Carlisle United vs Luton Town FC (19th Apr 2016)

PUBLISHED 22:00 19th April 2016 by Ross Lawson Hatters make it three wins in a row with impressive victory at Carlisle

CARLISLE 1-2 LUTON TOWN

Joe Pigott netted his third goal in two games as the Hatters secured a 12th victory away from home this season.

Pigott profited from Pelly Ruddock’s flick back before Josh McQuoid doubled the advantage after fantastic work from Pigott, reciprocating McQuoid’s assist from the Oxford trip.

Jack Stacey pulled one back for Carlisle, but the Town hung on to a third successive League Two victory with a resolute defensive display.

The win takes the Hatters above their hosts, although the difference between them and the play-offs remains at six points.

Nathan Jones named an unchanged side from the victory at Oxford in which Pigott, leading the line, scored twice for his first Town goals.

Carlisle started with the majority of possession, failing to test Elliot Justham early on as the Hatters developed into the game from around the 15 minute mark.

Indeed it was the visitors boasting the first chance. Stephen O’Donnell, impressive going forward all evening, unleashed a fantastic 25-yard volley the keeper was forced to tip over following a rebound from a Danny Green corner.

And the Hatters were ahead mid-way through the half, with Green’s neat flick setting Ruddock away down the right hand side, operating behind Pigott as he did last time out. His cross found Pigott in space on the edge of the area, and while the striker had plenty to do, he did it in style with a cool turn and shot to open the scoring.

Pigott was once again proving a handful in attack, but Carlisle came close to equalising when Alex Gilliead’s defence-splitting pass found Alex McQueen, whose cross was begging for a Cumbrian man to touch past Justham.

Alex Lawless, celebrating his 200th Hatters game at Oxford, almost provided some audacious skill to double the advantage. He robbed the ball from a Carlisle player in a dangerous position, lobbing a defender to find Ruddock on the edge of the area, who could only drag his shot wide.

The Town did double their lead just six minutes into the second half though. Fine perseverance from Pigott on the byline saw him attempt two crosses to the box, with the latter causing chaos in the home box which McQuoid benefitted from to tuck home in the far post to reassure the 235 fans in the away end.

Carlisle were not without their chances though, and they should have pulled one back when Jason Kennedy flicked a McQueen cross straight to the path of Jabo Ibehre, who could only touch wide from a yard or two out.

But the Blues halved the deficit just second later, with Stacey running diagonally at the Hatters defence before firing past Justham at the near post to set up a nervy final 30 minutes at Brunton Park.

Captain Alan Sheehan was forced into sound defensive duty on more than one occasion, heading off the line for the first of two occasions from Charlie Wyke’s header beyond Justham.

The Town were doing well to soak up Carlisle pressure while looking to push their visitors on the break, with McQueen posing numerous questions with a series of crosses which Nathan Jones’ side dealt with aptly.

And the Cumbrians felt they had equalised with just ten minutes left on the clock, when Ibehre forced the ball goalwards, only for Sheehan to complete his double to nod off the line and, in the absence of goal-line technology, the assistant referee gave the Hatters the benefit of the doubt.

Substitute Cameron McGeehan had a chance to put the game beyond doubt, but he could only sky a first-time effort over the bar following yet another surging O’Donnell break.

But it proved not to matter for the Town, making this their ninth consecutive League 2 win by a one-goal margin and their third overall.

Hatters: Justham, Potts, O’Donnell, Sheehan, Rea, Lee, Lawless, Ruddock (sub Howells 85), Green (sub McGeehan 69), McQuoid (sub Marriott 90+1), Pigott

Unused subs: King, Benson, Musonda, Banton

Attendance: 3497, with a fantastic 235 backing the Hatters. Thank you for your excellent support!

http://www.lutontown.co.uk/news/article/gallery-carlisle-united-1-2-luton-town-3069979.aspx

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Luton Town sealed a third successive victory to keep their faint play-off hopes alive with a superb 2-1 win at Carlisle United on Tuesday night.

