Grimsby Town vs Luton Town FC (27th Jan 2018)

REPORT: GRIMSBY TOWN 0 LUTON TOWN 1

Collins' 13th goal of the season sends ten-man Town nine points clear

The Hatters produced a backs-to-the-wall performance to win 1-0 at Grimsby this afternoon after having to play the last hour with ten men following the first-half dismissal of Jordan Cook.

James Collins’ 13th goal of the season proved enough to take the Hatters nine points clear at the top of Sky Bet League Two, as Nathan Jones’ squad rolled their sleeves up to take full advantage of second-placed Notts County being in FA Cup action.

With third-placed Accrington losing at Crawley and neither Wycombe and Exeter in action, the victory increases the gap over fourth place to 11 points as the Town reached the 60-mark in their 29th game of the campaign.

Jones made three changes to his starting line-up, with Alan Sheehan back at the heart of defence after completing his three-match suspension, while Cook and Harry Cornick – who had an explosive last half-an-hour as a substitute against Morecambe last week – returned to the attack.

Danny Hylton missed out with the hamstring injury he sustained in the early stages of the 1-0 win over the Shrimps, while Olly Lee and Lawson D’Ath dropped to the bench.

Town had started brightly, Cornick putting a dangerous cross into the six-yard box from the right that James Collins was close to getting on the end of, but it was the hosts who had the first effort on goal – midfielder Luke Summerfield rattling the crossbar with a rasping drive from 25 yards.

The Hatters’ first opportunity came with a double chance in the 18th minute, when there were claims that Luke Berry’s header from Sheehan’s right-wing corner had crossed the line.

Referee Michael Salisbury waved play on as Cornick latched onto the loose ball and smashed a half-volley that looked destined for the top corner before Cook inadvertently got in the way and deflected it over the bar.

Cook soon went into the ref’s notepad for a foul on Mitch Rose midway inside the Grimsby half, then – on 23 minutes – Summerfield had another go from 25 yards, this one fizzing just wide of Stech’s right post.

Grimsby were growing in confidence and after the Town had failed to capitalise on another promising position for Stacey down the right after good play from Sheehan – carrying the ball out of defence – and Cornick, Jamille Matt spun Johnny Mullins and fired a 25-yarder narrowly wide on the half-hour.

With 33 minutes on the clock, Cook was dismissed after collecting his second yellow in 12 minutes for a foul on Grimsby defender Danny Collins right on the touchline as the ball was heading out of play, and the Town were forced to regroup with ten men, as they had against Lincoln on New Year’s Day.

Charles Vernam was the next Mariner to have a go, but his effort flew high and wide, before their right-back Ben Davies was booked for a foul on Dan Potts.

The Town were having to be on their guard at the back as Collins slid in at the near post to clear Summerfield’s low free-kick from the left, before Mullins smashed away another ball into the box as Grimsby looked to pile on the pressure before half-time.

Grimsby made a change at the break, taking Davies off and replacing him with Zak Mills, but it was the Hatters who started on the front foot and got their noses in front three minutes after the restart.

Cornick had already burst down the right and slid a lovely ball across the six-yard box that Collins couldn’t quite convert when Shinnie was fouled 20 yards out and Berry curled a beauty over the wall that Grimsby keeper Ben Killip, a Town trialist last season, tipped onto the bar.

Collins was alert to the opportunity, however, and headed the rebound over the line, with Potts on hand to lash it into the roof of the net just to make sure!

Grimsby inevitably tried to respond and make the extra man count, and after Collins had seen a far post header easily saved by Stech, Mullins and Sheehan both did well to repel 59th-minute crosses from Paul Dixon, before Rea got a block on Summerfield’s shot that gave Stech a routine save to make.

The Czech keeper was in the right place to gather a 67th-minute header from Nathan Clarke, who had been lucky a minute earlier to avoid a card for a late challenge on Collins in front of the dugouts, but the Town were defending resolutely.

Jones made his first change with 15 minutes to go, bringing D’Ath on for Shinnie, but – after Potts had won a towering header at the far post to turn a Dixon cross behind for a corner – Matt saw his lopping header bounce off the top of the bar and out to safety.

Mullins produced a great piece of defending when he had Mallik Wilks and Mills bearing down on him with ten minutes to go, the Town centre-half biding his time before getting a crucial deflection on Wilks’ attempted pass to his fellow sub to enable Sheehan to hook clear.

Jones then took Collins off for James Justin, pushing Cornick up as the lone frontman. The ex-Bournemouth forward almost created a chance for himself out of nothing when he charged down Killip’s clearance 25 yards from goal, but the ball wouldn’t come down soon enough for him to get a shot on the empty net.

