Luton Town FC vs Brighton & Hove Albion (4th Sep 2018)

HATTERS 2 BRIGHTON & HA U21s 1

Jarvis and Grant on target as the Town kick-off Checkatrade campaign with a win

The Hatters picked up all three points in their first Checkatrade Trophy Southern Group H fixture of the season tonight, beating Brighton Under-21s 2-1 with goals from Aaron Jarvis and Jorge Grant.

With his former club in town, manager Nathan Jones gave new loan signing from Leeds United Eunan O’Kane his home debut after an impressive performance as a second-half substitute in the 1-1 draw at Wycombe on Saturday.

The Republic of Ireland international ran the show as the Hatters dominated the opening half, but unfortunately limped off with a groin injury before the break after going close himself, and creating chances for others, after Jarvis’ fifth-minute opener.

Goalkeeper Harry Isted was given his senior debut for the club behind a back four of James Justin, Lloyd Jones, captain Alan Sheehan and Jack Senior, while O’Kane lined up alongside Alan McCormack, Grant and Arthur Read in midfield, with Jarvis and Harry Cornick up front.

Jarvis had already gone close to opening the scoring in the second minute when McCormack chipped into the box, the ex-Basingstoke man chesting down and firing in a left-footed volley that was beaten away by Brighton keeper Jason Steele.

The Hatters had the breakthrough in the fifth minute, however, with Jarvis finishing off a flowing move down the right that he had triggered with a flick-on for Cornick, who backheeled into Justin’s path to deliver the pinpont cross that the striker hammered into the bottom corner from six yards out.

Isted had to be alert to a first-time volley from Aaron Connolly after a long pass from deep from left-back Alex Cochrane, but by the ninth minute it was the Hatters on the attack again, Cornick cutting back for O’Kane to send the first of two quickfire efforts on goal

On 23 minutes Reed intercepted a pass into the centre of the Brighton half, and fed Grant, who unleashed a drive that was destined for the top corner until Steele flew across his six-yard box to punch it away.

Two minutes later it was Jarvis’ turn again, receiving another cute pass from O’Kane just inside the area, but off-balance, his left-footed shot flew well wide.

The Town were dominating possession and in the 27th minute a flowing move down the right was started by Justin in the full-back position, into Cornick’s feet on halfway and onto O’Kane, who then threaded another lovely ball into the rampaging Justin’s path, but the local lad’s shot was only troubling the scoreboard at the Oak Road End.

On the half-hour mark, McCormack clipped a ball into Jarvis, who laid it back for O’Kane to bend a beauty that beat Steele all ends up, but not the crossbar. Within seconds Grant was having another crack from distance, this one just wide.

McCormack was keen to have a go himself, a 30-yard rocket of a shot calling Steele into action again on 36 minutes – moments before the impressive O’Kane was forced off with a knock, to be replaced by Frankie Musonda.

Grant had been fouled 25 yards from goal just before the substitution was made, and after the delay, Sheehan went close with the free-kick, before Brighton made a rare foray up the other end with Connolly having another crack, this one finishing closer to the corner flag than Isted’s goal.

It had been an opening 45 minutes in which the Hatters had dominated, however, and the final effort of the half produced Steele’s best save of the night so far.

Read picked up the ball at the end of a period of possession that covered more than 20 passes, but the former Sunderland keeper changed direction mid-air to fall on a 25-yard shot that took a wicked deflection.

The second half started in much the same vein, Grant firing over in the opening couple of minutes before Senior crossed for Cornick to volley on target in the 55th minute, Steele once more beating the ball away, just out of reach of the onrushing Jarvis.

Brighton’s first corner produced their best chance of the night on 57 minutes, Jordan Davies hitting one full on the volley at the far post, but Isted made a superb double save to deny the Seagulls’ captain and Connolly, who was following up.

Jarvis came close to rounding off another incisive move down the left in the 58th minute, the forward’s instinctive near post effort getting on the end of a low cross from Senior just beating the post.

Steele was proving a near unbeatable barrier in the Brighton goal, racing off his line to deny Jarvis again, this time latching onto a fine throughball from Justin, just after the hour, before Jones headed the resulting corner over the bar.

He flew acrobatically across his six-yard box to fist a Musonda cross-shot clear, but Brighton couldn’t clear the corner and Sheehan produced a right footed shot that was deflected just wide of the far post.

Read, Justin and Musonda combined down the right to tee up Jarvis for another chance, one that the striker couldn’t keep down as he stretched to meet it on the edge of the six-yard box.

