Fleetwood Town vs Luton Town FC (16th Feb 2019)

FLEETWOOD TOWN 1 LUTON TOWN 2

Moncur and Mpanzu on target as the Hatters set new club record of 20 EFL games without defeat

The Hatters set a new club record this afternoon by making it 20 EFL games without defeat by beating Fleetwood Town 2-0 at Highbury Stadium.

That result meant that the Town, who extended their cushion over third place to 11 points, have not been beaten since the trip to Barnsley in mid-October and have broken the 19-game unbeaten Football League with a sixth successive victory - a record that has stood for 50 years.

George Moncur, with his fourth goal for the club on his first start, set the ball rolling just before half-time, and Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu - with a long-range shot that Fleetwood keeper Alex Cairns couldn't deal with - bagged the second that sealed the win four minutes into the second half.

In truth, it was relatively comfortable from then on in as the Hatters recorded a 16th win in that 20-game run, Paddy Madden's 18th goal of the season two minutes into injury-time proving a consolation for the hosts.

Harford made one enforced change to his starting line-up; with Moncur coming in to the midfield at the tip of the diamond following his two-goal substiutute's performance against Wycombe last week in place of Luke Berry, who was sidelined by the hamstring niggle that forced him off late in the second half of that 3-0 win.

The other changes were on the bench, where Elliot Lee returns after missing the last five matches through injury, and Kazenga LuaLua after being absent last Saturday with a tight hamstring.

That meant James Shea was in goal, with a back four of Jack Stacey, Matty Pearson, captain Sonny Bradley and James Justin.

Alan McCormack anchored the midfield with Mpanzu and Andrew Shinnie either side of him and Moncur at the tip of the diamond, behind a front two of 19-goal top scorer James Collins and Danny Hylton.

The hosts had the first shot on goal in the seventh minute, as Ross Wallace fired straight at Shea from 25 yards.

The Town's first attack of note came soon after when Mpanzu, Shinnie, Moncur and Stacey combined down the right and the full-back's dangerous cross caused consternation in the home defence, as Lewie Coyle eventually turned the ball back to his goalkeeper Cairns, with referee Peter Bankes ingnoring appeals for handball from the travelling fans behind the goal.

The Hatters' first corner saw Justin roll it low to the edge of the box where Shinnie let fly with a first-time effort that was goalbound until it struck a Fleetwood defender in the six-yard box, but the Town were starting to find their rhythm.

Wallace, who was shown a yellow card for a late challenge on Shinnie by the left touchline, tried his luck with a volley from fully 40 yards after Shea's clearance from just outside his area flew straight to the Scottish midfielder. Bradley managed to deflect the effort wide for a corner, which the Town defended well.

A deep free-kick from Wallace on the right led to another chance for the hosts as Paddy Madden volleyed over the bar, then Wes Burns and Alan McCormack were both booked in a stop-start period, with Burns the third home player to be yellow carded for fouls, Jack Sowerby the other.

The Town were in front four minutes before half-time, and it was Moncur who once more came up with the goods for his fourth goal in a Luton shirt.

It came after Hylton had flicked McCormack through the middle with a delightful touch, with Shinnie wiped out to the right of the box as he cut inside onto the Irishman's sideways pass.

Jason Holt became the fourth Fleetwood player to be booked for a foul, but Moncur didn't need a second invitation - coming up with another stunning free-kick, Justin again acting as the decoy as he did against Portsmouth, and Moncur whipping a brilliant right-foooted shot around the wall into the top corner.

Fleetwood tried to respond, and Wallace had another go from distance, but this one went well wide of Shea's near post and the Hatters were comfortable until the break.

The lead was extended four minutes after the interval when Mpanzu netted his second of the season, albeit with a helping hand from Fleetwood keeper Cairns who seemed to be deceived by the movement of the ball from the midfielder's 25-yard shot.

The Town had done well to work the ball down the right initially, with Shinnie preventing it from going wholly over the line and Collins eventually switching the play to the left, where Mpanzu let fly and the ball was soon nestling in the bottom corner, Cairns palming it away from the centre of the goal where the powerful shot had been hit straight at him.

