullen came back to haunt his former side with a hat-trick as Luton let a 2-1 half time lead slip to suffer defeat in their League Two play-off semi-final first leg clash at Blackpool this evening.

Town had looked like they were on their way to taking a precious advantage back to Kenilworth Road after swiftly replying to Cullen's opener, moving in front through Dan Potts and Isaac Vassell's quickfire double.

However, Cullen, who left Kenilworth Road for the Tangerines for £180k in the summer of 2015, then curled in magnificently from 25 yards immediately after half time and converted a controversial penalty on 67 minutes later to ensure Blackpool will lead the tie going to Bedfordshire on Thursday night.

Much of the discussion will be about referee Nigel Miller though who made a number of baffling decisions throughout, and also waved away two late shouts for a Luton spot kick, to incur the wrath of the hordes of travelling supporters as he blew for full time.

Luton boss Nathan Jones made three changes, leading scorer Danny Hylton recalled as expected, while James Justin recovered after being stretchered off against Morecambe last time out to take his place at wing back.

Alan Sheehan returned too, with Lawson D'Ath starting, meaning Jake Gray, Ollie Palmer and Luke Gambin all dropped to the bench as Town settled well, Hylton and Isaac Vassell linking up promisingly in the early stages, the latter seeing one blast charged down.

Out of nothing though, the hosts went in front on 19 minutes, with a desperately poor goal that was hugely avoidable for Luton.

A ball in rolled under the foot of Olly Lee and Kyle Vassell's deflection landed perfectly for Cullen, whose low effort had just too much on it to beat Stuart Moore and find the bottom corner.

Moore had to repel Neil Danns' blast as the Tangerines searched for a second, but Town got the quick response they were after when D'Ath fed the overlapping James Justin on the right.

Although his cross was missed by the usually predatory Hylton, Dan Potts raced into the box to side-foot in off the underside of the bar for his first goal in Town colours.

Kyle Vassell sent a curling strike inches over, before Luton were in dreamland as Hylton and Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu had shots blocked, before Justin teed up Isaac Vassell to slam past Sam Slocombe and make it 2-1.

Blackpool's Vassell looked a danger from range, forcing Moore into a low parry, as did Brad Potts when closer to the target, while Vassell headed over from a corner too.

Hatters owed a huge debt of gratitude to Mpanzu for remaining in front at the break, as when Clark Robertson's low drive was parried by Moore, Kelvin Mellor appeared nailed on to tap into the empty net, until he was met by a superb sliding challenge from the midfielder, with Sheehan completing the clearance

Mpanzu almost had a say at the other end, reacting first to blocked Hylton attempt and seeing his drive deflected over the bar for a corner.

Any instructions Jones may have sent his side out with for the second period were swiftly out of the window when Cullen had his second just two minutes in, curling a glorious finish beyond Moore and into the top corner.

Cuthbert then kept it level as Jack Payne spotted Kyle Vassell's run with a lovely chipped ball but just as he was about to pull the trigger, the captain saved the day.

Moore had to be alert to save from Danns again, while Robertson should have made it 3-2 as a free kick landed at his feet just six yards out, only for the defender to sky his shot.

Town were still a threat though, Cuthbert meeting Sheehan's corner, with Slocombe comfortably holding on.

However, the game was turned on its head once more, after an astonishingly bad decision from official Miller, who gave a free kick against Justin for what a perfectly executed tackle on Danns.

From the resulting set-piece, Cuthbert's clearly held Aldred back which was spotted by Miller with the official whistling for a penalty that Cullen tucked away for his hat-trick.

Town then had plenty of the ball in the final 15 minutes, throwing on the in-form Marriott in their search for a leveller, but any measured attacking play from the first period was gone now, utilising a more direct approach.

It did lead to the odd chance though, with the visiting fans screaming for a penalty on 80 minutes when Hylton went over in the area after a push by Aldred, as Miller shook his head much to the frustration of the travelling supporters.

Brad Potts sent a rising effort over and Sheehan hooked a volley narrowly wide, before in stoppage time Hatters had further cries for a spotkick for not one, but two handball shouts, with Ollie Palmer adamant it was a penalty, before home keeper Slocombe pounced.

Luton now have four days to recuperate ahead of the second leg and although they will be left bitterly frustrated by the result, this tie is far from over.

Blackpool: Sam Slocombe, Kelvin Mellor, Andy Taylor (C), Clark Robertson, Will Aimson, Kyle Vassell (Nathan Delfouneso , Brad Potts, Mark Cullen, Tom Aldred, Jack Payne, Neil Danns (Jordan Flores 80).

Subs: Dean Lyness, Eddie Nolan, Bright Osayi-Samuel, Armand Gnanduillet, Ian Black.

Hatters: Stuart Moore, Glen Rea, Stuart Cuthbert, Alan Sheehan, James Justin, Olly Lee, Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu, Lawson D'Ath (Ollie Palmer 85), Dan Potts, Isaac Vassell (Jack Marriott 74), Danny Hylton.

