Luton Town FC vs Barnet (14th Nov 2015)

PUBLISHED 17:52 14th November 2015 by Ross Lawson Green and McGeehan on target as Town beat Bees

LUTON TOWN 2-0 BARNET

Goals from Danny Green and Cameron McGeehan gave the Hatters a third successive victory in all competitions thanks to a 2-0 win at home to Barnet.

Green opened the scoring with a thunderbolt after Josh McQuoid, who delivered a man-of-the-match display, had tricked his way through the Bees defence.

The Town had numerous chances to double their lead, but it wasn’t until the 67th minute when McGeehan tucked home his eighth goal of the campaign that the game was safe.

The win puts the Hatters back into the top half, just one point away from the Play-Off places.

John Still gave Paul Benson his first start since August 22nd, one of four changes for the Town who also welcomed back Mark Tyler, Green and McGeehan from last week’s Emirates FA Cup victory at Crawley. Paddy McCourt and Sean Long were both given places on the bench having been involved on international duty on Friday evening.

The Hatters were on top in the early stages, but the slippery underfoot conditions made chances a premium, although Green and Alex Lawless – filling in at right back – proved a promising combination down the right flank.

Like the home side, Barnet were well up for providing an entertaining contest, and came close to an opening when Tyler’s slip allowed John Akinde to nip through, but the ‘keeper recovered sufficiently to pounce on the ball and relieve the danger.

From then on, the first half belonged to the Hatters. McQuoid’s pace caused the Barnet defence all sorts of problems, with the striker taking the ball down with an exquisite first touch before tumbling in the 23rd minute, but the claims for a penalty were waved away referee Darren England.

And the Town were ahead just two minutes later. McQuoid picked up the ball around 35 yards out, rocketing through three Barnet defenders before touching it off to Green, who lashed an exquisite strike into the top corner past a helpless Jamie Stephens from around 20 yards.

It was apt reward for a Hatters team full of vigour and determination in the first period, and they could have doubled their almost immediately when McGeehan’s long-range drive had Stephens scrambling, with the keeper just able to tip round the post.

The Barnet keeper was called to action yet again as Lawless’ enterprise down the channel helped him find McQuoid, whose header looked destined for the bottom corner until Stephens’ outstretched glove kept the visitors in the contest.

Josh Clarke ensured the Bees possessed a threat heading into half-time, a trait which carried on after the interval, but Scott Griffiths remained admirable in nullifying the danger, although the winger’s threatening cross should perhaps have been converted by John Akinde, but the striker could only touch wide.

The Hatters struggled to get going after the break, but almost doubled the advantage when a long throw was flicked to Smith who could only strike over when in just 10 yards from goal.

It looked as if the missed chances in the first half could plague the hosts, but McGeehan’s finish – making him the Town’s top scorer this term – relaxed a jittery Kenilworth Road. McQuoid’s sprint down the right was adjudged to be onside, and it looked as though the chance had gone when Smith couldn’t tap in the resulting cross, but McGeehan was on hand to profit on the leftovers to put the Town two to the good.

McQuoid, such a handful already in the afternoon, sniffed a third for his side when chasing down a lost cause, eventually cutting back to Smith who saw his effort flick off a Barnet boot and out for a corner as the game entered the final 20 minutes.

The Hatters introduced Jack Marriott in place of Benson, and the striker almost had an immediate impact in a counter attack for the hosts, only for Smith’s subsequent shot to drift harmlessly wide.

That proved to be the closest the Town came to finding a third, despite the efforts of Smith with another long-range strike, yet the Hatters were able to close out their fourth win in five meetings against the Bees.

Hatters: Tyler, Lawless, Cuthbert, Wilkinson, Griffiths, Green (sub O’Brien 82), Lee, Smith, McGeehan, McQuoid (sub McCourt 90), Benson (sub Marriott 78).

Subs not used: Potts, Long, Guttridge, Justham.

Attendance: 8497, including 612 from Barnet.

http://www.lutontown.co.uk/news/article/gallery-town-2-0-barnet-2801206.aspx

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TEjOC83ihJU

League Two: Luton Town 2 Barnet 0

The entertainment factor finally returned to Kenilworth Road this afternoon as Luton Town made it three wins in all competitions with an impressive 2-0 victory over Barnet.

After recent displays in which the hosts had laboured in front of goal, with a dearth of attempts leaving supporters wanting more, this time Hatters went about their business with a new-found adventure.