With the Football League ridiculously scheduling Hatters’ longest trip of the season for a midweek clash, Nathan Jones’ side showed no signs of travel sickness, as they made it seven wins on the road from nine since the manager took over.

Another excellent finish from Joe Pigott set the tone, while Josh McQuoid added to the tally early in the second half, and although Jack Stacey pulled one back on the hour, Town stood firm to climb to 13th in the table, leap-frogging their Cumbrian rivals.

Hatters were unchanged from the 3-2 win at Oxford United on Saturday as both sides kept each other at arms length in the opening exchanges, while the visitors almost had a stunning opener on 19 minutes when Stephen O’Donnell tried his luck from 20 yards and his dipping volley forced Mark Gillespie to arch his back and tip over.

Luton then were in front on 23 minutes after another sublime move down their right hand side, starting with Danny Green’s clever flick to Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu.

The midfielder sprinted away and sent over a low cross that Pigott collected before spinning to beat Gillespie with a controlled low finish for his third goal in two games.

Town were then happy to consolidate their lead, with a few speedy counters, one which Pigott looped a header into Gillespie’s gloves, while the visitors couldn’t quite release O’Donnell’s burst from well inside his own half.

A fine Glen Rea excellent sliding block prevented Macauley Gillesphey from turning in from close range, while Luton then turned defence into attack, with Lawless’ clever flick finding Ruddock Mpanzu but faced with Gillespie, his angled drive went narrowly wide.

Rea once again timed his sliding challenge to perfection inside the area once more, with Stacey then going alone from 20 yards, whizzing wide.

The hosts had a great chance moments after the break, with Charlie Wyke stooping to meet a corner, but under pressure from the defence, couldn’t keep his header down.

However, it was Hatters were to score next, when Pigott showed tremendous perseverance on the byline to win the ball back and his cross eventually reached McQuoid, who side-footed home.

Half time sub Jabo Ibehre should really have given his side a lifeline on the hour mark as Jason Kennedy flicked on for the sub but he could only toe-poke wide from a matter of yards.

However, on 61 minutes, the hosts were back in the game when Stacey went a mazy run and then shot goalwards, with Justham beaten at his near post.

With Carlisle abandoning their passing style to bombard Luton’s area at every opportunity, Justham had the ball headed out of his gloves by Alan Sheehan, conceding a corner, with Dan Potts having to head Wyke’s attempt away from the goal-line.

A mistake by David Atkinson almost saw Luton add a third though, but Pigott’s ball was cut out by sprawling Gillespie before it could reach Green.

As the game wore on, the imposing Ibehre was inches away from a leveller on 80 minutes as he beat Justham to another searching delivery, but Alan Sheehan was there to produce a superb goal-line clearance, hooking away from under his own bar.

Luton then went into game-management mode to try and see the game out, but might have killed off the hosts’ as O’Donnell’s fine burst and pull back was skied by McGeehan.

However, the visitors did indeed hold to record another fine victory on their travels, and now head back to Kenilworth Road this weekend, to host Newport County.

Match facts

Carlisle United: Mark Gillespie, Danny Grainger (C Derek Asamoah 82), Luke Joyce, David Atkinson (Troy Archibald-Henville 67), Jason Kennedy, Charlie Wyke, Brandon Comley (Jabo Ibehre 46), Jack Stacey, Alex Gillead, Macauley Gillesphey, Alex McQueen.

Subs not used: Patrick Brough, Antony Sweeney, Dan Hanford, Joe Thompson.

Hatters: Elliot Justham, Stephen O’Donnell, Dan Potts, Alan Sheehan, Glen Rea, Alex Lawless, Olly Lee, Danny Green (Cameron McGeehan 68), Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu (Jake Howells 85), Josh McQuoid (Jack Marriott 90), Joe Pigott.

Subs not used: Zane Banton, Craig King, Frankie Musonda, Paul Benson.

Attendance: 3,497 (235 Hatters).

Booked: McQuoid 74.

Referee: Mark Haywood.

Hatters MOM: Joe Pigott. Another super finish and led the line superbly once more from start to finish.

Luton Town manager Nathan Jones hailed his side’s ‘magnificent’ away performance as they triumphed 2-1 at Carlisle United on Tuesday night.

