Luton Town FC vs Barnet (3rd Oct 2017)

MATCH REPORT: LUTON TOWN 1 BARNET 1

Hatters take Trophy bonus point with 4-3 penalty shoot-out win

The Hatters picked up a second penalty shoot-out bonus point in the Checkatrade Trophy Southern Group F tonight after a 1-1 draw with Barnet at Kenilworth Road.

Man-of-the-match Elliot Lee hit his second goal of the season, a magnificent 65th-minute curling effort, to cancel out Jack Taylor’s 63rd-minute penalty in normal time.

Then the striker netted from 12 yards in the penalty shoot-out that follows a draw in the group stages of this competition – along with Jordan Cook, James Justin and Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu – as the Town won 4-3 to earn a second point for the night, goalkeeper James Shea saving from Bees’ left-back David Tutonda and Ricardo Santos blasting their fifth high into the Oak Road End.

The bonus point puts the Hatters on four in total, after taking the same haul from the August clash with Tottenham Under-21s, and leaves them two behind leaders AFC Wimbledon, who beat Spurs 4-3 – the same scoreline by which they defeated Barnet in their opening match.

It all means a draw for Nathan Jones’ men on the trip to face the Dons on 31st October will be enough to see both teams progress to the knockout stage.

For this one, played out in front of 1,530 at Kenilworth Road, Jones handed teenage striker Aaron Jarvis his first start in a Luton Town shirt.

There was also a first appearance of the campaign for midfielder Lawson D’Ath, who suffered an ankle injury two days before the opening game against Yeovil.

Johnny Mullins was named captain of a side in which England Under-20 full-back Justin was given his second start of the campaign in a back four that also featured Akin Famewo and Jack Senior, with goalkeeper Shea behind them.

Midfielders Mpanzu and Luke Berry were given a run-out after missing recent league games through suspension, with Cook and D’Ath alongside them in the midfield behind Jarvis and Lee.

Lee had the Town’s first chance on five minutes when Cook won the ball in midfield and played it wide to the striker on the right edge of the area. The summer signing from Barnsley made space for a shot, which was blocked, before his follow-up was deflected behind for a corner.

The next sight of goal came two minutes later, but Cook couldn’t take full advantage of Andre Blackman’s slip on the Barnet left. Lee had started brightly, and after going down under one challenge after a neat bit of skill on the left byline, with referee John Busby waving play on, he then tricked his way past Bees’ captain Ricardo Santos right in front of the tunnel, but the visitors managed to clear his low cross comfortably.

The Hatters were well in control and should have one in front when Cook’s 13th-minute corner was flicked on at the near post and reached Famewo at the back stick, but the centre-half’s volley flew just wide.

Barnet registered their first sign of attacking intent when Jack Taylor met Ruben Bover’s free-kick with a glancing header that went narrowly wide of Shea’s right-hand post.

Just before the half-hour the Town launched a rapid break when Lee won the ball just inside the Barnet half and drove towards the Barnet penalty area, feeding Mpanzu to his right. The midfielder’s chipped cross was inches too high for Jarvis in the middle, however.

Lee was enjoying himself and a lovely touch around the corner on halfway found Berry, who looked to set Jarvis away – but the ball struck the striker’s heel as he looked to let it run ahead of him, and another good opening came to nothing.

Mpanzu was caught late by Bover, who was shown a yellow card, but the midfielder was soon back on his feet after receiving treatment and was part of the next chance that came along on 42 minutes.

Lee started an attack on the left with another driving run to the byline that was taken on by Mpanzu, who tried to force his way past Santos but his deflected cross looped up to Justin on the right side of the area. The full-back traded passes with Berry and sent in a cross that Lee controlled and hit a half-volley on the turn that flew a foot over the bar and into the Oak Road End.

Jones withdrew D’Ath at the break, a 45-minute run-out sufficient on his return, bringing Frankie Musonda on at right-back and moving Justin into midfield in the ex-Northampton man’s place.

Lee continued his good showing into the second half, producing a terrific curling 53rd-minute effort from the edge of the box that had Bees’ keeper Craig Ross beaten, but unfortunately not the post, after Mpanzu had gone on another surging run from deep.

Barnet reminded the Town they could carry an attacking threat on the hour when Ephron Mason-Clark crossed from the right for Malakai Mars to get a shot in.

Then, two minutes later, they had the opening they wanted when Mullins’ short backpass was intercepted by Blackman, who was brought down by Shea.

Ref Busby initially showed the Town keeper a red card, but then changed it to a yellow, presumably having remembered the new law change where a player does not have to be sent off if a genuine attempt to play the ball has been made when giving away a penalty.

Jack Taylor tucked the spot-kick away to give the north Londoners the lead, but it was wiped out within two minutes when Lee latched onto a loose ball and had Charlie Clough back-pedalling towards his own box.

As the striker reached the edge of the area, he left fly with another curling right-footed shot that again beat Ross, and this time found its way inside the post for a cracking equaliser.