Town’s intentions to almost shoot on sight at times led to a renewed optimism for the home fans, with Jonathan Smith in particular unlucky not to find himself on the scoresheet, although it wasn’t for the lack of trying.

In the end, just two goals were needed from the recalled Danny Green and Cameron McGeehan’s eighth of the campaign, although it could and probably should have been more as Luton won at home for the first time since September 26.

Luton boss John Still made a surprising four changes to the side prior to kick off, with Mark Tyler, as expected coming back into the team for Elliot Justham.

However, Green was in for his first start since September 12, with Paul Benson also beginning for the first time since August 22, while McGeehan was back as Justham, Sean Long, Jack Marriott and Luke Guttridge dropped to the bench.

Both Long and Paddy McCourt were also named among the substitutes despite being on international duty for the Ireland U21s and Northern Ireland on Friday evening.

Unlike other games on home soil this season, Luton started well, deploying a 4-4-2 formation, with Josh McQuoid partnering Benson upfront.

Town created a marvellous chance inside the opening five minutes, with Green setting Benson free on the wing and his cross met by McQuoid, who could only put his free header disappointingly at Jamie Stephens.

The visitors keeper then had to improvise to block from McQuoid after failing to deal with a ball over the top, but managed to intervene with his legs.

The poor decision making appeared to be catching as Mark Tyler tried to beat John Akinde to a long punt forward, only to miss his intended target and then just about dispossess him in the area.

He had an easier stop, from Andy Yiadom’s tame shot, while McQuoid did wonderfully to take Benson’s lofted pass and drive into the box, where he appeared to be felled, but nothing was given.

Luton then had the lead on 25 minutes with a wonderful goal as McQuoid picked up possession and burst forward.

He powered past a posse of defenders to tee up Green who lashed his shot into the roof of the net from the edge of the box.

With their dander up, McGeehan took aim from range twice, one easy for Stephens, while the deflected second required a reactionary tip behind.

Smith almost had the opportunity for a second, as his control just took him away from goal, while McQuoid went close too, his header from Lawless’ cross requiring a sharp stop by Stephens.

After the break, the question was whether Luton could continue their impressive first half display, without doubt their best 45 at Kenilworth Road this season, something they have struggled to do this term.

Early indications were no as Josh Clarke’s slide-rule cross was perfect for Akinde, who side-footed badly wide from a matter of yards.

Barnet looked to be more then capable of finding a way back into the game, showing a refreshing attacking intent not often on display by visiting teams to Bedfordshire.

However, Hatters managed to weather the storm after a few iffy moments at the back and should have made it 2-0 on the hour mark when a long throw reached the back post but Smith couldn’t keep his volley down.

Another venture forward saw Scott Griffiths play in McQuoid who beat Yiadom only to curl off target.

However, Luton then got a second with another break as McQuoid, who was excellent all afternoon, with a display of huge promise as a central striker, timed his run perfectly to beat the offside trap and pull the ball back for Smith.

The midfielder loked like he was clearly felled in the act of shooting, but with referee Darren England not looking like he would be pointing to the spot, McGeehan mopped up the rebound, sweeping past Stephens to become the club’s outright leading goalscorer in the process.

Rather than sitting on their lead either, as Luton have been guilty of in past matches, Hatters went hunting for a third, McGeehan hammering over and Smith’s angled drive deflected behind.

The hosts had further chances as they were quick to break through sub Marriott and McQuoid to break, one move seeing Smith attempt an ambitious curler, that was well wide.

The Luton midfielder was certainly willing for his fifth of the season, as he came even close late on, his acrobatic volley flying just the wrong side of the post.

It mattered not though as Barnet failed to mount a meaningful response as Luton saw out the final moments with no drama this time, climbing to 10th in the table, just a point away from the play-offs now.

Hatters: Mark Tyler, Alex Lawless, Scott Griffiths, Scott Cuthbert (C), Luke Wilkinson, Jonathan Smith, Olly Lee, Danny Green (Mark O’Brien 82), Cameron McGeehan, Josh McQuoid (Paddy McCourt 90), Paul Benson (Jack Marriott 78).

Subs not used: Elliot Justham, Dan Potts, Sean Long, Lee Guttridge.

Bees: Jamie Stephen, Elliot Johnson, Bondz N’Gala, Andy Yiadom (C), Curtis Weston, John Akinde (Aaron McLean 70), Luke Gambin (Shaun Batt 49), Tom Champion (Sam Muggleton 69), Michael Gash, Josh Clarke.

