Luton Town FC vs Aston Villa (10th Aug 2016)

PUBLISHED 22:50 10th August 2016 Glory night for the Town as Leeds await in Round Two

LUTON TOWN 3 (Gray 35, McGeehan 53, Okore OG 66)

ASTON VILLA 1 (Ayew 13)

Luton Town pulled off an EFL Cup giantkilling on a night to remember at Kenilworth Road as Nathan Jones’ side came from a goal down to beat Championship big guns Aston Villa 3-1.

Jake Gray, Cameron McGeehan and an own goal from Jores Okore helped the Hatters book a place in the second round, with another Championship side – Leeds United – pulled out of the hat in the draw that followed.

Jones made three changes to the side that won 3-0 at Plymouth on Saturday, with James Justin coming in for his first senior start at left-back for the suspended Dan Potts, Gray making his full debut after a brief cameo in Devon, and Olly Lee coming into midfield.

Glen Rea dropped back to centre-half alongside Johnny Mullins, with Stephen O’Donnell at right-back and Justin, normally a right-back, on the left.

Lee was the holding midfielder with Relly-Ruddock Mpanzu, Gray and McGeehan off him, with Danny Hylton and Jack Marriott up front.

Villa had already hit the woodwork twice, first time through Hatters defender Rea slicing a clearance and then Jack Grealish hit the inside of the post from 20 yards, before Jordan Ayew put them in front on 13 minutes.

The Hatters had gone close moments earlier when Marriott found space in the penalty box, but his effort flashed across the face of goal.

On 24 minutes O’Donnell produced a crucial clearing header as Ross McCormack lurked at the far post looking to get on the end of an Ayew cross.

Marriott’s pace was troubling the visitors’ defence and when a loose ball fell to Mpanzu after the striker had stretched them, there was a chance to build an attack.

Patiently Mpanzu, Gray and Lee combined to play Justin in on the left, and his intelligent cut-back looked good for McGeehan, who was penalised for a push in the six-yard box.

Walton had to be alert to get down low to his right to keep out a Grealish free-kick just after the half-hour, but the Town were getting joy out of Justin on the left, and after another precise build-up that saw the play switched from left to right and back again, the youngster put another dangerous ball low across the box.

Marriott, McGeehan and Mpanzu combined to play Gray into the right side of the box and the former Crystal Palace man flashed his right-footed shot past Villa keeper Mark Bunn and into the back of the net.

With half-time approaching the Hatters were in the ascendancy, and soon after O’Donnell had whipped an inviting delivery across the six-yard box, Marriott drew a flying save out of Bunn as the Town strike force sensed an advantage.

McCormack smacked a 30-yard free-kick over the visitors on the stroke of half-time, but the Hatters had grown into the game and were deserving of parity at the break.

In the opening minute of the second half the Town cracked up the pressure again, Hylton and Marrriott both having shots blocked before Marriott found space in the area once again on 48 minutes, only to be thwarted by the sliding tackle of Jordan Amavi.

Mullins had to clear off line from Villa sub Rudy Gestede, but the defender’s fellow summer signing from Oxford, Hylton, was having a great spell and after killing the ball in an instant on halfway, he skipped past three players and looked to set Mpanzu free.

On this occasion the Villa defence cleared the danger. Not so moments later when, in the 53rd minute, McGeehan played Mpanzu through again. Bunn was off his line to thwart the midfielder, and then flung himself in the way of Marriott’s shot after Lee had nudged the ball right.

The deflection of the Villa keeper went only as far as McGeehan, however, who put the ball into the back of the net to give the Town a deserved lead.

Walton had to be at his best on the hour as Aaron Tshibola fired a warning shot, but the

Hylton fancied his chances on 65 minutes when maybe O’Donnell was better placed to be slipped into the area, but the move was kept alive and after Justin spread a superb ball to Lee, Mullins whipped in a delicious cross that went begging.

The Hatters’ lead was extended two minutes later when Lee's cross, after his initial corner had been returned to him, was turned into his own net by Okore.

The Town were running riot and Marriott forced another save from Bunn, before Walton had to be on his guard as a dangerous Villa cross deflected off Mullins into the Hatters’ area. The England Under-21 keeper’s handling was as assured as ever though.

With just under a quarter-of-an-hour to go, Grealish flashed a 25-yarder past the post, but Luton were soon back dictating play and pressing at the other end.

Marriott looked to race onto Hylton’s flick-on with seven minutes to go, and although his pace terrified the visitors’ defence, they held him up – only for the ball to roll to McGeehan, whose shot went well wide.

With two minutes to go, Bunn had to gather as Okore once again turned a dangerous Hatters cross, this time from right-back O’Donnell, towards his own goal.