Grant went close again in the 74th minute, spectacularly flicking a ball from McCormack with the outside of his right boot as it came over his shoulder, only for it to go inches over with Steele, for once, beaten.

The second goal finally came in the 79th minute, and it was Grant who got it, once more chancing his arm from distance, to the left of the area, and a massive deflection off Ben White took it past Steele and into the bottom corner.

Connolly went close again for Brighton with a smart near-post effort straight after the goal, then Jordan Davies pulled the trigger from 20 yards, with Isted holding well under pressure as Connolly raced in looking for a rebound.

They got a goal back with four minutes left when Cochrane raced down the left and whipped in a terrific cross that Connolly steered past Isted with a smart header, and Jordan Davies soon curled another attempt on goal that Isted had to get his body behind.

Jones had introduced Josh Neufville for Grant, who had picked up a slight injury while volleying a ball clear just before the goal, to make his senior debut the day after signing his first professional contract.

But the 17-year-old had little opportunity to make an impression, as the Hatters saw the game out to get off to the perfect start.

TOWN: Isted, Justin, Jones, Sheehan ©, Senior, McCormack (Rea 81), Grant (Neufville 85), Read, O’Kane (Musonda 39), Cornick, Jarvis. Subs: James, Tomlinson, Richardson, Stech.

Goals: Jarvis 5, Grant 79

BRIGHTON: Steele, White, Gyokeres, Tilley (Spong 71), Connolly, A Davies, J Davies ©, Kerr, Mandriou, Cochrane, Onen (Barclay 46). Subs: O’Hora, Collings (GK), Cashman, Packham.

Goals: Connolly 86

REFEREE: John Busby

ATT: 1,318 (44 away)

NATHAN JONES ON THE 2-1 WIN OVER BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION

Town boss Nathan Jones described his side's performance in their 2-1 victory over Brighton & Hove Albion Under-21s as "excellent", as the Hatters picked up their first three points of this campaign's Checkatrade Trophy.

Aaron Jarvis opened the scoring just five minutes in with a lovely volley after a brilliant move from the hosts, before the Hatters went onto dominate the affair, creating 25 chances. They finally got their second 80 minutes in, when Jorge Grant's strike deflected past Jason Steele – the stopper putting in a spirited display to keep the Hatters at bay for so long.

The Seagulls got a consolation goal with four minutes of normal time to play when Aaron Connolly headed in Alex Cochrane's cross, but the Town held out for the win.

Jones said: "I thought we were excellent from start to finish. I though our attitude, our intensity, the way we moved the ball, the chances we created, I thought we were excellent. Barring a Premier League goalkeeping display, it would have been a lot more comfortable.

"It turned into a good game – it had a bit of everything really. We had everything we needed in terms of a run out, a physical run out and then at the end we had to defend our box which we didn't have to do for much during the 93 minutes, but at the end we did. So it had a little bit of everything and we're delighted with the win.

"The first goal was a real good move, we came out of the blocks really quickly, which we wanted to do, because these won't be used to the intensity that we play at and I don't mean that disrespectfully, it's just there's differences between the leagues in terms of intensity wise.

"We came out of the blocks and we really came on to them and then the goal was wonderful, a great move, a great run and then the ball in, a sweet volley. It needed something brilliant or lucky to beat the keeper, because quite frankly, he was outstanding."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52Op0qtcwBY

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

Hatters start Trophy campaign by defeating Seagulls U21s

Checkatrade Trophy group stage: Luton Town 2 Brighton & Hove Albion U21s 1

Luton made a winning start to their Checkatrade Trophy campaign with one of the most one-sided 2-1 victories you are likely to see against Brighton U21s this evening.

Although only one goal separated the side at the final whistle, there was a gulf in class for the entire 90 minutes, with only the brilliance of Seagulls keeper Jason Steele ensuring the hosts didn't rack up a cricket score.

The only two worries for the Hatters were injuries to midfielder Eunan O'Kane and Jorge Grant, who both had to hobble off and must now be rated doubtful for Saturday's trip to Doncaster Rovers.

Boss Nathan Jones chose a strong side for the clash, with Alan Sheehan, Alan McCormack and Harry Cornick all starting, while Harry Isted and Arthur Read made their full debuts.

Town went close inside 60 seconds, Aaron Jarvis's left footed effort well saved by ex-Sunderland stopper Steele, who at 28, was easily the most experienced member of the visitors side.

After dominating the first five minutes, it was no surprise Luton went 1-0 up, James Justin's cross rammed home on the volley by Jarvis.

That should have been the signal for the floodgates to open, O'Kane somehow missing from close range after being teed up by Cornick.