Subs not used: Gavin Hoyte, Sam Togwell, Nicky Bailey, Raven Constable.

Attendance: 8,497 (612 Barnet).

Booked: Lawless 55, Green 79.

Referee: Darren England.

Hatters MOM: Josh McQuoid. Superb display in his preferred position as a central striker.

Luton Town 2 Barnet 0

In the downpour Luton told Barnet to calm it – again.

That's to paraphrase a line in the 'Champions' rap, but much has changed since the lyrics of Kanye West's 'Touch the Sky' were changed to document Town's title-winning Conference season.

The wet stuff didn't fall down in quite the Biblical proportions of their last meeting with the Bees either, but for a glorious opening half 8,497 onlookers could have testified that Luton looked like the league winners they want to be.

During that time, the perplexing underuse of Danny Green was exposed as, in his first League Two appearance in almost two months, the winger injected an attacking quality rarely seen on home soil this season, topping off his maiden home start with a blockbusting opener on 25 minutes.

He wasn't solely responsible for the upturn in quality with Paul Benson – on his first fourth-tier outing since August – ensuring the ball stuck up front, but the real revelation was Josh McQuoid.

Not that it should be much of one after his two FA Cup goals last weekend, but what a difference he has made when employed in a central striker's role. Funny that. Put a goalscorer in a position where he can do just that, sit back and reap the benefits.

The 25-year-old's contribution here was not to hit the net himself, but he provided both assists for Green and then Cameron McGeehan, who struck his eighth of the campaign in the 67th minute after the only period where Barnet looked threatening, after the interval.

Too often told to plough a wide furrow, McQuoid hadn't made as big an impact in an orange shirt as his Bournemouth history suggested. He has now. His pace was the sort of bums-off-seats stuff that could help the Hatters turn a strangely quiet Kenilworth Road into a fortress.

"He has been very good," said Benson of McQuoid, adding: "His done his bit for the team when he's played out wide of a three. I know he's played there before and he did it well at Peterborough but, ultimately, he likes to play down the middle. You can see, he certainly looks a very good player when he plays down the middle."

This was only Luton's third victory in the league this term at the old ground – moving them one point off the play-offs – but also a third on the spin in all competitions. They must now take their form of the first 45 minutes and embark on the kind of mid-season unbeaten run that propelled them into promotion contention last term.

They began brightly and the only blot on McQuoid's copybook was that he should have scored with a header, but the striker soon made Barnet pay with a driving run before laying off to Green.

Previously told by boss John Still that he wasn't putting in the hard yards in training, the former MK Dons ace still had a lot of work to do but he rifled spectacularly into the top corner from the edge of the area.

It was the goal that Town's high-tempo start deserved and from there they swarmed all over the Bees with McGeehan twice trying his luck from range with a wicked deflection almost getting the better of Stephens.

The Barnet keeper rescued his side with an instinctive stop to keep out a glancing McQuoid header but Luton's dominance didn't bleed into the second half where, early on, John Akinde squandered a golden chance to level.

Jonathan Smith should have made that mistake a costly one but the midfielder blasted over following a long throw, while McQuoid did the hard work to fashion some space but then got his angles all wrong with a curling effort.

The striker corrected that soon after with another lightning run and cross. Luton could easily have had a penalty when Andy Yiadom clattered Smith but McGeehan buried the loose ball in the bottom corner.

And with that Luton were back in full control with Stephens the only barrier between Smith adding a third. That and some inaccurate aiming.

And for once, there was no late panic, no last-gasp drama, just a deserved chance for applause to rain down from all sides of the stadium for man-of-the-match McQuoid when he was substituted just before full time, strolling off calm as you like.

Luton: Tyler, Smith, Cuthbert, Lawless, McGeehan, Benson (Marriott, 78), Green (O'Brien, 81), Griffiths, Lee, McQuoid (McCourt, 90), Wilkinson

Unused subs: Potts, Justham, Long, Guttridge

Barnet: Stephen, Johnson, N'Gala, Nelson, Yiadom, Weston, Akinde (McLean, 70), Gambin (Batt, 51), Champion (Muggleton, 69), Gash, Clarke

Unused subs: Hoyte, Togwell, Bailey, Constable

Referee: Darren England

Attendance: 8,497 (612)