The Town didn’t need any more help. They’d done enough damage on their own. What a night to be a Hatter!

THE TOWN: Walton, O'Donnell, Mullins, Rea, Justin, Lee (Cuthbert 84), Mpanzu, McGeehan, Gray (Smith 87), Hylton, Marriott (Vassell 90+1). Subs: Smith, Cuthbert, Cook, Vassell, McQuoid, King (GK), Famewo.

Yellow: Lee, Hylton

VILLA: Bunn, Baker (Hutton 46), Richards, Okore, Tshibola, Ayew, Green, Gardner, Amavi, Grealish, McCormack (Gestede 46). Subs: Elphick, Bacuna, Steer, Gestede, Westwood, Hutton, Cissokho.

Yellows: McCormack, Ayew, Gardner

Att: 7,412 (1,487 Villa)

http://www.lutontown.co.uk/news/article/2016-17/gallery-luton-3-1-aston-villa-3240090.aspx

http://www.skysports.com/watch/video/sports/football/10531312/luton-3-1-aston-villa

http://www.skysports.com/football/luton-vs-a-villa/report/360024

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

EFL Cup, first round: Luton Town 3 Aston Villa 1

Sometimes a lower league side can get lucky in cup upsets against higher level opposition, scoring a fluky goal from one attack, clinging on for dear life as time slowly ticks away, but not this time, not by any stretch of the imagination.

A reinvigorated Luton Town may well have fallen behind on 13 minutes to Jordan Ayew’s scrappy strike, but once they found their groove midway through the half, boy were they good, seriously good.

Snapping into their tackles, playing some wonderful football, no better than the move that led to Jake Gray’s first goal for the club, Hatters dominated their opponents, who had been plying their trade in the Premier League this time last term.

The telling moment came in the final 10 minutes, as usually when leading against a team from the higher echelons, there would be wolf whistles from home fans, with nails bitten to the quick, but not this time, no chance.

In fact, Town fans were lapping it up, with Kenilworth Road bouncing, witnessing their side outplay a Villa team that had started with £12m Ross McCormack, ending the game with likes of established top flight players likes of Micah Richards, Alan Hutton and Rudy Gestede in their ranks.

On the back of a marvellous 3-0 win over Plymouth on Saturday, Luton made three changes to their side, handing a full debut to teenager James Justin in place of the suspended Dan Potts at left back.

Jake Gray was given his first start after signing from Crystal Palace earlier this month, in place of Jordan Cook, while Glen Rea dropped back to centre half to partner Johnny Mullins, with Scott Cuthbert remaining on the bench, despite his starring role at Plymouth on Saturday, as Olly Lee came in.

It looked like Hatters had been caught cold by their opponents, as Villa dominated possession, coming within inches of taking the lead on nine minutes when Nathan Baker found space and saw his cross was sliced on to his own bar by Rea, with Justin nipping in to clear the danger.

Luton had their first real opportunity as Stephen O’Donnell speared a ball wide to Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu, who fed Jack Marriott and off-balance, he fired across goal.

The visitors were denied by the woodwork once more on 11 minutes, when Jack Grealish let fly from 20 yards, his drive hitting the inside of the post, Christian Walton well beaten.

Roberto De Matteo’s side were finally rewarded for their efforts two minutes afterwards, when a corner into the box was never dealt with by Town’s ponderous defence and Ayew spun to see his shot dribble into the bottom corner.

Ayew was off target once more as the hosts impressed when going forward, their slick passing leading to more than one overload on the right hand side, with O’Donnell doing well twice to clear the danger from the lurking McCormack.

Walton showed exemplary handling to smother Grealish’s low free kick, but there were signs of life from the hosts, as they had started to to get to grips with proceedings.

They levelled on 36 minutes too, with a marvellous goal as Marriott and Cameron McGeehan combined, with Mpanzu then taking over, slipping in a beautiful through ball for Gray, who finished with aplomb over the advancing Mark Bunn.

The Villa keeper stuck out a glove to parry Marriott’s deflected cross shot away from his net, as Luton finished the half strongly, with Mpanzu in particular a real driving force from midfield.

After the break, Town almost got off to the perfect start as Danny Hylton found space in the area, but taking an age to shoot, allowed the Villans back-line to block, while Marriott’s follow-up was kicked off the line.

Mpanzu, who was becoming more of a force with every passing moment, strong and powerful in possession, then played a wonderful through ball to Marriott, who couldn’t untangle his feet in time.

The incisive attacks were becoming a real feature of Town’s play, although Mullins needed to be on hand to clear half time sub Gestede’s shot at full stretch off the line

With Town bombing forward at every chance, they deservedly reaped the rewards for their all action approach on 53 minutes.

