Luton Town FC vs AFC Wimbledon (26th Sep 2015)

PUBLISHED 17:00 26th September 2015 Late Marriott brace breaks Dons resistance

LUTON 2-0 AFC WIMBLEDON

Two goals from substitute Jack Marriott in the final 11 minutes helped the Hatters grind out a second successive victory at Kenilworth Road over 10-man AFC Wimbledon.

The Hatters had been frustrated in their search for a breakthough for 80 minutes against the Dons, who saw central defender Karleigh Osborne sent-off in the first half after picking up two yellow cards in the space of three minutes.

But 63rd-minute introduction Marriott changed all that. His first goal arrived when sniffing in the penalty area to guide a finish into the corner on 79 minutes, before he grabbed his and the Town’s second in the final minute of stoppage time to seal a victory and lifts John Still’s men up to within three points of a Play-Off place.

Beginning showing the same side that beat Mansfield last weekend, the Town began on the front-foot without seriously testing visiting goalkeeper James Shea.

Mark Tyler was the first goalkeeper called into action when he gathered well from George Francomb’s shot on 17 minutes before Adebayo Akinfenwa headed over a right-wing cross a minute later as the hosts threatened early on.

While the Hatters were seeing more of the ball, it was the Dons who creating the more dangerous opportunities, and a deflected effort from Jake Reeves on the edge of the area worried the Hatters as it bounced inches wide of the target.

It was end-to-end action as both sides traded possession and chances within a two-minute spell on 27 minutes. Josh McQuoid wasn’t far away from seizing on a forward pass from Paddy McCourt before Akinfenwa got ahead of Stephen McNulty to power a header wide. McQuoid then glanced a header wide after latching onto Jonathan Smith’s left-wing cross.

But as the break approached, the game turned on two mistimed tackles by Osborne which saw the Wimbledon centre-half dismissed. His first booking on 31 minutes halted McQuoid’s progress before he then checked Cameron McGeehan three minutes later and referee Brendan Malone had no option but to pull out a red card. In between the sending off, Tyler had to be alert to get down to prevent Andy Barcham’s shot from creeping home at the near post.

With a man advantage the Hatters upped the ante before the break with McQuoid denied by a superb block on the edge of the box from Dannie Bulman on 39 minutes and McCourt firing over four minutes later.

After the break the pressure continued, but the Town were finding it tough breaking the resolute Dons defence.

The Hatters came mighty close to taking the lead on the hour when Scott Griffiths saw his low shot across goal, destined for the bottom corner, was turned behind by Shea in the visitors’ goal.

However, Still made a double change on 63 minutes, introducing Marriott and Alex Lawless for Stephen O’Donnell and McQuoid and seven minutes later the Town almost came close to opening the scoring when a Stephen McNulty cross caused chaos in the Wimbledon six-yard box only for the Dons to desperate hack the ball to safety.

Despite playing with a man light, the visitors were certainly still in the game, especially with the score blank, and the Hatters had Tyler to thank for a super sprawling save on 73 minutes to stop Sean Rigg’s shot from the edge of the box from finding the bottom corner.

However the Town continued to press, and their endeavours were rewarded 11 minutes from time when all three substitutes combined to set-up the opening goal. Ryan Hall, who had come on for Griffiths, floated in a left-wing corner which found Lawless. His shot was blocked in the box but the loose ball was seized on by Marriott, who flicked a smart finish into the corner to break the Dons’ resistance.

Behind, it was the visitors’ turn to lay siege on the Hatters’ goal and with five left Tyler was there again to save the Town with a fingertip save from an Akinfenwa header that almost dropped home.

But as time ticked down the Town began to take control. Luke Wilkinson headed over with three minutes left before Marriott made all three points safe in the final minute of stoppage time. McCourt robbed the Dons of the ball and passed inside to McGeehan. However the midfielder couldn’t get a clean shot away. Luckily, the ball then fell at the feet of Marriott and he did the rest, lashing a left-foot finish into the net to seal victory.

Another three points, another clean sheet, all of a sudden the Town are three points off the top six.

See you at Morecambe!

Town: Tyler; O’Donnell (sub Lawless 63), Griffiths (sub Hall 75), McNulty, Wilkinson; Smith, Lee; McCourt, McGeehan, McQuoid (sub Marriott 63); Mackail-Smith. Subs not used: Potts, Green, O’Brien, Justham.

Attendance: 8,415, including 588 from AFC Wimbledon.

http://www.lutontown.co.uk/news/article/luton-2-0-afc-wimbledon-gallery-2711998.aspx

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

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

Marriott at the double as Hatters beat 10-man Dons

League Two: Luton Town 2 AFC Wimbledon 0

A late double from substitute Jack Marriott earned Hatters their first back to back league victory since October last year as they eventually ground down 10-man AFC Wimbledon at Kenilworth Road this afternoon.