Read's long ranger was easy for Steele, who was left grasping thin air from O'Kane's next attempt, which flew inches over the top.

Steele quite literally kept Albion in it during the first period, getting a strong hand to Grant's 22-yarder, while Jarvis skied an inviting attempt into the stands.

On 27 minutes, Justin was the next to catch the wasteful bug, hammering way over from O'Kane's majestic throughball, while the bar then came to Brighton's rescue as Jarvis set up O'Kane, the Leeds midfielder's curler cannoning off the woodwork.

Grant missed the target on the angle and McCormack answered the fans pleas to unload from 35 yards, Steele getting across to parry.

Worringly, O'Kane then had to go off before the break, Frankie Musonda on in his place, as Steele somehow ensured it stayed it remained 1-0 on the stroke of half time, changing direction in mid-air to keep out Read's deflected strike.

Town were unsurprisingly on the front foot in the second period, Grant sending an attempt over, while Jack Senior's lovely raking cross was met by Cornick, Steele sticking out a paw to divert away.

Isted had to keep his wits about him to prevent a shock leveller, making an excellent stop from Jordan Davies' deflected attempt, while Luton went straight back up the other end, Jarvis stabbing wide from Senior's low cross.

The keeper continued his one man resistance, blocking from Jarvis, as Luton kept pushing, Sheehan's shot taking a nick to fly behind, Jarvis missing another opportunity to double his tally.

With 11 minutes to go, Steele's rearguard was finally broken, with Grant's long ranger hitting a Brighton defender to wrongfoot him, quite possibly the only way he would be beaten again on the evening.

However, that saw the visitors have their best spell, with Isted handling Davies' dipping volley excellently, although he could do nothing about Aaron Connolly's glancing header that made it 2-1 in the closing stages.

However, MK Dons' penalty shootout win over Peterborough means that Town lead the table ahead of their clash with Paul Tisdale's side next month.

Luton chief hails ‘Premier League’ display from Seagulls keeper Steele

Hatters boss Nathan Jones felt his side would have racked up a hefty win against Brighton U21s in the Checkatrade Trophy on Tuesday night had it not been for a ‘Premier League’ display from visiting keeper Jason Steele.

The 28-year-old has been a regular in the Championship for Sunderland and Middlesbrough earlier in his career, before moving to the Seagulls in the summer.

Although beaten by Aaron Jarvis early on, Steele then produced a string of outstanding saves, none better than the one to keep out Arthur Read in the first half, to ensure his side somehow only went down 2-1 on the night.

Jones said: “I thought we were excellent from start to finish.

“Our attitude, our intensity, the way we moved the ball, the chances we created, barring for a Premier League goalkeeping display it would have been a lot more comfortable.

“We started really well, created chances, hit the bar, the keeper made some top, top notch saves but I know who his goalkeeping coach is so I didn’t expect anything less.

“It needed something brilliant or lucky to beat the keeper tonight, as quite frankly he was outstanding.

“The one that took a deflection in the first half, was going at a real velocity, but he’s changed direction and made a save.

“He’s a Premier League keeper and without him it would have been a lot more because he was excellent.

“Aaron Jarvis could have had a hat-trick, we had great opportunities and 25 chances in the game, shows we’re dominant.

“We’re disappointed we couldn’t kill the game off earlier, but a win’s a win.”

Hatters sent 25 attempts at Steele’s goal during the course of the 90 minutes, with only Jarvis and Jorge Grant’s deflected attempt getting the better of him.

Jones continued: “We were totally dominant in the possession we had and the chances we had. “

It wasn’t until the second half that they had anything on target, and I was very pleased with our performance and the attitude of everyone, how we went about it.

“It turned into a good game, we had a bit of everything that we needed in terms of a physical runout and then at the end we had to defend our box which we didn’t have to do for much during the 93 minutes.

“But at the end we did and it had a bit of everything, so we’re delighted with the win and I’m delighted with the performance.”

Although up against an U21 side, Town’s average age was just under 24 too, as they fielded the likes of Arthur Read, Harry Isted and Lloyd Jones.

Jones added: “Technically, it was an U23 side as you’re allowed to play three players over 23 and we only had three in terms of Macca (Alan McCormack), Eunan (O’Kane) and Sheeze (Alan Sheehan), as the rest were a young side.

“It’s a young, fresh side, the trouble is, when we look at it, they’re first team players and because we like playing young players here, it seems like it’s a really strong side, but that was a young side.

“It’s wonderful for the squad as we believe in young players, so I was really delighted.”