Subs: Craig King, Stephen O'Donnell, Jonathan Smith, Jake Gray, Luke Gambin.

Referee: Nigel Miller.

Booked: Sheehan 63, D'Ath 77.

Attendance: 3,882 (1,648 Luton).

Jones frustrated by Town's 'out of character' defending

Hatters boss Nathan Jones blamed his side's 'out of character' defending as they slipped to a 3-2 defeat at Blackpool in the League Two play-off semi-final first leg this evening.

Former Luton striker Mark Cullen’s hat-trick gave the hosts a one goal advantage going into Thursday night’s return clash at Kenilworth Road, after Dan Potts and Isaac Vassell had put the visitors 2-1 in front.

However, despite a number of controversial decisions from referee Nigel Miller, including awarding Blackpool a penalty and denying Town two spotkicks late on, Jones said: “I’m disappointed because how we defended was totally out of character for us.

“We had the second best defensive record in the league and I didn’t envisage that, little mistakes, little errors that cost us and that was the frustrating thing.

“We showed some wonderful play to get back into the game and then to take the lead into half time.

“It’s just a bit of naivety second half, straight from kick off, we concede from a poor throw, and it was out of character, but we’re still well in the tie.

“We’ve got a massive game at Kenilworth Road on Thursday night that we’ve got to show up for.”

Jones refuses to blame referee Miller for Town’s first leg defeat

Hatters boss Nathan Jones refused to blame referee Nigel Miller for his side’s 3-2 play-off semi-final first leg defeat at Blackpool last night.

The official made a number of debatable calls throughout the fixture as former Town striker Mark Cullen bagged hat-trick to give the Tangerines an advantage going into Thursday’s return fixture.

Although not impressed by his handling of the contest, Jones said: “I don’t think the referee had a particularly good game in terms of lots of things, but if we had defended better then they wouldn’t have got three goals.

“We’ve played well in certain areas and scored, but we didn’t defend well enough, we really, really didn’t.

“We weren’t brave enough, weren’t tight enough, their front two were allowed to get it into feet too early, and too easily.

“We didn’t really have enough defensively really to keep a clean sheet and that’s what we need to do as I know we’ve got plenty going forward.”

One of Miller’s most controversial decisions was to award a free kick against defender James Justin for what looked and has since been proved a perfectly timed challenge on home midfielder Neil Danns just outside the area.

The resulting free kick then saw captain Scott Cuthbert penalised for holding Blackpool defender Tom Aldred, with Cullen converting the resulting spotkick.

On the two calls, Jones continued: “We thought that at the time (it wasn’t a foul by Justin), but those things happen, you’ve still got to defend the free kick.

“The free kick’s given, it’s difficult for the referee to decide and we just didn’t defend it well enough from there and it’s a frustrating one.

“Then it was a soft, soft penalty. I know it’s cliched and the managers say it all the time, but if you give penalties for those things, you’re going to be giving 10 a game.

“It was 50/50. I’ve watched it on from my analyst, I’ve watched the Sky version and it’s such a soft penalty, it really is.

“They were both grappling. You can see on Sky, in terms of both shirts are getting pulled and to give a penalty away is a big, big call.

“The referee needed to handle that differently I think, but he never.

“We don’t get them, people pull us all over, Glen Rea, Danny Hylton, especially and we don’t get those.”

Luton themselves were denied two spotkicks late on by Miller, when Hylton was shoved to the ground by Aldred, while they had claims for handball in stoppage time as well.

Jones added: “The Hylton one would have been a bit harsh to give, but the other one a definite penalty.

“It literally bounced up between him and he’s clawed it away with his left hand, so that’s a penalty for me, all day long.

“But it didn’t happen and we can’t feel sorry for ourselves.”

Blackpool 3 Luton Town 2: Cullen hat-trick means Hatters have it all to do

Former Hatter Mark Cullen shot down Luton Town with a hat-trick in a play-off semi-final first leg which swung back and forth like a ride on the nearby Blackpool Pleasure Beach.

Having fallen behind, Nathan Jones' men stormed in front with two goals in as many minutes to lead at the interval, only to retreat into their shells after the break and concede twice to fall behind once more.

Hatters boss Jones will be frustrated at how a team who dominated the opening proceedings and hit back in such clinical style after conceding looked such a different side after the break, shaky at the back and off the pace in the middle of the park.

Blackpool took the lead on 19 minutes when a whole string of defensive mishaps on the edge of the area let in Cullen, and even then the Blackpool man's shot was weak, but Stuart Moore couldn't keep it from dribbling into his far corner.

Luton were behind for only six minutes as Lawson D'Ath beautifully played in James Justin, whose cross was missed by Danny Hylton but smashed in off the bar emphatically by Dan Potts for his first goal for the club.