Barnet responded with a 69th-minute effort from Fonguck that flew over, then Cook had two good chances to give the Hatters the lead – the first a curling 70th-minute shot that went over the bar, and then a slide-rule shot that Ross did well to save with his right boot after Justin had slipped the midfielder into the box.

In between those two chances, Lee bent another effort from a similar position to which he had scored, but this one was well off target, before Taylor saw a shot from distance deflected wide as the game took on a real end-to-end feel.

A good move down the Town left involving Mpanzu and Senior saw the left-back find Lee in the box once more, but this time the striker’s 87th-minute shot was blocked almost at source as the Hatters stepped up their search for a winner.

It almost came – twice – a minute into time added on, first when Cook’s through ball put Lee in the clear, only for Ross to once again stick out a big size nine to turn it away. Then, from the follow-up, Mpanzu skipped past a couple of challenges in the box, only to find the keeper once again saving low down to his right.

It went to penalties, and with Berry the only man not to score for the Hatters – Ross saving low to his left – and Shea diving the same way to save well from Tutonda before Santos’ blast flew over the bar, the night ended on a positive point.

TOWN: Shea, Justin, Mullins ©, Famewo, Senior, Mpanzu, Berry, D’Ath, Cook, Jarvis, E Lee. Subs: Read, Musonda, James, Mead, Tomlinson, Neufville, Isted (GK)

Yellows: Shea

Goals: Lee 65

Penalties scored: Lee, Cook, Justin, Mpanzu. Missed: Berry

BARNET: Ross, Clough, Santos ©, J Taylor, Tutonda, Bover (Shomotum 73), Fonguck, Blackman (Kyei 69), Mason-Clark, Mars (Aghadiuno 61), Pascal. Subs: Akinola, H Taylor, Smith, McKenzie-Lyle

Yellows: Bover, Tutonda

Goals: J Taylor (pen) 63

Penalties scored: J Taylor, Fonguck, Shomotum. Missed: Tutonda, Santos

REFEREE: John Busby

ATT: 1,530 (68 away)

NATHAN JONES ON THE DRAW WITH BARNET IN THE CHECKATRADE TROPHY

Town picked up two points after winning the penalty shoot-out, having drawn 1-1 in normal time

Town boss Nathan Jones felt that although his side's performance wasn't their strongest, he was pleased to see a number of his players get valuable game time in the 1-1 draw with Barnet in the Checkatrade Trophy at Kenilworth Road this evening.

The visitors took the lead after James Shea upended Andre Blackman in the penalty area, with Jack Taylor slotting away the resulting spot-kick just after the hour mark. The Hatters immediately responded through Elliot Lee, who curled the ball past Craig Ross and inside the far post.

With the score level at full-time, the game went onto penalties, with the Hatters winning 4-3 and earning themselves an extra point – which means they will qualify for the knock-out stages of the competition should they avoid defeat at AFC Wimbledon at the end of the month.

Jones said: "I thought it was a lacklustre performance to be honest in terms of there's a few out there who needed minutes, who needed game time, and it showed. I thought we were very lacklustre.

Town boss Nathan Jones felt that although his side's performance wasn't their strongest, he was pleased to see a number of his players get valuable game time in the 1-1 draw with Barnet in the Checkatrade Trophy at Kenilworth Road this evening.

The visitors took the lead after James Shea upended Andre Blackman in the penalty area, with Jack Taylor slotting away the resulting spot-kick just after the hour mark. The Hatters immediately responded through Elliot Lee, who curled the ball past Craig Ross and inside the far post.

With the score level at full-time, the game went onto penalties, with the Hatters winning 4-3 and earning themselves an extra point – which means they will qualify for the knock-out stages of the competition should they avoid defeat at AFC Wimbledon at the end of the month.

Jones said: "I thought it was a lacklustre performance to be honest in terms of there's a few out there who needed minutes, who needed game time, and it showed. I thought we were very lacklustre.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpaELv4Jirk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZQUXz7maeU

Hatters sting the Bees on penalties

Checkatrade Trophy: Luton 1 Barnet 1 (Town win 4-3 on penalties).

Luton Town made it two bonus point wins in a row as they saw off Barnet on penalties in tonight's Checkatrade Trophy Southern Section Group F clash. After the game finished 1-1 in normal time, Hatters then went to the newlook ABBA spotkicks and triumphed 4-3 once Bees skipper Ricardo Santos wildly skied his effort. Hatters' previous forays in this competition have always led to entertaining goal-laden games, with plenty of excitement on offer.

This, however, was anything but, as bar the odd moment, there was very little to enthuse the crowd of 1,500 or so inside Kenilworth Road as both sides laboured for long periods. Town made 11 changes from Saturday's 3-1 win over Newport, Lawson D'Ath back for his first appearance of the season, while Aaron Jarvis was handed a first start, with James Justin and Johnny Mullins in, along with the available Luke Berry and Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu, whose suspension didn't count in this competition. Hatters should have been ahead on 13 minutes when a corner was flicked on and Akin Famewo volleyed badly wide at the far post. The Bees then wasted a glorious chance shortly afterwards, as Ruben Bover's free kick found Jack Taylor all alone, who glanced into the empty stands behind James Shea's goal.

