Cardiff City vs Luton Town FC (27th Aug 2019)

CARDIFF CITY 0 LUTON TOWN 3

Hatters progress to third round with brilliant win in Wales

The Hatters progressed into the third round of the Carabao Cup with a fine victory at Cardiff City courtesy of an own goal and stunning strikes from Alan Sheehan and Jake Jervis on their first appearances of the season.

Town boss Graeme Jones had declared his satisfaction at landing a rapid return to the Cardiff City Stadium little more than a fortnight since the Bluebirds pinched a 2-1 Championship win with a 95th-minute goal from former Hatter Isaac Vassell.

He made ten changes from the team that won at Barnsley on Saturday, and was rewarded with some fantastic football leading to a half-time advantage courtesy of an own goal from Junior Hoilett, before Sheehan's stunning free-kick just after the hour and Jervis' fine finish after striding through the heart of the City defence soon after.

Sheehan, back wearing the armband after summer surgery to repair his damaged achilles, and Jervis appearing on the scoresheet meant the Hatters have now had 11 different goalscorers so far this term - 12 including the own goal.

In goal was James Shea behind a back four of James Bree - Lloyd Jones, Sheehan and Brendan Galloway. Luke Berry, Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu and George Moncur make up the midfield with forwards Elliot Lee, Jake Jervis and Izzy Brown ahead of them.

Shea was immediately involved, turning a left-footed drive from Omar Bogle around his near post with just over a minute on the clock. The same Bluebirds player was next to have a go, in the eighth minute, but his 20-yard effort following a quickly taken free-kick was too high to trouble the Town keeper.

The Hatters started to enjoy some decent possession, Bree progressing down the right and putting in a dangerous cross, but it was the hosts had the next attempt – Will Vaulks shooting straight at Shea – before Moncur curled the Town’s first shot high over the bar in the 15th minute.

Moncur danced his way into the Cardiff area in the 21st minute, but had the ball whipped off his toe before he could get his shot off. Junior Hoilett was soon firing at goal, however, but the left winger’s shot was well off target.

Berry was impressing in midfield, and he strode forward into the Cardiff penalty area to pick out Lee, whose volley on the turn was blocked behind by City skipper Aden Flint, their opening goalscorer in the league match earlier in the month.

Sheehan was enjoying himself, in his first appearance since Accrington away on East Saturday, and his clever interception ahead of Hoilett triggered a move that ended with Brown side-stepping a couple of men before unleashing a powerful 20-yarder that keeper Joe Day beat away.

Moncur was off-balance when he hit a wild shot from just outside the area soon after the half-hour, but the move that led to it, starting with Sheehan and Shea and involving a big switch to Bree and Jervis on the right, was a sign of the confidence now running through this Town team.

Hoilett and Isaac Vassell, the former Hatters striker who dealt the killer 95th-minute blow here just over a fortnight ago, were soon extending Shea again, then Jervis fired a left-footed shot well wide at the end of another good Town build-up.

The Hatters made the breakthrough two minutes before half-time, Lee picking out the run of Bree with a slide-rule pass to the right byline, and the Aston Villa loanee’s cut-back was deflected past his own keeper by the sliding, back-tracking Hoilett.

There was time before the half-time whistle for Jones to bring down Bogle as he bore down on the Town box, but Shea was once again behind Vaulks’ low shot, and the clean sheet remained intact.

Jones made one change at half-time, withdrawing Bree and bringing Bolton on in his place, while Cardiff replaced Vassell with Shamar Moore.

The first chance of the half fell to Berry, taking a throw from Bolton in his stride and firing over from a tight angle when a cut-back might have been more suited, before a Brown left-foot curler flew over the bar after intricate build-up play from Bolton and Lee set the Chelsea loan star up.

A long throw into the Town six-yard box caused a bit of concern in the 56th minute as Cardiff upped the ante, then Sheehan was at full stretch to intercept a dangerous-looking Hoilett cross a couple of yards from his own goal-line.