It took just two more minutes for the turnaround to be completed. Isaac Vassell charged into the area and checked back before putting in Hylton, whose snap-shot was blocked, but when the ball came back in it was Vassell himself on the end of it, and he made no mistake with a great finish.

But Blackpool served warning that the game was far from over in the minutes leading up to the interval, with Moore called into action twice in as many minutes to make saves from namesakes of Luton's scorers – Kyle Vassell and Brad Potts.

Moore saved again from Andy Taylor in the final minute of the half but could not hold the ball and was grateful to a goal-saving double challenge from Alan Sheehan and Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu to keep out a certain equaliser from Kelvin Mellor.

It was the hosts who started the second half on top as well, and barely two minutes of it had lapsed before they were level once more, Cullen bagging his second with a strike as brilliant as his first goal was poor – giving Moore no chance with a stunner from the edge of the area.

It looked for all the money in the world that Blackpool would move back in front soon after when Jack Payne found Kyle Vassell all on his own with only Moore to beat, but Scott Cuthbert came flying out of nowhere to block superbly.

Luton were now living dangerously as Clark Robertson thankfully produced a centre-back's finish to blast wildly over from near the penalty spot, and although they rode that storm out, they had some thunderous looks for referee Nigel Miller midway through the half.

Justin looked to have won the ball cleanly on the edge of the area but Miller blew for a free kick, from which Scott Cuthbert conceded a penalty for pulling, and Cullen stepped up to complete his hat-trick. Cuthbert protested to the official that his shirt was being pulled too, but the real injustice was the award of the free kick in the first place.

The closest Luton came to a leveller was when a corner a minute from time found it's way to the back stick where Sheehan met it delightfully on the volley, but the ball flew just wide of the far post.

Luton will feel aggrieved they didn't get two penalties themselves – one for a foul by Tom Aldred on Hylton, and another for any one of a number of handballs in a late goalmouth scramble – but instead have it all to do back at Kenilworth Road on Thursday.

Luton boss: Our defending must improve

Luton's defending and discipline must improve drastically if they are to stop their dream of a play-off final at Wembley fading away.

So says manager Nathan Jones after his side lost the first leg of their semi-final 3-2 at Blackpool last night, meaning it's do or die in Thursday's second leg.

But in order to turn things around at Kenilworth Road, Luton must first tighten up at the back, according to the Hatters chief.

Jones said: "It was end to end stuff, but for me it was frustrating because we have the second best defensive record in the league and I didn't envisage us conceding three goals like did, especially in the manner in which we conceded them.

"The second by Mark Cullen was a cracking strike but the first one had a bit of calamity about it. We weren't brave enough, we didn't get tight enough and we allowed them to get balls into feet too early and too easily.

"We didn't do enough defensively, and that's what we need to do as I know we've got plenty going forward. It was totally out of character for us as we've got the second best defensive record in the league. I didn't envisage that, little errors cost us and we showed a bit of naivety."

There was also goals galore in the other semi-final, where Carlise and Exeter played out a 3-3 draw, and Jones put the glut down to the madness of the play-offs.

He added: "You look at the Championship and they were really tight games because you've got that quality. In League Two you've had 11 goals – whether that's brilliant play or lack of discipline, we've got to be more disciplined as we can't defend like that on Thursday

"I don't know if it was nerves or something but we did things tonight I didn't recognise, and certain things happened which shouldn't have happened. I've been in play-off games where strange things happen because of their importance, because they're in front of the cameras."

Luton boss: Referee did not have a good game

Nathan Jones has blasted the refereeing decisions which contributed to Luton Town's play-off semi-final first leg defeat at Blackpool tonight.

With the scores level at 2-2, ref Nigel Miller awarded Blackpool a penalty for shirt-pulling which Mark Cullen converted for his hat-trick, despite Scott Cuthbert claiming his shirt had been tugged too.

To make it even worse, the free kick from which the offence was committed should never have been given, James Justin having been penalised for making what was clearly a clean challenge on the edge of the area.

And to compound the Luton manager's misery, they had two penalty shouts of their own turned down, one for a foul on Danny Hylton and another for handball in the area following a goalmouth scramble.

Jones said: "It (Blackpool's) was a very, very soft penalty, and if you give penalties for those things you'll be giving 10 a game. It was 50-50, I watched it back on Sky and it was such a soft penalty.

"Both shirts were getting pulled, and to give a penalty is a big big call. The referee needs to handle that differently I think.

"It's a frustrating one because we don't get those penalties and people pull us all over. We thought that at the time (it wasn't a free kick against Justin), but you still have to defend the free kick and we didn't.

"We then had a shout for handball in there and that wasn't given. Hylts' one would have been harsh to give but the other one was stonewall. He's clawed it away with his hand, that's a pen to me all day long.

"I don't thing the referee had a good game in terms of lots of things, but if we hadn't conceded three goals we wouldn't have lost, and we didn't defend very well tonight at all."