Very little happened from then on, with the game stuck in midfield and little quality mustered from either side, although Lee impressed, swivelling and half volleying over. The game then improved slightly after the break, as Lee turned in the box and curled a delightful effort that beat keeper Craig Ross all ends up, only to crash against the point of post and bar. Cook's free kick didn't quite have enough whip on it, before Bees missed a glorious chance, Malakai Mars prodding wide when unmarked from Ephron Mason-Clark's cross. The Bees then won a penalty with a moment of controversy as Mullins sold Shea badly short with his backpass on 63 minutes, the keeper bringing down Andre Blackman.

Referee John Busby produced a red card, seemingly unaware of the law change where a keeper doesn't have to be dismissed if a genuine attempt is made for the ball. On being reminded by the Luton stopper, he quickly downgraded his punishment to a yellow, although Shea was unable to prevent Jack Taylor's effort finding the corner of the net. Town weren't behind for long though, two minutes in fact, Lee getting the goal his performance deserved, with a seriously classy finish, bending beyond Ross from 20 yards. That led to a period of ascendancy for the Hatters, Cook curling wide and then being picked out by Justin's pass, his low shot repelled by Ross's legs. Bees threatened too though, Taylor powering through the middle and his low shot taking a slight deflection, not missing by much.

The Hatters should have won it in stoppage time, Cook sending Lee away only for Ross to once again save the day, the keeper also preventing Mpanzu from notching a decider too.

With the game going to penalties, Lee, Cook, Justin and Mpanzu were all successful, Berry's effort saved, before Shea kept out David Tutonda's casual attempt and once Santos wellied over, Town kept the extra point.

Hatters: James Shea, James Justin, Jack Senior, Johnny Mullins (C), Akin Famewo, Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu, Luke Berry, Lawson D'Ath (Frankie Musonda 46), Jordan Cook, Elliot Lee, Aaron Jarvis.

Subs not used: Arthur Read, Harry Isted, Jack James, Joe Mead, Connor Tomlinson, Josh Neufville.

Barnet: Craig Ross, Charlie Clough, Ricardo Santos (C), Jack Taylor, David Tutonda, Ruben Bover (Fumnaya Shomotun 73), Wesley Fonguck, Andre Blackman (Nana Kyei 69), Ephron Mason-Clark, Malaki Mars, (Benjy Aghadiuno 61) Dwight Pascal.

Subs not used: Simeon Akinola, Harry Taylor, Darnell Smith, Renell McKenzie-Lyle

Booked: Bover 32, Tutonda 54, Cook 57, Shea 63.

Referee: John Busby.

Attendance: 1,530 (68 Barnet).

Hatters MOM: Elliot Lee. Excellent finish on his return to the side.

Jones labels Hatters ‘lacklustre’ against Barnet

Luton chief Nathan Jones wasn’t entirely satisfied with his side’s display even though they beat Barnet on penalties in the Checkatrade Trophy group stages last night. The hosts made 11 changes from Saturday’s 3-1 win over Newport County with Elliot Lee, Johnny Mullins, Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu, Luke Berry and Jordan Cook all getting 90 minutes.

However, Town laboured to a 1-1 draw in normal time, before grabbing an extra bonus point in the shootout, as Jones said: “I thought it was a lacklustre performance tonight, I really did. “It looked like a few of them needed game time as there wasn’t the intensity and the sharpness.

“A few of them had that, Elliot Lee looked sharp, Jordan Cook at times looked sharp, Pelly was a little sharper than others and Akin (Famewo), I felt he played well, but the others looked like they needed game time.

“First half they never looked like scoring, but when we had opportunities in and around the box, we never really had that spark and that cutting edge. “Second half was a lot more open, we had a few more chances, the keeper’s made four great saves to deny us in normal time, but I thought it was a bit of a sloppy, lacklustre performance to be honest.”

Town’s victory did see them maintain second place in the group behind AFC Wimbledon who beat Spurs U21s 4-3, while Jones also pointed to the fact that no further injuries were picked up.

He continued: “The positive to come from it is we haven’t lost the game and won on pens again.

“So it keeps us in second in the group as it’s important, we want to win football matches.

“Then people like Lawson D’Ath coming back, it’s good to see him back after two months out, and people like Jordan Cook and Johnny Mullins, even Akin was tested which is good and Luke Berry.

“They haven’t had game time lately and looked rusty and it was good for that, we didn’t pick up any injuries, so that was a positive.”

Luton will look to cement their place in the next stage when they travel to group leaders AFC Wimbledon at the end of the month.

With Hatters in second themselves, Jones added: “It’s a top of the table game, we had one of those last year and we’re looking to progress in the group.

“Wimbledon are a tough side, we’ve got to go away, they’re free scoring in this competition to be fair.

“So it will be the end of a tough month for us, we’ll see where we are, but we’re in a good place, we want to go through because we like the games.”