Exeter City vs Luton Town FC (26th Sep 2023)

Report | Hatters exit Carabao Cup at Exeter

The Hatters exited the Carabao Cup at the third round stage as League One side Exeter City caused an upset at St James Park with Deme Mitchell's late strike proving the difference between the two sides.

With ten changes from the side that drew with Wolves on Saturday, including a first senior start for Joe Johnson, Town moved the ball well in the early stages with the 17-year-old on the left of a back three alongside Mads Andersen and debutant Teden Mengi.

The game’s first opportunities came the Hatters’ way after Mengi had endeared himself to the travelling fans with a perfectly timed tackle on flying Exeter winger Vince Harper as the hosts looked to break.

Luke Berry fired the first warning shot on eight minutes, Grecians keeper Vil Sinsalo tipping his 20-yarder over his bar, before Cauley Woodrow rattled the outside of the post after ghosting into the box direct from an Alfie Doughty throw three minutes later.

Exeter’s response was positive, James Scott collecting the ball halfway inside the Town half and whistling a shot just past Tim Krul’s right post, before Mitchell cut in from the right flank and tested the Dutchman at his near post.

Town were always a threat, however, Andersen heading a Doughty free-kick narrowly wide just before the half-hour, Berry and Elijah Adebayo seeing quickfire volleys blocked in a goalmouth scramble from a Ryan Giles corner soon after.

Exeter midfielder Caleb Watts skied an effort that threatened only a bay window in the houses behind the Town fans in the St James Road Stand, before Mengi became the first player into referee James Bell’s book for a challenge on Harper that was nowhere near as well-timed as his first.

He was soon joined by Chong for a shove on the Exeter wideman in full flight, before Kyle Taylor kept his effort slightly lower than Watts and Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu at the other end, after capitalising on some loose defending from City captain Will Aimson.

Goalless at the break, Exeter came quickly out of the blocks as they attacked towards their own fans on the Big Bank, Mitchell trying his luck from distance after a loose back-pass from Giles presented them with an early corner.

Krul was called into action again on the hour as Mitchell raced down the right and the keeper’s outstretched leg, Taylor missing the target with the rebound from close range.

Edwards made a quadruple substitution, replacing Johnson, Doughty, Chong and Woodrow with Amari’i Bell, Issa Kabore, Chiedozie Ogbene and Jacob Brown.

Town started to enjoy more possession and Adebayo’s stooping header from a Giles cross flew just wide, before a raking pass from Mengi put the former Wolves man in on the left again, Brown meeting this perfectly delivered centre with a header straight at Sinsalo.

The fifth change came with 15 minutes left, Edwards introducing Carlton Morris for Adebayo and the top scorer was next to head a Giles delivery at goal, his effort cleared off the line before another pinpoint Giles cross found Brown once again, this time the Scotland forward’s glancing header flying past the far post.

Just when the Town were threatening as the close stages neared, the hosts had their breakthrough with seven minutes of normal time remaining when Yanic Wildschut’s deep cross from the right found its way to Mitchell at the far post, via a loose touch by Kabore, and the City forward rifled into the roof of the Town net.

As the Hatters pushed for an equaliser to force penalties, Mitchell intercepted a Berry pass on the edge of his box and carried the ball towards the Town area, although his attempted chip over Krul was too high.

The Exeter goalscorer’s night was over in the 88th minute, however, when a foul on Kabore earned him a second yellow card, and the announcement of another seven minutes of added time gave the Hatters hope.

For all the territory and possession, they failed to create another clear-cut chance however, and the travelling faithful set off on the long journey home disappointed, but still having given their team their usual warm reception as they thanked them for their brilliant midweek support.

Now it's onto Everton and the search for Premier League points. See you then.

Town: Krul; Doughty (sub Kabore 64), Mengi, Andersen, Johnson (sub Bell 64), Giles; Mpanzu, Chong (sub Brown 64), Berry; Woodrow (sub Ogbene 64), Adebayo (sub Morris 75).

Subs not used: Shea, Burke, Burger, Luker.

Attendance: 7,360 including 708 backing the Town.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QE4-3P7FbPU – Rob Edwards interview

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gd5GOgVUxsc – match highlights

Luton Town suffer shock Carabao Cup exit at League One Exeter

Carabao Cup third round: Exeter City 1 Luton Town 0

A late goal from Deme Mitchell saw Luton suffer a shock Carabao Cup exit at the hands of League One Exeter City this evening.