The captain was soon proving invaluable at the other end too, stepping up to whip a stunning 25-yard free-kick from the left of the penalty area around the defensive wall and into the top corner, leaving Day grasping at thin air.

Within seconds the Irishman was heading another dangerous-looking cross away, then he slid in to block a shot from Cardiff sub Gary Madine, who had capitalised on a loose ball and pulled the trigger from just inside the 18-yard box.

It was 3-0 by the 69th minute, and it was a first goal in a Hatters shirt for Jervis - more than 18 months after signing from Plymouth and having spent last season on loan at AFC Wimbledon - who produced a cool finish after racing through the middle and holding off a defender to latch onto a brilliant through-ball from Berry, deep inside his own half.

It was a great way for the forward to round off his first Hatters appearance since the first round of this competition a year and two weeks ago, with Callum McManaman coming on for him with just under ten minutes to go and the travelling Town fans giving him a terrific ovation as he made his way around the edge of the pitch in front of them.

The match also marked a first clean sheet of the campaign, with Shea rarely troubled late on as the Hatters await tomorrow night's draw to discover who they play in their first third round appearance in 12 years.

TOWN: Shea, Bree (Bolton 46), Jones, Sheehan (c), Galloway, Berry, Mpanzu, Moncur, Lee, Brown, Jervis (McManaman 82). Subs: Potts, Shinnie, Butterfield, Neufville, Stech.

Goals: Hoilett (OG) 43, Sheehan 63, Jervis 69

CITY: Day, Flint (c), Vaulks, Nelson, Paterson, Whyte (Waite 71), Brown, Coxe, Hoilett, Bogle (Madine 65), Vassell (Moore 46). Subs: Bennett, D'Almeida, Bodenham, Murphy (GK)

Yellows: Vaulks

REFEREE: Tony Harrington

ATT: 4,111 (232 Hatters)

GRAEME JONES "REALLY SATISFIED" WITH WIN OVER CARDIFF

Town boss Graeme Jones was “really satisfied” with tonight’s win over Cardiff City in the Carabao Cup, as he felt it demonstrated the strength of the squad he has at his disposal.

An own-goal from Junior Hoilett, before Alan Sheehan and Jake Jervis found the back of the net were more than enough to provide the Town with safe passage through to the third round of the competition.

Jones said: “I am really satisfied, it shows the strength of the club and the playing squad. We came here and I think we have been ourselves, I think there was a big improvement from two-and-a-half weeks ago, that’s the only thing I wanted to measure. Obviously the lads who have come in have played 90 minutes, I feel like we’re in a really strong position.

“I treat everyone the same – there is no first team and second team. There’s players that are in form, players that have to work to get into form, players that are behind physically and behind mentally. But this competition is good for us, we need to be competitive in everything we do, I wasn’t coming here to lay down tonight so we can concentrate on the Championship. No, it’s the opposite, it’s healthy for the football club, we want to go as far as we can go as long as it doesn’t hinder us in the league.

“Obviously we have got a game Saturday, I was conscious of that, that’s why the changes were made. The boys that came in showed that they’re totally confident and anytime that they’re required, they’ll be ready. Games like tonight help you prepare for that.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzhzaINc9q0 – Match highlights

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jil1VLBivN8 – Graeme Jones interview

Sheehan and Jervis on target as Hatters down Bluebirds

Carabao Cup, second round: Cardiff City 0 Luton Town 3

Luton Town reached the third round of the Carabao Cup for the first time since 2007 with a superb 3-0 win at Championship rivals Cardiff City this evening.

The Hatters, who had gone down 2-1 in Wales during their league clash earlier this month, had a slice of revenge over Neil Warnock's side, with a top-drawer performance.

Ahead at the break through Junior Hoilett's own goal, second half strikes from two unlikely sources in Alan Sheehan and Jake Jervis, ensured the Hatters went through.

Boss Graeme Jones made 10 changes from the 3-1 win at Barnsley on Saturday, Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu, Luke Berry, Izzy Brown and George Moncur among those coming in, with only James Bree keeping his place.