Again, Fleetwood went for an immediate reply, but Shea was equal to James Husband's low drive, then right-back Lewie Coyle hit a 68th-minute shot that only troubled the top of the Percy Ronson Stand housing the standing majority of the 1,083 travelling Hatters.

The Hatters came close to adding a third in the 76th minute when McCormack led a blistering counter-attack from a Fleetwood corner, charging down an attempt to play the ball back into the Town box on the edge of the centre circle.

The midfielder carried the ball to the 30-yard mark and slipped Stacey into the area to his left, with the right-back crossing low for Elliot Lee - just on as a sub for Moncur - but Fleetwood sub Ashley Hunter did brilliantly to get back and block at point-blank range in the six-yard box.

Harford brought George Thorne on for the excellent McCormack, but Shea was the next keeper called into action, diving at Ched Evans' feet as the ex-Wales international striker looked to pull the trigger after controlling a deep cross on his chest.

Shea needed treatment for his trouble as he tried to preserve a 16th league clean sheet of the season, but he was soon picking the ball out of the back of his net in injury-time when Madden volleyed in for the hosts.

It mattered little as the Town lads wrote their names further into the club's annals. Well done you history-making Hatters!

TOWN: Shea, Stacey, Pearson, Bradley (c), Justin, McCormack (Thorne 82), Mpanzu, Shinnie, Moncur (Lee 68), Collins, Hylton (Sheehan 86). Subs: Potts, Cummings, LuaLua, Isted.

Yellows: McCormack, Moncur, Collins

Goals: Moncur 41, Mpanzu 49

FLEETWOOD: Cairns, Coyle, Holt (Nadesan 58), Eastham (c), Burns, Souttar, Wallace (Hunter 76), Husband, Sowerby (Sheron 84), Madden, Evans. Subs: Morgan, Biggins, Garner, Jones (GK)

Goal: Madden 90+2

Yellows: Wallace, Sowerby, Burns, Holt

REFEREE: Peter Bankes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMivEiGSe7Y

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKYQ9vzK3FA

Luton make history by going 20 unbeaten with win over Fleetwood

League One: Fleetwood 1 Luton Town 2

Luton Town's class of 2018-19 wrote their names into the record books after going a truly sensational 20 Football League games without defeat with a 2-1 win at Fleetwood Town this afternoon.

The Hatters went into the game knowing they were 90 minutes from making history and they did so with two goals of varying quality, George Moncur's wonder free kick, followed by home keeper Alex Cairns' howler allowing Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu to score.

Up against a home side who took their physical approach to the extreme at times, particularly in the first half, seeing four players booked, the Hatters gave a masterclass in how to play when out of possession, pressing the life out of their opponents at times, to make it six straight wins.

With third placed Portsmouth letting a 3-0 lead slip to draw 3-3 at Southend prior to kick-off, Town knew victory would strengthen their position at the top even further.

Boss Mick Harford made one change, Moncur making his league debut for Town in place of Luke Berry, while Elliot Lee and Kazenga LuaLua were fit enough for the bench.

On a tricky playing surface, after Ross Wallace's long ranger was simple for James Shea, Luton settled by far the better, starting to get their passing football going.

James Justin's clever low corner picked out Andrew Shinnie perfectly, his drive drawing an excellent block.

The hosts were certainly flying into their challenges, Ross Wallace seeing yellow for a poor challenge on Shinnie, James Husband fortunate to escape a booking after going through Alan McCormack.

Town looked to have their hosts under control, only appearing in danger when Shea came out of his box to clear, Wallace's instinctive volley deflecting behind off Sonny Bradley.

Paddy Madden then volleyed wildly over at the back post from another corner, as the Hatters couldn't create any real goalscoring opportunity.

With the hosts picking up bookings like they were going out of fashion, while Alan McCormack talked himself into the referee's notebook, another poor tackle led to Town taking the lead.

Danny Hylton's clever backheel sent Alan McCormack through the middle and he found Jack Stacey to his right, (edit: Stacey passed to Shinnie and he was) fouled by Jason Holt, who was cautioned.