For the second game running, the Hatters dominated play for large periods, but their goalscoring woes continued, once more unable to find the net, this time against a side who had shipped three in a heavy defeat against Oxford at the weekend, as they were undone with just seven minutes remaining.

A mistake by sub Issa Kabore saw Mitchell take full advantage, as he stabbed into the roof of the net to end Town’s hopes of taking any momentum from the weekend into Saturday’s Premier League trip to Everton.

Hatters boss Rob Edwards made wholesale changes for the clash, 10 of them in fact, with Alfie Doughty the only survivor from the 1-1 draw against Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Recent signing Teden Mengi was given his Hatters debut, while teenage defender Joe Johnson came in for a first Town start, Elijah Adebayo and Cauley Woodrow forming the front duo.

Luke Berry had the game's first attempt on eight minutes, seeing a 25-yarder tipped over by Vil Sinsalo, as it looked like it would be a comfortable evening for Luton, dominating all aspects of the game in the opening 12 minutes.

Town almost capitalised on their strong start, Woodrow escaping in the area, his close range effort rattling the outside of the post.

Despite having 82 percent possession in the opening stages, Luton crucially couldn't break the deadlock and were almost undone by Exeter's first chance on 20 minutes, James Scott's curler from distance not missing the top corner by much.

Midway through the half, and with City's influence building, Mitchell cut off the right flank and went for goal, Krul judging the bounce well at his near post.

Luton tried to reassert their authority, Doughty swinging in a deep free kick and Mads Andersen's header dropping narrowly wide of the target, while a corner led to scramble that saw Berry's drive charged down and Adebayo's rebound on the turn hit home keeper Sinsalo.

Both Mengi and Chong went into the book for fouls on Vince Harper, as Exeter's Taylor once more fancied his chances from range, volleying over the top.

The woeful accuracy was catching, as a poor touch inside the area saw the ball fall to Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu, whose first time attempt flew into the packed stand of Grecian supporters.

After the break, Mitchell tried another ambitious drive from range but once more couldn't keep it down.

Exeter should have moved ahead on 62 minutes, as Johnson was outmuscled on the left and Mitchell burst into the box, denied by the legs of Krul, with Taylor hammering the rebound wide from 12 yards.

Edwards responded with a quadruple change, bringing on Amari'i Bell, Jacob Brown, Issa Kabore and former Exeter loanee Chiedoze Ogbene for Johnson, Woodrow, Chong and Doughty.

Giles looked to create an opening soon afterwards, his cross slightly behind Adebayo who couldn't twist and get his effort on target.

With 73 gone, Luton had their best opportunity of the night when Mengi's magnificent crossfield pass released Giles whose first time cross was met by Brown, but he could only direct his downward header straight at Vinsalo.

Mpanzu put another drive over, as the last throw of the dice saw top scorer Carlton Morris on for Adebayo.

Giles was proving the architect for Town's chances, sizing up another cross from the left that Brown glanced wide, before another corner saw Morris's header deflect just wide.

Exeter were to grab the winner late on though, a ball swung in from the right and Kabore opting to take a touch rather than clear his lines, failing to account for the lurking Mitchell who was able to stab home.

With Luton throwing men forward, Mitchell tried to seal victory when racing away from well inside his own half, his deft chip dropping wide.

A chaotic last few minutes saw the goalscorer then sent off for a second yellow after clipping Kabore as he looked to reach a ball over the top, but despite throwing men forward, Town couldn’t find a leveller.

Grecians: Vil Sinsalo, Zak Jules, Will Aimson (C), Alex Hartridge, Tom Carroll, Deme Mitchell, James Scott (Yanic Wildschut 63), Caleb Watts (Reece Cole 44), Kyle Taylor, Jack Fitzwater, Vince Harper (Harry Kite 63).

Subs not used: Gary Woods, Sonny Cox, Pierce Sweeney, Mitch Beardmore, Pedro Borges, Jake Richards.

Hatters: Tim Krul, Alfie Doughty (Issa Kabore 65), Teden Mengi, Mads Andersen, Joe Johnson (Amari'i Bell 65), Ryan Giles, Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu (C), Luke Berry, Tahith Chong (Chiedozie Ogbene 65), Cauley Woodrow (Jacob Brown 65), Elijah Adebayo (Carlton Morris 75).

Subs not used: James Shea, Reece Burke, Jake Burger, Jayden Luker.

Referee: James Bell.