Cornick’s persistence did, however, win the Town a corner and ate up crucial seconds as the Hatters again got men behind the ball before the likes of Sheehan, Mullins, Potts and the excellent Glen Rea put their tin helmets back on.

Cornick picked up an injury and had to be replaced by Elliot Lee with 90 minutes up, but the Town ten had enough to hold on for a massive three points.

TOWN: Stech, Stacey, Mullins, Sheehan ©, Potts, Rea, Berry, Cook, Shinnie (D’Ath 75), Cornick (E Lee 90), Collins (Justin 82). Subs: O Lee, Mpanzu, Famewo, Shea (GK)

Yellows: Cook

Red: Cook

Goals: Collins 48

GRIMSBY: Killip, Davies (Mills 46), Clarke © Osborne, Collins, Dixon (Wilks 77), Berrett, Rose (Dembele 61), Summerfield, Vernam, Matt.

Subs: Warrington (GK), Jaiyesimi, Woolford, Vernon

Yellows: Davies, Dembele

REFEREE: Michael Salisbury

ATT: 4,159 (522 Hatters)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAM4CGWZ2zk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jL3NwBgzu20

NATHAN JONES ON THE 1-0 WIN OVER GRIMSBY TOWN

Town boss Nathan Jones was delighted with his side as they won 1-0 at Grimsby Town after going down to ten men midway through the first half.

Jordan Cook was shown a second yellow card after 33 minutes, but the Hatters weathered a decent spell from Grimsby towards the end of the first half, before James Collins headed in after Luke Berry's free-kick had been tipped onto the bar in the 49th minute.

The Hatters saw out the result well as Grimsby pushed for an equaliser, meaning Jones' side are now nine points clear at the top of Sky Bet League Two.

Jones said: "It's a massive win, a huge win in the context of everything. It's an absolutely massive win. The way we have dug in and grafted after going down to ten men.

"We said we were going to get one opportunity and we're going to have to take that opportunity and we did. Then we showed a real grit, a desire to defend our box. It's all about results these days, it wasn't pretty in anyway from us, but I would have taken that all day long.

"Today was a great away performance, I probably wouldn't have it any other way. They don't half galvanise you these sorts of results.

"Let's talk about the ten that really dug in. Lawson D'Ath came on and really impacted in everything he did and the team did do that. Let's talk about that because it's a really proud day for me. To dig in, the fans came up and got behind us. We dug in and got a goal and then just defended."

League Two: Grimsby Town 0 Luton Town 1

Ten man Luton picked up an absolutely crucial three points in their battle for promotion this season as they produced a defensive masterclass during the second half to win 1-0 and complete the double over Grimsby this afternoon.

The visitors were a player light for over an hour after Jordan Cook was stupidly sent off in the 33rd minute for his second yellow, putting his side in a real predicament.

However, James Collins nodded the only goal of the game just after the break, and from then on, Town brilliantly repelled their opponents, keeping clear-cut chances to a minimum as they held on to end a run of three straight defeats on the road.

Other results also went hugely in their favour too, as the Hatters extended their lead over second placed Notts County to nine points, plus moving 11 ahead of non-playing Wycombe, in fourth, who Luton host on Tuesday night.

Prior to the game, Town chief Nathan Jones threw a selection curveball, making three changes to his side.

The return of Alan Sheehan from his suspension was no surprise, partnering Johnny Mullins, which allowed Glen Rea to push into midfield, while Harry Cornick joined Collins upfront.

However, there were eyebrows raised with midfielder Cook in for his first league start since April 14, 2017, as both Olly Lee and Lawson D'Ath dropped to the bench, with Danny Hylton missing out as expected.

The visitors were a whisker away from taking the lead on five minutes, Jack Stacey's sloppy ball across defence seized upon by Luke Summerfield whose first time 25-yarder whistled past Marek Stech and crashed against the bar.

After a hard-fought opening 20 minutes, Luton then went close, Luke Berry's header from a corner saved, Cornick hammering the rebound goalwards, only to unfortunately flick off Cook and clear the bar, when the net appeared destined to bulge.

Cook then saw his first yellow for a lunging challenge on James Berrett, a foul which could have seen red from some referees, while Summerfield showed his intentions, rifling narrowly off target from distance once more, as did Jamille Matt on the half hour mark.

There was no escape for Cook on 33, after a quite frankly brainless moment from the ex-Sunderland player.