Like he had done against Portsmouth recently, James Justin dummied the free kick, Moncur wrapping his foot around the set-piece, sending it beyond Alex Cairns and into the top corner, undoubtedly a better strike than he had netted in that Pompey encounter.

He saw yellow though for his celebration in front of the home fans, as Fleetwood tried to hit back, Wallace well wide from distance.

After the break, Luton were gifted a second five minutes into the second half when Mpanzu took aim from 25 yards.

True, there was a degree of power behind his snapshot, but it was straight at Cairns, who somehow managed to spill the shot through his legs and into the net for the midfielder's second goal of the season.

Shea saved well from James Husband after he advanced into the area, but Luton, who continued to harrying and close down their opponents, Collins to the fore once more, continued to look for a clinching third.

They should have been out of sight with 14 minutes to go, as the excellent McCormack charged down a clearance leaving Town with a two one one break.

He found Stacey of all people overlapping on the left flank, the defender dinking past Cairns for sub Elliot Lee in the middle, who took a touch only to see his fierce attempt from two yards out blocked by Ashley Hunter.

Shea then had to keep his wits about him to bravely block from Ched Evans after Hunter's penetrating cross beat Justin, the hosts finally finding a way through Town's watertight defence.

Luton continued to show their desire for and work-rate for each other, when Stacey was well challenged breaking forward and Fleetwood attempted to counter, Collins of all people popped up in the right back position to clear.

Late on, Madden's strike was blocked by George Thorne, while he then put a decent chance over at the far post, as time ticked away.

The hosts did have one back in stoppage time after the away defence switched off for the first time, Evans allowed to head a cross over to Madden who volleyed beyond Shea.

Madden almost nipped in to salvage a point, Shea letting the ball run behind as Town managed the final moments expertly to further cement their position at the top of the table with just 13 games to go now.

Fleetwood: Alex Cairns, Lewie Coyle, Jason Holt (Ashley Nadesan 58), Ashley Eastham ©, Wes Burns, Ched Evans, Harry Souttar, Paddy Madden, Ross Wallace (Ashley Hunter 76), James Husband, Jack Sowerby (Nathan Sheron 84).

Subs not used: Paul Jones, Craig Morgan, Harrison Biggins, Gerard Garner.

Hatters: James Shea, Jack Stacey, James Justin, Matty Pearson, Sonny Bradley (C), Alan McCormack (George Thorne 83), Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu, Andrew Shinnie, George Moncur (Elliot Lee 68), James Collins, Kazenga, Danny Hylton (Alan Sheehan 86). Subs not used: Harry Isted, Dan Potts, Kazenga LuaLua, Jason Cummings.

Booked: Wallace 14, Sowerby 26, Burns 36, McCormack 37, Holt 39, Moncur 42, Collins 74.

Referee: Peter Bankes.

Attendance: 3,651 (1,048 Luton).

Harford** 'absolutely thrilled' as Hatters earn their place in the record books**

Luton boss Mick Harford declared himself 'absolutely thrilled' as the Hatters went 20 games without defeat in the Football League for the first time in their history by winning 2-1 at Fleetwood this afternoon.

George Moncur's glorious free kick and Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu's strike that was spilled by Cod Army keeper Alex Cairns was enough for the visitors to set a new club record at Highbury.

Harford said: "I’m thrilled for the players, it puts them up there in terms of, some of the the best teams that’s ever been out and performed for Luton Town Football Club.

"They’re in that high echelon and I’m absolutely thrilled for them.

"It’s only testament to the way they work, the way they go about their business, the way they train, the way every game they conduct themselves.

"They’re an absolutely brilliant bunch to manage and I can’t praise them any higher, I’m absolutely thrilled for them and the football club.

“The players know what’s at stake going into every game, they’re not stupid, but we knew today was a real tough game.

"It’s not easy to come here, Joey (Barton) sets his team up to be hard to beat, they’ve got some good players and it’s a difficult, difficult place to come.

"You try and keep them focused, you try and keep them on what the real aim is, and if we break records along the way, that’s absolutely fantastic.

"It’s a great achievement by the players again supported by a full house of Luton fans, who were amazing and they supported us immensely.

"That last two or three minutes, we needed the fans and they got behind the team."