Booked: Mengi 36, Chong 42, Mitchell 47, Scott 51, Vinsalo 78, Sweeney 90, Carroll 90.

Sent off: Mitchell 88.

Attendance: 7,360

Edwards left frustrated as Luton are knocked out by late Grecians sucker punch

Town exit Carabao Cup this evening

Luton manager Rob Edwards was disappointed his side were hit by a late sucker punch as they were knocked out of the Carabao Cup with a 1-0 third round defeat against League One Exeter City this evening.

The Hatters boss made 10 changes for the contest, but despite having Elijah Adebayo, Cauley Woodrow and Tahith Chong in the side, while bringing on Jacob Brown, Chiedozie Ogbene and Carlton Morris in the second period, weren’t able to find the net.

With penalties looming, Town were then dumped out as Issa Kabore’s mistake at the back post was punished by Deme Mitchell in the 83rd minute, as although the goalscorer was sent off shortly afterwards for his second booking, the hosts held on.

Edwards said: “We need more desire to create chances and be more ruthless.

“I can’t keep saying the same things at the moment, we’ve been sucker punched really, a bad mistake on our part, and we’ve not found a way or had the quality tonight to get the ball over the line.

“Ultimately then you get punished and we don’t deserve to go through.

“I thought there were elements of the performance that were okay but we’ve certainly got to find the quality, desire, devilment to break teams down.

“There was a lack of space.

"As the game started opening up, we did start creating more problems for them and had a lot of the ball, but they defended the box very well.”

Hatters boss stands by his changes despite 'horrible' cup exit at League One Exeter

Town are knocked out by third tier opposition on Tuesday night

Luton boss Rob Edwards stood by the wholesale changes he made after watching his Hatters side crash out of the Carabao Cup at League One Exeter City last night.

Following on from Saturday’s encouraging 1-1 draw against Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League, the Town chief opted to bring in 10 players for the third round tie, as Alfie Doughty was the only survivor from the weekend.

Tim Krul, Cauley Woodrow, Luke Berry, Ryan Giles, Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu and Elijah Adebayo all got some much-needed minutes, but they were undone late on by their third tier opponents, Deme Mitchell capitalising on a mistake by substitute Issa Kabore to stab home at the back post and send the Grecians through to round four.

Speaking afterwards, Edwards said: “I stand by those changes, the rationale behind them.

“There were one or two good performances in there, so I don’t want to tar everyone with the same brush at all, but I do want more.

“There wasn’t a lack of commitment, wasn’t a lack of effort, I will never label that at our group, ever, but I want to see more devilment, more quality in that final third, certainly.

“We had a lot of the ball, they defended with six, but we’ve got to be better in that final third, no excuses, no excuses at all, it’s disappointing.

“The team we put out, we wanted to go deep into competition we really did.

“It’s tough to take, it’s horrible to go out of the competition and I know how much it means to the supporters who have travelled a long, long way as well.

“It felt like we needed to make the changes we did, but it's on me.

"It hasn’t worked and we’re going to have to pick ourselves up quickly as we’ve got a big game away at Everton on Saturday.”

Edwards opted to give a full senior debut to academy graduate Joe Johnson in the left-sided centre half role, as recent recruit from Manchester United, Teden Mengi started on the right, with summer signing Mads Andersen in the middle.

On the trio, the boss continued: “He’s (Johnson) a really good young player, it was a good experience for him going forward.

“I thought T was excellent on his debut, he was a real plus point for us tonight and Mads was as well.”

As the game wore on, Edwards’ desire to progress was shown with his substitutions, introducing Chiedozie Ogbene, Jacob Brown, Amari’i Bell and Kabore, followed by top scorer Carlton Morris for the final 15 minutes.

Brown was to have the best chance, heading Giles’ cross straight at keeper Viljami Sinisalo from close range in the closing stages, but it was an error at the back post from Kabore, who didn’t clear his lines, which allowed Mitchell to beat Krul with seven minutes left.

The manager added: “When you defend well with high numbers, it’s hard as there’s a lack of space.

“You couldn't really go around it, couldn't go through it either because of that block so it was a challenge.

“The game started to open up the longer it went on, there was more spaces for us to look more dangerous which we did.

“We made some positive changes, I was trying to affect the game and we got punished with what a really bad mistake.

“As I said there to the lads though, we stick together, we believe in what we do, we pick ourselves up.

"We’re going to have to bounce in and we’re going to have to go again and show people what we’re made of.”