With the visitors having to play for almost an hour with 10 men after centre half Karleigh Osborne was sent off for two bookable offences, Hatters were making increasingly heavy weather of breaking through against their dogged opponents.

However, Marriott came off the bench midway through the second period and pressed his claims for a starting berth, producing two clinical close range finishes to ease the mounting tension at Kenilworth Road.

Hatters named an unchanged side for the clash, but started desperately quietly as bar the odd majestic Paddy McCourt crossfield pass, the final ball was sorely lacking.

It was an impressive Dons side who came closest as George Francombe tested Mark Tyler low down and man mountain Adebayo Akinfenwa looped a header over.

Tyler made an even better stop from Jake Reeves’ deflection that took a wicked deflection, with the keeper scurrying back to paw behind.

Sensing something needed changing, boss John Still moved Josh McQuoid into a more central role to try and give the isolated Craig Mackail-Smith some much-needed support.

Osborne then picked up his first booking on 29 minutes for bringing Mackail-Smith down in full flight, a caution he could have little complaint about.

From the free kick, Dons keeper James Shea had his only work of the half, nicking the ball off Mackail-Smith’s toe after McQuoid’s header down.

Winger Andy Barcham once again got the better of a well below bar Stephen O’Donnell with all-too apparent ease, as Tyler has to be alert to save at his near post.

Finally, the game showed signs of opening up, with a rare sighter for Mackail-Smith ending in a wayward strike off target.

With 35 minutes on the clock came the game ‘s contentious moment as Cameron McGeehan got a toe to the ball ahead of Osborne, who couldn’t avoid a the collision, as official Brendan Malone showed him a second yellow.

Looking to take immediate advantage of the extra man, McCourt tried to take matters into his own hands, foregoing the trickery to fire over the top before the interval.

In the second period, AFC sacrificed the impressive Adebayo Azeez with Sean Rigg coming on as they turned into obvious point-saving mode from the early stages, with Shea cynically running the clock down whenever the opportunity arose.

Despite this clear tactic, when Dons looked to press, they usually had a sniff, Rigg escaping and firing across Tyler’s bows of Tyler’s goal.

However, with AFC conceding both territory and possession, it allowed Luton to monopolise the ball, but they struggled to create anything significant, bar a low Scott Griffiths attempt touched behind by Shea.

Still made a double change on the hour mark, ending O’Donnell’s desperate afternoon with Alex Lawless coming on, while Marriott replaced McQuoid

Akinfenwa nodded wide of the mark, while Hatters were guilty of being far too pedestrian at times, as the visitors showed how it could be done, Akinfenwa teeing up Rigg whose left-footer drew an excellent full-length save from Tyler.

Finally, Hatters started to grow stronger though as Luke Wilkinson was wrestled to the ground by Akinfenwa in the area, with nothing given, while Marriott escaped, only to be denied by a great Paul Robinson block.

Still introduced Ryan Hall with 15 minutes to go and it was from the winger’s corner that the deadlock was finally broke shortly afterwards.

From his delivery, Lawless fired the ball back into the area for the lurking Marriott to stab into the net.

As they had against Mansfield last week, the goal saw Luton retreat to the sanctity of their own area once more, Tyler forced into an excellent tip over from Akinfenwa.

Hatters then tried to play the percentages with the ball in the corner, but from one such attempt came the clinching second goal as Mackail-Smith lost possession.

Trying to run from deep, McCourt won it back and fed McGeehan who missed his kick completely from a matter of yards.

It mattered not though as Marriott was in the right place to smash home with his left foot and complete another welcome victory for the Hatters.

Hatters: Mark Tyler, Stephen O’Donnell (Alex Lawless 60), Scott Griffiths (Ryan Hall 75), Steve McNulty (C), Luke Wilkinson, Olly Lee, Jonathan Smith, Paddy McCourt, Josh McQuoid (Jack Marriott 60), Cameron McGeehan, Craig Mackail-Smith.

Subs not used: Elliot Justham, Dan Potts, Mark O’Brien, Danny Green.

Dons: James Shea, Barry Fuller (C), Paul Robinson, Karleigh Osborne, Jon Meades, George Francomb, Dannie Bulman (George Oakley 90), Jake Reeves, Andy Barcham (Egli Kaja 80), Adebayo Akinfenwa, Adebayo Azeez (Sean Rigg 46).

Subs not used: Callum Kennedy, Ryan Sweeney, Joe McDonnell, Dan Gallagher.

Referee: Brendan Malone.

Booked: Osborne 30.

Sent off: Osborne 35.

