Luton Town FC vs Alfreton Town (1st Mar 2014)

Town 3 Guttridge 29, Gray 51, Benson 85 Alfreton Town 0

The Hatters made it 13 wins on the spin in Skrill Premier at Kenilworth Road with a hard-fought victory over Play-Off chasing Alfreton. After being frustrated for almost half-an-hour against a visiting team intent on wasting time and defending for their lives, the Town broke the deadlock thanks to another goal from Luke Guttridge – his 13th goal of the season on 29 minutes.

That meant the visitors had to come out and attack and that mean the Town had time and space to exploit and two goals in the second half – strikers from Andre Gray and Paul Benson – secured yet another win and make it an incredible 25 matches unbeaten.

The first half saw Alfreton, who began the day in fourth place, work hard to deny the Town the opportunity to play the high-tempo game and it wasn’t until Guttridge’s goal that the Hatters threatened the visitors’ goal. Gray moved out to the left to hang up a high ball that was half-cleared to Guttridge. His first shot was bravely blocked but the ball kindly fell back into his path and his thundered a low shot home via the aid of a deflection. It was his 13th goal of the season and his 11th at Kenilworth Road.

Ahead, the Hatters could now exploit the space created by Alfreton’s need for an equaliser. Pelly Ruddock’s rampaging run into the box almost teed up a chance before Benson’s solo effort a minute later, 10 minutes before half-time, was blocked.

Alfreton knew they needed to attack in a bid for an equaliser and Tom Shaw volleyed straight at Mark Tyler on 38 minutes but a minute before the break a fine Town move resulted in Gray whacking a shot high over the crossbar.

Having upped the tempo now in front the Town started the second half with gusto: Gray burning through the gears causing Alfreton all kinds of problems to win a corner that saw Fraser Franks’ header cleared off the line by Josh Law.

Still the Hatters probed and probed. A Guttridge free-kick was deflected behind for another corner by Andrai Jones on 51 minutes but 60 seconds later it was another Andre who made it 2-0. Alfreton faffed around attempting to clear their lines, enabling Ruddock to hoist a ball back into the box. Jones’ hesitation allowed Scott Griffiths to steal in he stabbed a ball across goal into the path of Gray and he tapped home the easiest of taps in from two yards. It was his 25th goal of the season.

Two goals to the good the Town were almost pegged back immediately. Shaun Harrad’s firm low effort was parried well by Tyler before the Hatters’ number one tipped over a goal-bound header from Dan Bradley on the hour.

That near miss spurred the Hatters on again. Gray saw a shot blocked from the edge of the box three minutes later before Benson’s near-post thunderbolt was well beaten out by Jon Worsnop in the visiting goal.

However, there was concern for the Town with 20 minutes to spare when Guttridge was stretchered off with a foot injury.

That didn’t deter the Hatters from hunting a third goal. Gray came mighty close to doing so on 73 minutes when bursting clear and rounding the goalkeeper but his shot from a narrow angle hit the post.

Ruddock’s shot whistled wide on 79 minutes before the Town did make it 3-0 with five minutes to go. Worsnop’s kick struck his own defender allowing Jake Howells to drive at goal and his unselfish square pass found Benson and his first-time touch looped past the keeper for his 16th goal of the campaign.

As the game entered five additional minutes, an acrobatic stop from Worsnop denied a curling effort from Howells from the edge of the box from finding the top corner and that was that as the Town won again to keep up their advantage at the top.

TOWN: Tyler; Henry, Griffiths, McNulty, Franks; McGeehan (sub Robinson 65), Ruddock, Guttridge (sub Lawless 70); Howells, Gray, Benson (sub Shaw 88). Subs not used: Charles, Justham.

ATTENDANCE: 8,412, including 79 from Alfreton.

http://www.lutontown.co.uk/news/article/gallery-alfreton-3-0-1390965.aspx

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7SA6k9A8G8

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUw70BJVwNM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLpVz_DiKgQ

Town extend unbeaten run as they battle past Alfreton

Hatters ground out their 13th successive Skrill Premier home win with a battling 3-0 victory over play-off chasing Alfreton Town this afternoon, writes Mike Simmonds.

Goals from Luke Guttridge, Andre Gray and Paul Benson ensured Luton triumphed, although the play-off chasing Reds made it very hard work at times.

