Luton Town FC vs Accrington Stanley (12th Nov 2016)

PUBLISHED 18:14 12th November 2016 McGeehan's ninth goal of the season sinks Stanley

LUTON TOWN 1 (McGeehan 75)

ACCRINGTON STANLEY 0

Att: 8,008 (101 away)

Cameron McGeehan struck his ninth goal of the season late on to sink Accrington Stanley on an afternoon of patience and persistence at Kenilworth Road, making it eight games unbeaten in the league for Nathan Jones’ side.

The midfielder’s 75th-minute strike took him back to within one of top scorer Danny Hylton, although the Town actually drop a place in the Sky Bet League Two table with Portsmouth’s 4-0 home win over Mansfield taking them above the Hatters into fourth place.

Jones made just one enforced change to his starting line-up from last week’s FA Cup win at Exeter, with Jack Marriott returning from injury to partner ten-goal Hylton up front, Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu missing out through suspension after his sending off for two yellow cards at St James Park.

The Town started brightly, some good interplay on the edge of the box between Jordan Cook and Alex Gilliead feeding James Justin on the right, but his cross was turned behind for a corner, which Glen Rea headed over at the far post.

Boco fired high and wide for Stanley as the visitors made their first real foray into the Hatters’ half in the seventh minute, just before Gilliead brought the best out of their keeper, Elliot Parish, with a drive from fully 30 yards.

Justin was making good progress down the Hatters’ right, and his delivery was causing problems for the Accrington defence, although McGeehan was penalised for a foul on Paddy Lacey at the far post as he battled to get on the end of a wonderful first time delivery in the 16th minute.

The game hit a bit of a lull, which was broken by Stanley skipper Seamus Conneely firing a 25-yarder narrowly wide on the half-hour, just before the Town put together their best move of the half to that point.

Cook, Gilliead and Hylton combined with some incisive one-touch passing on the edge of the box to create a good opening for McGeehan, whose shot crashed against the outside of the stanchion.

In the 34th minute, Alan Sheehan squared a short free-kick to Gilliead when many were anticipating a shot, and the Newcastle loanee fed Marriott into the box. The striker was quick to get a powerful shot away, but unfortunately for the Town, it was always rising.

Confidence was clearly growing and Hylton was next to try his luck, this time from five yards inside how own half! Stanley keeper Parish was comfortably back in his six-yard box in plenty of time to gather, however.

The Town came closest to breaking the deadlock – twice – in the 39th minute when Rea’s volley was brilliantly saved by Parish, before a stabbed effort from McGeehan forced an even better stop from the Stanley number one.

Rea got his head on another right-wing corner from Sheehan in the final minute of the first half, but the Stanley defence managed to smuggle that one away – and a subsequent corner – to keep the scoresheet blank at the interval.

Christian Walton had to make his first save, inadvertently, six minutes after half-time when Scott Cuthbert’s clearance rebounded off Terry Gornell and the Town keeper had to drop sharply to gather in his six-yard box.

Hylton carried the Town threat at the other end almost immediately, wriggling clear of some close marking from Omar Beckles to fire a low shot towards goal, then Jordan Clark cut in from the Accrington left and sent a right-footed effort well wide.

On 57 minutes Justin produced a great saving tackle to deny the same player, although an assistant’s flag would have ruled it out for offside anyway, before Hylton, Gilliead and Marriott linked up to create an opening for Cook, whose 20-yard curler flew high into the Kenilworth Road stand.

It was becoming an end-to-end affair and Cuthbert was the next to set up a Town attack, just before the hour, with a delightful chip over the top of the visitors’ defence for Hylton to run on to, but Mark Hughes got back to turn the striker’s cross-shot behind for a corner.

Jones introduced Isaac Vassell in the 66th minute, taking Marriott off, and the Cornishman’s first involvement was to win a free-kick on the edge of the Accrington area, with Hughes penalised for holding.

Sheehan stepped up and rattled the underside of the Stanley crossbar with a terrific effort that bounced down and out, with Parish eventually dropping on the ball in a goalmouth scramble that involved Hylton, Vassell and McGeehan all attempting to force it over the line.

Gornell reminded the Hatters that Accrington still carried a threat, sending a 71st-minute shot straight at Walton from 25 yards, and the Town keeper also saved smartly from Boco, although the Benin international had already been flagged offside.

Parish denied the Town again in the 74th minute when Cuthbert met Sheehan’s inviting cross with a powerful header, but the visiting keeper produced another outstanding save.

He couldn’t prevent the Town making the breakthrough with quarter-of-an-hour to go, however, when McGeehan stabbed the ball into the top corner after Hylton and Vassell had combined to set up Justin to deliver another telling low cross.