Attendance: 8,415 (588 Dons).

Hatters MOM: Mark Tyler. Once again made some crucial stops to prevent AFC taking the lead.

Hatters boss John Still hailed his side’s patience as they eventually saw off 10-man AFC Wimbledon at Kenilworth Road yesterday afternoon.

The visitors were reduced to 10 men after 35 minutes when Karleigh Osborne saw red for two quickfire bookings.

However, Luton struggled to make the breakthrough and it wasn’t until the introduction of Jack Marriott and Alex Lawless on the hour mark that they looked like turning the screw, Marriott netting twice late on.

Still said: “I was absolutely delighted with the patience that we showed, to play 90 minutes and do the job right.

“We started slow, but we said before the game, we’d had a good look at them and felt that they would defend very deep so Craig (Mackail-Smith) couldn’t get in behind them.

“For me, that was one of our best performances because we came up against team who came here not to get beat and I’m not knocking that, we had to be patient to win.

“The crowd can get a bit restless, all crowds can as they want you to get the ball up there and when you do get the ball up there they say you’re playing too long.

“So I said, no, let’s try and be patient, keep the ball and try and find the pass and we scored from a restart which was pleasing as well.”

Once the sending off had taken place, Still knew the challenge to break down the visitors was going to become even tougher, but felt his subs bench could be key in unlocking the door.

He continued: “We came in at half time and I said they’re going to defend even deeper, and narrow, so we’ve got to try and use our width.

“Don’t kick it down the middle, try and pass, the crowd might get impatient, but try and pass and we did.

“We said that we’ve got a change in us, to go to a diamond, try and push our full backs right up, which we did, so we were pleased when we did that, and I thought we played well.

“Steve (O’Donnell) got into some great areas, put in two fantastic balls in the first half, but I thought he was a bit apprehensive. We just wanted him to be bold and get up there, especially when we went to a diamond as your full backs are important when you do that.

“It’s pleasing when your changes come off, and we said before the game we were definitely going to get Jack on. I think we were bold as we put two attacking players on at full back to get up there and try to provide that.

“They defended very, very narrow and very, very well. They let us have the ball in areas and they did it very well.

“But we felt Paddy’s got a pass to find a goal, Ryan Hall’s got a cross to find a goal, we think Craig has got a goal in him and we think Jack’s got a goal in him.

“He’s got one really good goalscorer’s goal and also one that was a very, very composed finish, a better goal than some people might think it was.”

Luton Town 2 AFC Wimbledon 0

We have lift off. The Hatters claimed their first back-to-back victory of the League Two campaign after super sub Jack Marriott came to the rescue with a brace to topple the ten-man resistance of AFC Wimbledon.

Until that 79th minute breakthrough Town had toiled, though there are nothing if not efficient, with three shots on target and two goals.

Boss John Still said of match-winner Marriott: "He got one goalscorer's goal and the other one was a very composed finish – a better goal than some people might think it was. I was absolutely delighted with the patience we showed to play 90 minutes and do the job right.

"That was one of our best performances because we came up against a team that came here not to get beaten and I'm not knocking that. We had to be patient to win."

This was indeed a win by hook or by crook, not that there'll be a single Hatter that cares after the start to the season they've endured.

Add a second straight clean sheet into the mixture and the fact they are now in 16th position, but just three points of the play-offs and this, in the grand scheme of things, was a great day at the office. It's a results-based business after all.

But squint a little and their struggles at the sharp end were brought into sharper focus as they huffed and puffed with a numerical advantage for the best part of an hour where Wimbledon goalie James Shea was a virtual spectator. Perhaps in Marriott – who also came off the bench against Bristol City in the Capital One Cup to score twice – they've found an impact player that can make that difference.

That's not to say Town were poor before his arrival, they were just devoid of inspiration. The long ball to Craig Mackail-Smith was their principle first half tactic, though rather than accurately pinpointing the striker it was more a case of punting into his general vicinity. Suffice to say, he spent a great deal of time chasing lost causes.

Yet when they did occasionally pierce Wimbledon's resistance from wide positions, erratic crossing – with Stephen O'Donnell the chief culprit – conjured up a chorus of groans.

As the marginally the better of the two sides until Karleigh Osbourne's 34th minute dismissal, the Dons trio of George Francomb, Andy Barcham Jake Reeves at least made Hatters keeper Mark Tyler work before the break, the latter a viciously deflected shot that threatened to loop into the top corner until a gloved hand pawed it away. It wasn't the first time the veteran was called upon to preserve the points.

However, the outcome hinged largely on two incidents – the first with the red card, which came three minutes after a first caution for the Dons man, the second with a double substitution that saw Marriott and Alex Lawless enter the fray just after the hour.