The hosts threatened first though, Omar Bogle forcing keeper James Shea into a fine save low down, the home striker also putting another attempt over from the edge of the box.

Shea was also called upon again with 13 minutes gone, comfortably gathering Will Vaulks' effort, as George Moncur had Town's opening opportunity, curling wide of the target.

Town then got themselves into the game with some fine play from Mpanzu and Brown, while Moncur almost jinked his way through, the ball just taken away from him.

Brown then showed just what he is capable of, shrugging off his marker to reach the edge of the box, his blast parried away by Joe Day.

Shea was required to gather Junior Hoilett's attempt at his near post, although he should have been worked more on 37 minutes, Isaac Vassell sprung after Lee gave the ball away, the striker shooting straight at him.

It was the same when Bogle beat both Jones and Sheehan to fashion a shooting chance, Shea easily collecting when a pass to Hoilett might have been better.

Hoilett was then to play a huge part in the opening on 43 minutes, but for all the wrong reasons, as Lee fed the overlapping Bree, whose cross was deflected past Day into the bottom corner by the sliding winger.

Shea showed exemplary handling to gather Vaulks' powerfully driven free kick in injury time, to finish a half that saw Town with an impressive 78 per cent of the possession.

Town swapped Bree for Luke Bolton at the break, and the visitors might have swiftly added to their lead, Berry blazing an angled attempt over, Brown curling an effort wide too.

The Hatters then had daylight on 63 minutes as they won a free kick some 25 yards from goal and up stepped Sheehan to curl home a superb effort beyond Day and into the top corner.

It got even better seven minutes later when Berry produced a wonderful pass from inside his own half to set Jervis free.

The striker showed excellent desire to hold off his man and then coolly beat Day with a fine finish to notch his first ever goal for the club since arriving in January 2018.

Town then saw the game out to a chorus of ole's at times, such was their dominance of the ball in the closing stages, easily gaining a first clean sheet of the season in the process.

Bluebirds: Joe Day, Aden Flint (C), Will Vaulks, Isaac Vassell (Shamar Moore 46) Callum Paterson, Curtis Nelson, Gavin Whyte (James Waite 71), Omar Bogle (Gary Madine 65), Ciaron Brown, Cameron Coxe, Junior Hoilett.

Subs not used: Brian Murphy, Joe Bennett, Shamar Moore, Tavio D'Almeida, Jack Bodenham.

Hatters: James Shea, James Bree (Luke Bolton 46), Brendan Galloway, Llloyd Jones, Alan Sheehan (C), Luke Berry, Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzy, Izzy Brown, Elliot Lee, Jake Jervis (Callum McManaman 81), Elliot Lee.

Subs not used: Marek Stech, Dan Potts, Andrew Shinnie, Jacob Butterfield, Josh Neufville.

Booked: Vaulks 85.

Referee: Tony Harrington.

Attendance: 4,111.

Joy for Luton boss as Town gain revenge over Cardiff

Town boss Graeme Jones was thrilled to gain some revenge over Cardiff City by knocking them out of the Carabao Cup with a wonderful 3-0 victory this evening.

The Bluebirds had triumphed in the league contest at the same venue just over a fortnight ago, but this time, they were handed a comprehensive reverse as Town eased through to round three.

A Junior Hoilett own goal, plus second half strikes from Alan Sheehan and Jake Jervis saw the Hatters progress, as Jones said: “We came here two and a half weeks ago, so they were aware, they had the emotion of the game, they felt the guttedness of losing with the last kick of the game.

“We’ve put that right tonight and it was definitely in the back of our minds.

“There was (an element of revenge), if I’m being honest, I wanted to come here and win.

“Looking back now, it’s easy to lose that way, moan and groan, blame people.

“Or sometimes you lose and you learn, and you learn from experience.

"We learned from West Brom and we learned from Sheffield Wednesday and I’m not saying we’re there yet as there’ll be some tests around the corner, and we’re still learning.