Accrington winger Sean McConville cut in from the right to send another warning shot to the Town defence with ten minutes left, and the Town were soon reduced to ten men when Cook picked up his second yellow card for an 83rd-minute foul on Matty Pearson, six minutes after his first.

Stanley went in search of an equaliser, but Walton was equal to Boco’s 88th-minute looping header, before punching the resulting corner away at the far post as the visitors threatened.

The Town number one saved his best for a minute into injury-time, however, changing direction on his goalline to claw the ball away after Clark’s corner had hit an unwitting McGeehan on the knee to preserve the victory and send nearly 8,000 Town fans home happy.

TOWN: Walton, Justin, Cuthbert, Rea, Sheehan, Lee (Mullins 90+2), McGeehan, Cook, Gilliead (Smith 87), Hylton, Marriott (Vassell 66). Subs: O’Donnell, Gray, Mackail-Smith, King (GK)

Yellows: Cook, McGeehan.

Red: Cook (for two yellows)

STANLEY: Parish, Pearson, Hughes, Beckles, Clarke, Brown, Gornell, McConville, Boco, Lacey (Taylor-Fletcher 82), Conneely. Subs: Davies, Hewitt, Ogle, Sykes, Hery, Chapman (GK)

Yellows: Parish, Clark.

http://www.lutontown.co.uk/news/article/2016-17/luton-town-accrington-stanley-league-two-3412849.aspx

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuypYhT-BlA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ToYxtpVjgI

League Two: Luton Town 1 Accrington Stanley 0

Cameron McGeehan's ninth goal of an increasingly prolific season saw Luton Town secure a vital 1-0 win over Accrington Stanley this afternoon.

It had looked like the hosts were going to be frustrated by visiting keeper Elliot Parish, who made a handful of top drawer saves, with Alan Sheehan's superb free kick thundering against the bar too.

But to their credit, the Hatters kept on going, with McGeehan doing what he does better than any other at this level, timing his run into the box perfectly yet again to sweep home James Justin's cross via a deflection.

The hosts then had to hold on for the final seven minutes a man light, Jordan Cook being the fifth player to see red this term, for two needless bookings, but hold on they did, to keep a first home clean sheet in the league this season.

Earlier, boss Nathan Jones made just the one change, bringing in Jack Marriott for the suspended Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu, as Luton struggled to ever really get going in another quiet first half at Kenilworth Road.

Chances were few and far between from both sides, Glen Rea heading over Sheehan's corner, with Alex Gilliead making Parish work for the first time, the keeper comfortable tipping his 20-yard half volley behind.

Hatters went on to dominate possession in the opening half hour, but most of it came in their first half, with Scott Cuthbert's downright dismal distribution ensuring both Jack Marriott and Danny Hylton had little if anything to feed on.

Stanley's Scott Brown tried his luck from 30 yards, shooting wide, while a neat backheel from Hylton gave McGeehan a sight on the angle, his effort hitting the stanchion behind the goal.

With 33 gone, Luton demonstrated another inventive free kick routine, with McGeehan and Gilliead combining for Marriott, who couldn't keep his attempt down.

Hylton then went down the route described at best as hopeful, the ball breaking to him on halfway, and his ambitious chip didn't get anywhere near the required elevation.

Luton then started to belatedly build a head of steam up, as five minutes before the break, Sheehan's dangerous corner saw Rea's volley palmed away by Parish and after Gilliead's deflected low drive, he somehow stretched out a glove from a prostrate position to keep out McGeehan's follow up.

In the second period, although once again bossing possession and having a bit more intent about them, Hatters struggled to create anything clear-cut once more during the early stages, Stanley's Jordan Clark firing off target on 54 minutes.

Hatters finally had a go themselves moments later, Cook wastefully over, before Marriott's difficult afternoon was ended with Isaac Vassell on for the final 25 minutes.

The sub played a huge part in Town's firmly grasping the initiative during the latter stages, his enthusiasm and energy allowing Luton to win the ball back much higher up the pitch, while the striker's lightning pace caused the visiting defenders no end of problems.

Vassell's entrance almost saw Luton in front, as he won a free kick just outside the box and Sheehan's wonderful effort cannoned off the underside of the bar, with the sub unable to turn the rebound in.

As the game finally started to open up a smidgen, Terry Gornell's 25-yarder saw Christian Walton right behind it, while Parish continued his heroics, somehow sticking a foot at to deny Cuthbert a first Luton goal, diverting his downward header away.

You started to get the feeling it might not be Town's day, but that all changed when Justin's cross was met by the right on cue by McGeehan with 15 minutes left, his effort looping over Parrish to finally break the deadlock.

Luton's victory bid then took a hit as Cook, who had been booked on 77 for pushing a Matty Pearson over the hoardings, then slid in needlessly on the same player six minutes later and quite rightly saw red, earning a reprimand from Jones after the game.