"We said before the game that we were going to get Jack on," said boss Still, adding: "I think we were bold because we put two attacking players at full back to try to get up there and provide [crosses]."

Before that they got little change out of Wimbledon and the contest looked to be cruising towards a frustrating blank, save for a Scott Griffiths shot – their first on target as the hour approached – which Shea finger-tipped to safety.

And yet the Wombles, restricted to rare bursts forward, still managed to remain a worry in front of goal, as Adebayo Akinfenwa glanced a header wide and substitute Sean Rigg committed Tyler to his best Superman impression.

Luton were denied a clear penalty as, off the ball, Akinfenwa wrestled Luke Wilkinson to the ground, but just as frustration began to grow, relief took over shortly after when Marriott scrambled home in front of the Kenilworth Road end for his first Football League goal for Luton.

As with previous weeks, the nerves threatened to set in as the Dons found new reserves of energy with Tyler required to tip over an Akinfenwa header, but they were settled four minutes into injury time with virtually the final kick of the game.

McGeehan fluffed his lines but Marriott made no mistake as the ball broke loose, blasting his second brace for the club.

Luton: Tyler, O'Donnell (Lawless, 64), Smith, McNulty, McGeehan, Griffiths (Hall, 75), McCourt, Lee, Mackail-Smith, McQuoid (Marriott, 64), Wilkinson

Unused subs: Potts, Green, Justham, O'Brien

AFC Wimbledon: Shea, Fuller, Bulman (Oakley, 90), Robinson, Francomb, Reeves, Akinfenwa, Meades, Azeez (Rigg, 45), Barcham (Kaja, 79), Osbourne

Unused subs: Kennedy, Sweeney, McDonnell, Gallagher

Referee: Brendan Malone

Attendance: 8,415 (588)

Luton manager John Still has warned against placing too much expectation on the young shoulders of Jack Marriott despite his late brace which ended a spirited resistance from ten-man AFC Wimbledon.

The 21-year-old had not featured since his red card in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy win over Leyton Orient earlier this month, but he entered the fray along with Alex Lawless in a 64th minute double substitution which helped to turn to contest in Town's favour.

Indeed, it was the second half changes that made the crucial breakthrough as Ryan Hall's corner saw Lawless shoot and Marriott scoop in the blocked effort ball.

"The manager was good wasn't he?," Still joked, adding: "What we do know is that Jack has goals in him.

"We don't want to rush him. I've found enough forwards in my life to know how to keep him grounded, how to educate him and how to give them the best opportunities to progress their careers. Jack falls into that category.

"Is he ready to start? Maybe, but he's still learning and it's important that the expectation on him doesn't outgrow where he is. Well done Jack."

Marriott is now Luton's top goalscorer this term with four and his brace against the Dons came in similar fashion to his first two, when he came off the bench to blast two against Bristol City in a Capital One Cup victory in August.

That was one of the few highlights in a start to the season which saw the Hatters fail to win in their first five League Two outings.

But the victory over Wimbledon saw them record back-to-back victories for the first time this term and move them to within three points of Tuesday's opponents Morecambe, who occupy the final play-off position.

"When I say we've come out of a difficult spell, it's no more difficult than my first year and no more difficult than last year," Still said, adding: "That was one of our better performances because we came up against a team that came here not to get beaten.

"I'm not knocking that. We had to be patient to win. The crowd – all crowds – can get a bit restless and they wanted to get the ball up there. When you do get up there they say you're playing too long. I said, 'no, let's just try to be patient, find the ball and find the pass."

The first half dismissal of Karleigh Osbourne – for two bookable offences three minutes apart – dictated the way Wimbledon tried to constrict the life out of Luton, but Still felt it was harsh on the Dons ace.

"The sending off. It is a sending off and if it was my player I probably wouldn't have any complaints about it, but the sending offs are soft," he said, adding: "Letter of the law says he's got to go, but anyway…

"We came in at half time and I said, 'they are going to defend even deeper and narrow, so we've got to use our width. Don't kick it down the middle, we've got to pass. The crowd might get impatient, but try to pass' – and we did.

"We said before the game that we were definitely going to get Jack on. I think we were bold because we put two attacking players at full back to get up there and try to provide [crosses].

"They defended very narrow and very well. They let us have the ball in areas and I thought they did it very well.

"I felt Paddy [McCourt] has got a pass to find the goal. We felt Ryan Hall has got a cross to find the goal and we think Craig [Mackail-Smith] has got a goal in him and we think Jack has got a goal in him.

"He got one really good goalscorer's goal and the other one was a very composed finish. It's a better goal than some people might think it was.

"I was absolutely delighted with the patience of the side to play 90 minutes and do the job right. I was really pleased."