Closing his man down and with the ball out of play, he went in not only late, but completely and utterly needlessly on Danny Collins and could have absolutely no argument with the second yellow that came his way, earning a real verbal blast from manager Jones at his glaring lack of discipline.

Luton managed to stave off any real threats for the remainder of the half, while in the second period, Stech easily gathered Matt's cross-shot, but Town went close, Cornick making a brilliant run, his low delivery just out of the reach of Collins.

Hatters then won a cheap free kick after a foul by Summerfield on Andrew Shinnie and took full advantage to break the deadlock on 48 minutes.

Luke Berry's brilliant attempt was excellently tipped on to the bar one-time Town trialist Ben Killip, only for the unmarked Collins to nod the ball over the line from a yard out, Dan Potts making sure, for the striker's 13th of the season.

That gave Town something tangible to cling on to and boy did they do that for the final 40-plus minutes of the half.

Nathan Clarke's header was straight at Stech, as Luton dropped deep, allowing their hosts a free run up to the half way line, before swarming around them, denying the Mariners any real time and space to create chances.

The odd one came Grimsby's way, a corner swung in and met by Karleigh Osborne, clipping the bar on its way over, but more often than not, the likes of Sheehan, Dan Potts and Johnny Mullins were more than a match for anything that came their way.

Jones brought on D'Ath on to increase their energy in midfield and the visitors almost had a three on one but the sub slipped at the crucial moment with Cornick and Collins sprinting clear.

As Luton continued to keep their hosts out, they had a let off on 80 minutes Dembele nicking the ball past Stacey and going over in the area, only to see yellow for troubles by the eagle-eyed official, who adjudged it a dive.

With Town immersed fully in game management mode now, Cornick continued running his heart out upfront to harry the home defenders, blocking a clearance from Killip, only to find the ball run away from him, as he still battled to win a corner.

There was to be no big hurrah from the hosts either, as they lacked the imagination or creativity to unlock Town's magnificent back-line, stretching their own winless run to nine games.

For Luton though, it is now two out of two as they head into a crucial period back at home, with Wycombe and then Exeter the visitors.

Mariners: Ben Killip, Paul Dixon (Mallik Wilks 77), Nathan Clarke (C), Ben Davies (Zak Mills 46), Danny Collins, James Berrett, Karleigh Osborne, Luke Summerfield, Jamille Matt, Charles Vernam, Mitch Rose (Siriki Dembele 60).

Subs not used: Andy Warrington, Diallang Jaiyesimi, Martyn Woolford, Scott Vernon.

Hatters: Marek Stech, Jack Stacey, Dan Potts, Johnny Mullins (C), Alan Sheehan, Glen Rea, Jordan Cook, Luke Berry, Andrew Shinnie (Lawson D'Ath 75), Harry Cornick (Elliot Lee 90), James Collins (James Justin 82).

Subs not used: James Shea, Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu, Akin Famewo, Olly Lee.

Booked: Cook 21, Davies 40, Dembele 80

Sent off: Cook 33

Referee: Michael Salisbury.

Attendance: 4,159 (522 Luton).

Hatters MOM: Dan Potts. Part of a superb defensive display.

Hatters chief hails Grimsby win as 'massive'

Luton boss Nathan Jones labelled his side’s 1-0 victory at Grimsby Town yesterday afternoon as a ‘massive win’.

The visitors had to play for over an hour with 10 men after Jordan Cook’s brainless sending off, but they took the lead through James Collins’ 13th of the season from close range early in the second period and then clung on for another crucial triumph.

With Notts County in FA Cup action, it saw Town extend their lead at the top to nine points, while they are also 11 points in front of fourth placed Wycombe as well.

Jones said: “It’s a massive win, a huge win, it really is, in the context of everything, it’s an absolute massive win.

“The way we’ve dug in and grafted, going down to 10 men, we said we’d get one opportunity and we have to take that opportunity and we did.

“Then they just showed a real grit and a desire to defend their box and it’s all about results these days, it wasn’t pretty in any way from us, but I’d have taken that all day long.”

Although the Mariners understandably dominated possession in the second period, they were kept at arm’s length by the Hatters for long periods, with keeper Marek Stech having little to do in the way of genuine saves.

Jones added: “I thought we had probably slightly better opportunities (in the second half).

“They had a counter attack where Johnny Mullins has done well and delayed and got a touch on it and if Lawson (D’Ath) could have stayed on his feet we had three v one.

“There wasn’t many real clear-cut opportunities in the game, they obviously dominated possession second half having the man and putting three at the back, so it means we couldn’t press and get out.

“But I thought we defended stoutly you could see at the end how delighted they were with that as they felt that was a big win.”