Stanley threw the giant Omar Beckles up for the final stages, and he caused Town's defence no end of problems, winning one aerial battle for Boco to nod goalwards, Walton tipping over.

The Luton keeper then matched anything Parish had done before him, as when a corner hit McGeehan on the back of head, he somehow clawed it away to preserve his side's lead.

Vassell almost had the goal his cameo deserved, charging down Parish's clearance, but the keeper recovered to stop the ball trickling over the line, as the whistle went before he could launch his clearance forward, with Luton victorious at home for the first time since September 24.

Hatters: Christian Walton, James Justin, Alan Sheehan, Scott Cuthbert (C), Glen Rea, Olly Lee (Johnny Mullins 90), Alex Gilliead (Jonathan Smith 86), Jordan Cook, Cameron McGeehan, Jack Marriott (Isaac Vassell 66), Danny Hylton.

Subs not used: Craig King, Stephen O'Donnell, Jake Gray, Craig Mackail-Smith.

Stanley: Elliot Parish, Matty Pearson, Mark Hughes, Omar Beckles, Jordan Clark, Scott Brown, Terry Gornell, Sean McConville, Rommy Boco, Paddy Lacey (Gary Taylor-Fletcher 82), Seamus Conneely (C).

Subs not used: Aaron Davies, Bastien Henry, Steven Hewitt, Aaron Chapman, Reagan Ogle, Ross Sykes.

Bookings: Parish 77, Cook 77, McGeehan 90, Clark 90.

Sent off: Cook 83.

Referee: Brett Huxtable.

Attendance: 8,008 (101 Stanley).

Hatters MOM: James Justin.

Hatters boss Nathan Jones declared himself a proud manager after his side stuck to their guns when defeating Accrington Stanley 1-0 at Kenilworth Road on Saturday.

The hosts left it late, Cameron McGeehan’s 75th minute winner deciding the contest, after visiting keeper Elliot Parish had threatened to frustrate Luton, with a handful of wonderful saves.

But McGeehan arrived on cue with his ninth goal of the campaign to earn a precious three points, as Jones was delighted that they didn’t deviate from their game-plan during the contest.

He said: “I think we showed a lot of character today, I think they believed.

“We said to them at half time, just keep believing, as we didn’t have to change shape, didn’t have to go direct, didn’t have to do anything.

“We kept on, and we got the breakthrough, but we had to work for it, really had to work for it, because this is a good Accrington side.

“They beat Bradford last week who are flying in League One, beaten sides, on a decent run themselves, had some real, real good footballers, real good players.

“They cause you massive, massive problems, they dominate possession against everyone they play against, they didn’t today.

“The best feeling a manager can have is the players showing they believe in what they do, and that’s what they and my fans showed they believed in it as well and I’m a proud guy today, I really am.”

Jones also felt that Stanley were the latest cab of the rank to alter their tactics on visiting Kenilworth Road too, which made it even harder for his side to find a breakthrough.

He added: “I’m proud of my team and my club today because another team came here and changed totally how they play, for us, for us.

“When we go through it, they normally press really high, they normally play from their own box, roll it out everywhere. They didn’t do either of that today because of I think the respect they showed us.

“The first half was a little bit disjointed, we didn’t really have our fluency. We had the best chances and still could have been one or two up comfortably, comfortable.

“But second half we asked for a performance from them and they gave it to us.

“I felt even though we had enough chances to go in 1-0 up and that would have eased the burden a little bit, they would have had to come out slightly more, but I’m just pleased with the second half performance.”

Luton Town 1 Accrington Stanley 0

"They're game-changers not substitutes" is one of Luton manager Nathan Jones' favourite mantras and Isaac Vassell proved a case in point against Accrington – and he didn't even score the winner.

Cameron McGeehan struck the killer blow with his ninth of the season but the striker came off the bench in the 66th minute and turned what was a turgid tussle.

He nearly came close to netting his first for the Hatters at the death, but it just wasn't to be.

"This is a big club to come into and he's now finding his feet," Jones said of Vassell, adding: "When he gets going and when he really hits the ground running we could have an animal on our hands."

Despite all his energy and intent, the result still rested on a late Christian Walton save after a cross cannoned off McGeehan's face, but it should never have got to that squeaky-bum stage, once the Hatters had got their noses in front.

Yet Jordan Cook got himself sent off late on for two stupid bookable offences in six minutes – the second red card in two games for Luton – to set up a nail-biting finale that Stanley had scarcely threatened when it was 11-a-side.

But the hosts – who were the better side throughout, even if that's all relative after a dreary first 40 minutes – saw it out for a first League Two win in three games and consecutive clean sheets in the division for the first time this term.