McGeehan played through Pelly as the midfielder was denied by Bunn, the keeper also blocking Marriott’s follow-up, only to inadvertantly deflect into McGeehan’s path for a simple tap-in.

Town then were thankful to their crossbar for the third time as from a corner, a loose ball rebounded off the woodwork once more, before Hatters were quickly on the front foot once more.

Bunn pawed away from Hylton’s as Town were in dreamland again on 67 minutes, when Lee’s cross from the left was comically turned into his own net by the cumbersome Jores Okore whose evening was quickly turning from bad to worse.

With Villa now looking every inch a side who hadn’t won since February, the margin of victory could have got even bigger, Bunn denying Marriott with a wonderful low save.

Rather than have to withstand their opponents throwing everything at them late on, Luton always looked in control too, restricting their illustrious opponents to shots from range through Grealish and Ayew, as they earned a home tie in round two against another Championship side, in Leeds United.

Hatters: Christian Walton, Stephen O’Donnell, James Justin, Johnny Mullins, Glen Rea, Olly Lee (Scott Cuthbert 84), Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu, Jake Gray (Jonathan Smith 88), Cameron McGeehan, Danny Hylton, Jack Marriott (Isaac Vassell 90).

Subs not used: Craig King, Josh McQuoid, Akin Famewo, Jordan Cook.

Villa: Mark Bunn, Nathan Baker (Alan Hutton 46), Micah Richards (C), Jores Okore, Aaron Tshibola, Jordan Ayew, Andre Green, Gary Gardner, Jordan Amavi, Jack Grealish, Ross McCormack (Rudy Gestede 46).

Subs: Tommy Elphick, Leandro Bacuna, Jed Steer, Ashley Westwood, Aly Cissokho.

Bookings: McCormack 17, Ayew 43, Gardner 71, Lee 79.

Attendance: 7,412 (Villa 1,487).

Hatters MOM: Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu.

Hatters boss Nathan Jones reserved special praise for teenager James Justin on his full debut for the club during last night’s stunning EFL Cup victory over Aston Villa at Kenilworth Road.

The 17-year-old whose only previous first team experience was just seven minutes against Exeter City on the final day of the campaign, was handed his start due to Dan Potts’ suspension and injury to Alan Sheehan.

However, Justin, who starred for the youth team last year, didn’t look out of place for a second, named the sponsor’s man of the match in a hugely encouraging display both defensively and going forward, as Jones said: “I thought he was absolutely outstanding, I mean outstanding doesn’t do him justice, he was superb.

“He’s had a clap off everyone in the dressing room, as for a 17-year old, 18-year-old kid, coming in for his full debut, playing against Aston Villa and someone like Andre Green that’s got the reputation that he has, I thought he was excellent, and he was proactive, on the front foot.

“He went down with cramp after 60-odd minutes and then showed an absolute strength of character to keep playing. A lot would have thought ‘I’ve done enough here,’ but he didn’t, so unbelievable.

“I want to give talent a go, if it’s young or old, or ancient, I’ll give it a go. If it’s talent and right to play it, I’ll do it. We just happen to have a really good group of youngsters here that are talented and want to really play, so I want to give talent a go.”

Midfielder Cameron McGeehan, for whom Justin was boot boy to last season, wasn’t surprised that the youngster didn’t look out of place for a second on the big stage, saying: “I knew he had it in him. He’s a top player in training, technically very gifted.

“Obviously he needs to learn, he’s young but I’ve said it before, the young lads, when they get thrown in, they seem to rise to the occasion.

“They are good enough, it’s just about getting the chance. The gaffer has given a lot of young lads a chance and we’ve obviously got a young team anyway, so that’s a good energy to have around the camp.

“We’ll hopefully get a few more playing because I know they’re good enough. JJ has put himself right in the mix now and I’m sure that even if he doesn’t start every week, he’ll be in and around it as back-up or in there to be picked.”

Recent addition Jake Gray, who bagged his first goal for the Town on the night, was left hugely impressed by Justin’s impact on his first start too adding: “The manager has said that everyone’s going to play this season, he trusts everyone in the squad, it just shows with JJ at left back, he was unbelievable on his debut.

“In training, he’s got both feet, can play left or right, he’s a stand out of one of the younger players, so for that to be his full debut was unbelievable, he was different class.

“The manager made a point of it after the game, that you can’t get better really than that. He was unbelievable, hopefully he can keep that going and get more starts in games.”

Luton Town 3 Aston Villa 1

This was not an EFL Cup shock, this was a proper mauling and Luton Town emerged deservedly dripping with Aston Villa blood on their teeth. Ruthless predators.