The visitors made it back-to-back victories on the road after beating Oxford United 3-2 at the weekend, as Jones said: “I’m really, really pleased. It was hard fought, it’s a difficult place to come to, they’ve got play-off aspirations as well as us and it was a difficult game.

“But we handled what, they’re a nice footballing side but we were disciplined, we had very little problems.

“We had the better chances in the first half, so the game plan worked and we got a well-taken goal.

“Then they came out and went purely contrasting to the first half and went direct, as I think they did in the home fixture, if I remember, so that followed a pattern.

“We got the goal and probably could have made it easier for ourselves but a bit of sloppy play, which we have to eradicate because we could have been a lot more comfortable if we’d have done that than that, but we didn’t.

“However, I’m just delighted because it’s a magnificent away performance and a win.”

The victory meant it was now seven wins from nine on the road for Jones since taking over, compared to three triumphs on home soil in that time, as he continued: “They’re showing some real character, I can’t defend Stevenage but we’ve really tried to play at home, we’ve tried to win games, it’s just sometimes it doesn’t happen.

“Away from home it has, maybe because they’ve got more space to play, maybe sides are a little bit more ambitious on their patch, so that leaves space for us to exploit.

“But they’re just giving me everything at the minute so I’m really, really pleased.”

The Luton boss was also paid a big compliment to his defence, as although they were breached by Jack Stacey’s strike on the hour, centre halves Glen Rea and Alan Sheehan in particular stood out, especially when United resorted to pumping long balls to Charlie Wyke and Jabo Ibehre in the second period.

Jones added: “I thought my back four and my goalkeeper were magnificent.

“If you want to come out and try and press them everywhere, then they have players who can hurt you as they haven’t been where they are for the majority of the season and they’re not a bad side.

“We restricted them to minimal efforts for long periods. It was only, as this league does, when sides have two big ones (strikers) and they go boom town, as we call it, and put it up there, anything can happen.

“Then it’s random events. I thought we handled that very, very well though. Our centre halves are not the biggest but they’re the bravest.

“They competed, they grafted, my keeper helped them out, the full backs were tight – it was a good, good performance.”

Carlisle United 1 Luton Town 2

What a difference a week makes, but suddenly Joe Pigott has transformed into the prime poacher that boss Nathan Jones promised he would be. More than that, even.

Seven days ago against Dagenham at Kenilworth Road he was the pantomime villain – getting jeered by the home crowd and squandering a host of chances – but the Charlton loan striker broke his ten-game barren spell with a winning brace at Oxford.

That confidence poured into this performance at Carlisle.

Pigott not only scored a real striker's finish for the opener – his third in two games – but head led the line intelligently and was then instrumental in the second, with Josh McQuoid supplying the finish – his first strike in 12 games, since the home defeat to the Cumbrians on November 24.

But like that game, where Luton were in command, United came storming back with unabashed directness – "boom town" as Jones described it – and, as they ladled on the pressure, Jack Stacey ripped one in from distance.

But as the tension twisted Town's backline stood up to be counted. Alan Sheehan saved their skins with an unbelievable goal-line clearance, though, to a man, the defence braved their way to a third win on the spin to keep their faint hopes of a League Two play-off place alive.

In many ways, it reinforced what we've come to expect from Nathan Jones' side – that they are outstanding on the road. Now they must find the same formula at home.

In classic away day style, when Town did take the lead it was with a lightning counter. Danny Green flicked to Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu on the halfway line, who looked like he had wasted his chance to feed in Pigott. But the midfielder powered on and picked the striker out in the box where the 22-year-old had a lot to do but he took one touch to steady himself, turn and fire through legs into the bottom corner.

It saw the travelling Town fans chant, "feed the Pig and he will score".

Where the Charlton loan man was clinical, Ruddock Mpanzu was not, but he should have made it 2-0 three minutes before the break after some neat skill and a through-ball from Alex Lawless set him free. Yet the youngster dragged his shot wide of the upright.

After the break, Carlisle did the pressing but Town doubled their lead on 51 minutes with another break which owed everything to the perseverance of Pigott.