"I've been waiting for him to make an impact like that, because he's got it," said right back James Justin of Vassell, adding: "He's so fast and powerful and he's learning other aspects of the game, which is making him better."

Jack Marriott was who the former Truro City ace replaced, but last term's top scorer began the game as the only change from Town's last League Two game.

Just as he is out of sorts, so were his side. And as summaries for entire first halves of football go, there could be none better than the moment Scott Cuthbert conceded a throw-in without an Accrington player within 20 yards of him, deep into a desperately dull first act.

That's not to say there were no moments to raise the pulse, it's just that both of them came within seconds of each other six minutes before the break.

Glen Rea and the McGeehan must have each thought they'd scored, but Stanley stopper Elliot Parish pawed the first away instinctively before an even more stunning save, stopping the Luton goalscorer's effort on the line, having already committed himself.

Aside from that, McGeehan hit the stanchion behind the goal for a split-second of celebrations before the disappointing realisation it was a miss.

The visitors offered nothing in an attacking sense, so you could say that the Hatters had the better of it, but the moans and groans from the terraces that perforated the period told you everything you needed to know about 45 minutes almost entirely devoid of excitement and littered with frustration.

That seeped into the second half until Vassell was called up. The striker immediately won a free-kick and Alan Sheehan licked it off the under side of the crossbar but it bounced in front of the goal-line and the new introduction was beaten to Danny Hylton's rebound header by Parish.

It looked like the ball would never go in when the keeper pulled off an unbelievable point blank save to deny Cuthbert his first ever Luton goal, but seconds later the deadlock was broken.

Justin skidded a cross through a congested penalty area where, eventually, McGeehan forced it, looping and deflecting, into the top corner.

That was the result sewn up until Cook's emotions boiled over. He'd already seen red for an off-the-pitch shove and the adrenaline must have still been flowing when he lunged late into a needless challenge on Matty Pearson.

After his long trudge to the tunnel, head bowed, Stanley smelled blood. Walton tipped over Rommy Boco's header, which was fairly routine for the lofty goalie, but his second spared McGeehan's blushes in injury time as he clawed off the line.

Vassell then got close, but still so far, to his first Hatters goal when he blocked a Parish clearance and saw it ricochet goalwards. It didn't carry, but with cameos like this the forward can't be far off breaking his duck.

Luton Town: Walton, Cuthbert, McGeehan, Hylton, Cook, Marriott (Vassell, 66), Gilliead (Smith, 87), Rea, Lee, Justin, Sheehan

Unused subs: O'Donnell, Mullins, Gray, Mackail-Smith, King

Accrington Stanley: Parish, Pearson, Hughes, Beckles, Clark, Brown, Gornell, McConville, Boco, Lacey (Taylor-Fletcher, 82), Conneely

Unused subs: Davies, Hery, Hewitt, Chapman, Ogle, Sykes

Referee: Brett Huxtable

Attendance: 8,008 (101)

Nathan Jones says he'll deal with Jordan Cook's lack of discipline after he was dismissed against Accrington on Saturday and admits his Luton side's run of five red red cards already this season is something he needs to nip in the bud.

The Hatters were in cruise control after Cameron McGeehan's ninth of the season in the 75th minute but the former Sunderland ace, who provided the assist, earned two yellow cards in the space of six minutes – the second a needless lunge on Matty Pearson near Stanley's penalty area – which made for a nervous finale as the Lancashire visitors pressed for an equaliser.

It required two good saves from Hatters goalie Christian Walton to preserve their winning 1-0 scoreline.

Cook's sending off, after he'd already been booked for a scuffle, was Town's second red card in successive matches after Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu's sending off at Exeter last week and follows marching orders for Dan Potts, Johnny Mullins and Danny Hylton.

Jones said of Cook's indiscretions: "The second one is just a lack of discipline, as when you're on a booking, regardless if he felt the booking was just in the first case, you don't go lunging in there, nowhere near your own goal. So that's just a lack of discipline, which we will deal with because it's happening too many times.

"I love Danny Hylton, I praise Danny Hylton, but it's happened with him once too often, so we have to nip that in the bud.

"Pelly-Ruddock last week, how it was a red card I don't know. But we keep getting involved in stuff and picking up bookings for something.

"Now, I'll check it [Cook's dismissal] and whether the referee has just wanted to hand out two quick yellows to diffuse the situation then that's wrong as surely they're there to officiate and arbitrate a game.

"But if it has been justified, the first one, then the second one is just pure naivety, and we can't have that, as he could have dropped his team right in it late on. Only a wonderful save from the best keeper in the league [Christian Walton], preserved that and that would have been an absolute travesty if we had drawn that game."

Cook tweeted yesterday: 'Stupid decision going in for that challenge when on a booking but happy with the win and assist yesterday for the goal machine @CamMcGeehan'.