Nights under the Kenilworth Road lights rarely come much better than this and that's not even because the League Two Hatters tore so comprehensively into a Championship side, but more due to a statement of pure intent that, this season, they are the real deal.

It's very early in the campaign for predictions and you'll get none here, but after just two games they have shown that, under the full control of boss Nathan Jones, they are a completely different animal from anything we've seen since they returned to the Football League. Dangerous animals.

Even when Villa took a 13th minute lead, through a squirming Jordan Ayew trickler, and then threatened to pass them off the park for 20 minutes – hitting the woodwork twice through a sliced Glen Rea clearance and a Jack Grealish blast – they rallied and hit back with cold-blooded killer instinct.

It was a first chance, first shot, first goal and a full debut to remember from newest signing Jake Gray, who must be thinking he made the best decision of his life in swapping Crystal Palace for Luton last week. He has Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu to thank for his 36th minute equaliser and the midfielder was at his rip-roaring, monstrous best all night.

Meek Villa – relegated from the Premier League last term after 28 years, without a win since February and 14 tortuous games – simply crumbled.

But to focus on the misery of the Midlanders would be to do the hosts a disservice. Town were all teeth and claws in the second period; resolute and stingy along a back line – complete with academy product James Justin's impressive full debut – and devastating Villa on the counter.

Step forward Cameron McGeehan, Mpanuzu, Gray, Danny Hylton and Jack Marriott. The latter could have scored twice in the early second half stages – and may feel hard done by not to have got on the scoresheet after a dizzyingly tenacious display – before Luton took full command in the 53rd minute.

They looked to have squandered a three-on-one breakaway when goalie Mark Bunn came out off his line to deny Mpanzu, but the ball was recycled and Marriott's shot was deflected off the legs of the scrambling stopper, straight into the path of McGeehan.

It was the easiest conversion of his life, stroking into an empty net from close range to open his account for the season.

Still Luton pressed, still they bullied and still they dominated – and then came Villa's latest humiliation. Olly Lee fizzed a cross into the six-yard area and, without any Luton pressure – for one of the few times – centre back Jores Okore scuffed into his own net. Cue rapturous scenes.

The Hatters crossbar did rattle for a third time soon after, but even then, it was a Town touch – for a second time in the contest – that nearly did the damage. Villa didn't even have a sniff.

Luck? Perhaps, but sometimes, just sometimes, you get what you deserve. Both teams did.

Hatters fans taunted the 1,487 travelling Villans that they'll see them in League One next year. On this evidence, it's a case that is hard to argue against.

Certainly, Leeds United won't want to come to the Kenny in the next round of the EFL Cup.

Luton Town: Walton; O'Donnell, Mullins, Gray (Smith, 87), McGeehan, Hylton, Marriott (Vassell, 90), Rea, Mpanzu, Lee (Cuthbert, 84), Justin Unused subs: Cook, McQuoid, King, Famewo

Aston Villa: Bunn; Baker (Hutton, 45), Richards, Okore, Tshibola, Ayew, Green, Gardner, Amavi, Grealish, McCormack (Gestede, 45) Unused subs: Elphick, Bacuna, Steer, Westwood, Cissokho

Referee: Gavin Ward Attendance: 7,412 (1,487)

Boss Nathan Jones was bursting with pride after a "rocking" night under the Kenilworth Road lights as his Luton side swatted aside Championship Aston Villa 3-1 in a televised EFL Cup first round upset.

While the Hatters conceded early on to a Jordan Ayew opener, the League Two side rallied to equalise before the break through full debutant Jake Gray and then turned on the style after the interval.

Cameron McGeehan put Town ahead before a Jores Okore own goal ensured a deserved passage through to the second round of the League Cup, where they will face Leeds United at home.

Jones said: "The place was rocking, the atmosphere was outstanding, I haven't had a night like that here, where it has been relentless rocking like that and the fans were amazing."

Jones was beaming after Luton opened their League Two account on Saturday with a stunning 3-0 win at Plymouth, and that feeling continued last night.

"I live my life for this and when your team and a group of people go out and give you that kind of performance then it's only pride that comes through," he said, adding: "We work hard, have good staff here and all that came to fruition tonight.

"[We're] not getting carried away. [We] had a great result on the weekend, we've had an unbelievable result again tonight, [we're] in a good place at the minute but the important thing is to keep that going."

The result was all the more impressive after Luton started slowly, and were under the cost for 20 minutes.

"I think we showed them a little bit too much respect," Jones said, adding: "Once we realised we could affect a football game against Aston Villa, I thought we were excellent, especially in the second half.

"They showed they could compete in the first half but in the second half they showed a real desire to win a football match and I thought we were excellent.

"We had a little bit of fortune at times, with them hitting the woodwork, but it was slim margins."