The forward bullied his way to the byline and though he got a fortunate ricochet he had the presence of mind to cutback to Danny Green and, while the winger miscued horribly, McQuoid was on hand for the tap-in.

Half time United substitute Jabo Ibehre should have halved the deficit on the hour but somehow the striker volleyed wide from point blank range. It matter little because moments later the net did bulge. Stacey was allowed to run and run and he unleashed a fierce blast from outside the box which Luton goalkeeper Elliot Justham couldn't get close to.

United pressed and probed, causing havoc, with cross after fabulous Alex McQueen cross, but it still afforded the Hatters space to break out, though their wastefulness in the build-up had boss Jones stamping his feet in frustration in his technical area.

That set them up for a nervous finish and when the Carlisle right back sent in another teaser it needed a miraculous goal-line clearance from Sheehan to keep out Ibehre's header.

See out the game they did and now the tests will change on home turf against Newport on Saturday, but they won't go far wrong if they can replicate all the positives of this display.

And, just like the turnaround with Pigott, there really could be something happening here with this Luton side.

Carlisle United: Gillespie, McQueen, Atkinson (Archibald-Henville, 67), Gillesphey, Grainger (Asamoah, 82), Joyce, Comley (Ibehre, 45), Kennedy, Stacey, Gilliead, Wyke

Unused subs: Hanford, Brough, Sweeney, Thompson

Luton Town: Justham, O'Donnell, Potts, Rea, Lawless, Green (McGeehan, 68), Ruddock Mpanzu (Howells, 85), Lee, McQuoid (Marriott, 91), Sheehan, Pigott

Unused subs: King, Benson, Musonda, Banton

Referee: Mark Haywood

Attendance: 3,497 (235)

Boss Nathan Jones hailed the resurgence of Joe Pigott as the Charlton loan striker fired his third goal in two games to set Luton towards a hard-fought 2-1 win at Carlisle United last night.

A week earlier the 22-year-old was getting booed by sections of the Kenilworth Road crowd in the 1-0 win over Dagenham, but after ten barren games he broke his duck with a double at the weekend to sink Oxford 3-2.

Pigott looked a different player almost immediately after his maiden Hatters goal four days ago and his confidence soared again at Brunton Park where he put his side ahead, earning an affectionate chant from the 235-strong travelling Town contingent, who sang, "feed the Pig and he will score."

But he did much more than that, with some intelligent play as the lone man up front and then being instrumental in the second for Josh McQuoid.

"Joe has really gone through a spell and is coming through it magnificently," said Jones, adding of the youngster's latest goal: "It's a striker's finish and I think he led the line really, really well at times. He was isolated up there and he's a young boy, so he's learning his trade, but I thought he was brilliant.

"I was a little bit vociferous on the weekend, because I was defending him. I believe in the kid because he's done it for me at whatever level he's played. He has ability and, as you see, it was real quality. He soaked it in, a little shift and bang, clinical, really clinical. He's got that, but he was part and parcel of an excellent away performance."

McQuoid, who netted for the first time in 12 games – since the November home defeat to Carlisle – said of his fellow goalscorer: "We all know that Joe has had his critics, but he's coming through now.

"He's a young lad, he's good around the changing room, he a good character. It was pleasing for him to get the goal because he's been really showing what a force he can be.

"The gaffer has said quite a lot about him. He's a great finisher, he's only young and in training he's enthusiastic. You can see his quality in training and it maybe hadn't gone his way on the pitch as much as everyone would have liked it to but now it's really shining through, his quality."

The Hatters also had an obdurate defence to thank for grinding out the three points once Jack Stacey pulled on back for the Cumbrians, with an acrobatic goal-line clearance from Alan Sheehan the highlight.

Jones said: "I thought my back four and my goalkeeper were magnificent.

"As this league does, when sides have two big ones [strikers] and they go boom town, as we call it, and put it up there, anything can happen. Then it's random events. I thought we handled that very, very well.

"Our centre halves are not the biggest but they're the bravest. They competed, they grafted, my keeper helped them out, the full backs were tight – it was a good performance."