Prior to the game, Alfreton boss Nicky Law had joked he might play a 1-9-1 formation, after watching Town demolish Wrexham 5-0 on Tuesday night, and although it wasn’t quite as bad as that, the visitors clearly set out their stall to spoil the fixture from the start.

Taking an age over throw-ins and constantly operating their delaying tactics whenever possible, it worked for the visitors as Luton failed to fire off a shot in the opening 25 minutes.

Despite their antics, the Reds managed to have the first two half chances as Daniel Bradley fired well wide of Mark Tyler’s goal.

Former Town midfielder Godfrey Poku had clearly been charged with not letting Guttridge from his sights either, obediently following him all over the pitch from the word go.

But as manager John Still had alluded to in the week, the hosts and home suppoters managed their frustrations perfectly, taking the lead with their first notable attack.

Gray dropped deep to the left flank and floated over a cross that reached an unmarked Guttridge, who had finally escaped the attentions of his personal shadow Poku.

His first shot was blocked, but the rebound went straight through keeper Jon Worsnop who should have done much better.

With the shackles now off, Town settled into their usual rhythm and Benson almost made it 2-0, dancing through the defence, but his final shot was crowded out.

Jake Howells was finding some much needed space on the left flank too and only a few desperate blocks saw his deliveries fail to find their target.

Alfreton, now not content on just defending, almost had a leveller before the break as a grounded Tom Shaw stuck out a foot, diverting his shot straight at Tyler.

Gray then stabbed over from the edge of the box after it had looked like Guttridge was going to shape to shoot, as Luton went into the interval with the all-important breakthrough.

In the second period, Shaun Harrad sent a looping header wide, before Town turned on the style again, as they have done so often this term.

Fraser Franks almost had his first goal for the club when his downward header from a corner was kicked off the line by Michael Wylde.

Hatters quickly put the game to bed though, thanks in a large part to Reds defender Andrai Jones.

First, he shanked inches wide of his own post from Guttridge’s scuffed free kick.

Then when the resulting corner was half-cleared, he tried to shepherd Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu’s pass behind, which allowed Scott Griffiths to slide in and his cross was poked in from a yard by Gray for his 25th of the campaign.

Tyler was then called into his first real action, narrowing the angle as Harrad escaped Town’s defence, to parry his fierce drive.

Left with no other option but to push men forward, Alfreton finally started to show their attacking capabilities, with Ruddock Mpanzu making an excellent block, before Tyler flipped Bradley’s drive over the top.

Reds’ positive intent allowed Town to exploit the gaps at the back though as Benson warmed the palms of Worsnop from Gray’s neat reverse pass, while Gray almost had his second of the afternoon.

Latching on to Griffiths’ long ball, he outmuscled Wylde, rounded Worsnop, but with the angle getting narrower and narrower, he could only find the side-netting.

The only worry of the half saw Guttridge stretchered off on 70 minutes for what looked like an anonymous collision.

A deserved third arrived late on for Town as a defensive mistake saw the ball fall to Howells and with the visiting back-line nowhere to be seen, he found Benson, who toe-poked over Worsnop.

Sub Alex Lawless displayed great feet to bring a header down on the edge of the box and his low drive was deflected inches wide for a corner.

A fourth was almost bagged in injury time, as Worsnop clawed the excellent Howells’ deflected curler away, as Luton stayed 14 points clear of nearest rivals Cambridge, who ended their run of poor form with a thumping 5-1 victory over Kidderminster Harriers.

Hatters: Mark Tyler, Ronnie Henry, Scott Griffiths, Fraser Franks, Steve McNulty, Cameron McGeehan (Matt Robinson 65), Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu, Jake Howells, Luke Guttridge (Alex Lawless 70), Paul Benson (Jon Shaw 88), Andre Gray.

Subs not used: Anthony Charles, Elliot Justham.

Alfreton: Jon Worsnop, Bradley Wood (John Akinde 76), Connor Franklin, Michael Wylde, Josh Law, Tom Shaw, Daniel Bradley, Nick Fenton (C), Godfrey Poku, Shaun Harrad, Andrai Jones.

Subs not used: Darran Kempson, Paul Clayton, Danny Meadows, Jay McFadzean.

Booked: Poku 77, T Shaw 88.

Referee: Colin Bankes.

Attendance: 8,412 (79 away).

Hatters MOM: Jake Howells. Excellent once more on whatever wing he popped up on.