Luton Town FC vs Cambridge United (18th Nov 2017)

MATCH REPORT: LUTON TOWN 7 CAMBRIDGE UNITED 0

Olly Lee nets goal of the season contender as Hatters hit seven...again!

The Hatters hit seven goals – or more – for the third time this season as Cambridge United became the latest side to suffer at the hands of Nathan Jones’ clinical attack at Kenilworth Road.

The goal-hungry Hatters moved back into the Sky Bet League Two automatic promotion spots with a stunning 7-0 victory over the U’s, who saw a hatful fly into their net, just as Yeovil had when Jones’ side won 8-2 on the opening day, and Stevenage in the 7-1 here last month.

After Dan Potts had opened the scoring in the 24th minute with his fourth goal of the season and second in as many weeks, Danny Hylton hit a perfect hat-trick to move into double figures as joint leading scorer in the division and Elliot Lee – on his first league start of the season – netted two stunners to follow up his effort as a sub at Cheltenham.

But the older Lee brother, Olly, stole the limelight by producing a David Beckham-esque goal of the season contender for the Town’s second, seeing Cambridge keeper David Forde off his line and chipping him from 70 yards.

It was a strike that will live long in the memory of all 8,721 inside the Kenny on what turned out to be a wonderful afternoon of free-flowing attacking football.

Jones made two changes from last week’s 2-2 draw at Cheltenham, Elliot Lee making his first league start of the season in place of James Collins after coming on for the injured top scorer at half-time last week.

And returning to the starting XI in the league for the first time since 23rd September was midfielder Andrew Shinnie, although the Scot did start the recent Checkatrade Trophy and FA Cup wins over AFC Wimbledon and Portsmouth, in place of Harry Cornick.

The Town’s first opportunity came inside the opening two minutes, Hylton meeting Potts’ peach of a cross with a glancing header that Forde got down low to his left to save.

Cambridge were lucky not to have Liam O’Neil booked for a late challenge on Shinnie, moments after Gary Deegan had done the same, and it was the midfielder who had their only effort of note in the opening half, heading Piero Mingoia’s cross well wide.

The Town could have taken the lead after a fine passing move down the right that began with Alan Sheehan winning two massive tackles deep in his own half, and ended with Elliot Lee cutting in from the wing and seeing a shot deflected wide.

From the resulting corner, captain Scott Cuthbert volleyed towards the top corner and Forde produced another save from the top drawer to keep the scoreline blank.

Elliot Lee was looking extremely lively, and after a great turn on receiving the ball 35 yards from goal, the forward drove at the Cambridge box once more, only to see Forde get down low to save.

The Town were playing some incisive attacking football and Cambridge survived another scare, and a second shout for a penalty, when Potts and Glen Rea had efforts blocked in the six-yard box.

The breakthrough finally came in the 24th minute and it was Potts, pinching a goal on the line after Hylton had tricked his way to the left byline and teed Shinnie up for a low right-footed shot that was heading into the bottom corner, slowly after a deflection, who got the emphatic final touch.

Potts had the ball in the net again two minutes later, meeting Sheehan’s left-wing free-kick with a thumping downward header that bounced up into the stanchion, only for an offside flag to cut the Town’s celebrations short.

It was two in the 30th minute, and what a strike it was from Olly Lee. The midfielder could well have been in a different post code to where the ball finished up when he won a tackle 25 yards from his own goal, after good closing down by his brother Elliot.

The older Lee strode forward, and seeing Forde way off his line, drilled a wonderful shot from inside his own half, and just outside the centre circle, that gave the former Portsmouth keeper no chance.

Hylton had his goal in the 35th minute, when Luke Berry – playing against the club he left in August to join the Town – drove at the Cambridge defence and the ball fell to Hylton in the box. The striker didn’t need a second invitation to rejoin Collins as the joint leading scorer, slipping his left-footed shot under Forde for 3-0.

Three minutes into time added on it got even better, as Hylton chipped a superb pass into the Cambridge area and Elliot Lee – who’d had a superb half – produced a sumptuous finish, as the ball dropped over his shoulder, on the volley into the top corner.

Into the second half and Hylton was hungry for more, sending a shot from 25 yards just wide in the opening couple of minutes of the second half, but the Town soon suffered a blow when captain Cuthbert was forced off injured, Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu coming on in the midfield holding role with the excellent Rea dropping into the back four.

As Cuthbert was carried around the Oak Road end on a stretcher to great ovation from the home fans, Berry looked to get on the scoresheet from distance – firing high into the Kenny End – before Shinnie rattled the outside of Forde’s post from 25 yards at the end of another great move down the right.

Stech was called into action for virtually the first time when he had to tip a cross over his bar just after the hour, but the Town were dominating possession and in the 68th minute, Elliot Lee went looking for another.

Urged on by Jones on the edge of his technical area, Berry carried the ball deep into Cambridge territory and slipped the ball to Lee on the left edge of the area, but the striker’s curling effort was high and handsome.

Sheehan, now wearing the captain’s armband, brought the ball out of the back four and produced an exquisite pass with the outside of his left boot for Hylton to run onto, but on this occasion the Hatters striker’s shot was blocked before Forde fielded Stacey’s follow-up cross.

Second later, with 71 minutes on the clock, Stech had to make his first real save – a relatively simple on at that – as Jevani Brown had a crack from 25 yards.

But the Town were soon making all the attacking moves once again, and it was almost five when Shinnie produced a step-over just inside the box to beat his man, and his left footed curler was destined for the top corner, only for Legge to get back and head clear off the line.

Another brilliant move down the right produced the fifth goal in the 81st minute, Olly Lee feeding Stacey to cross low for Hylton to steer in number ten for the season, although substitute Jordan Cook and Elliot Lee were queueing up to ball in too.

Stech’s concentration levels were perfect again in the 83rd minute, dealing comfortably with a low shot from Brown, and three minutes later Elliot Lee was on the goal hunt again, tricking his way back from the right byline to send a left-footed curler just wide.

He didn’t have to wait long for his second of the afternoon, picking up the ball after a great touch inside by Stacey to Mpanzu, and lashing a fierce right-footed drive into the top corner from fully 25 yards for yet another fantastic finish.

What an afternoon!

It’s one defeat in 15 matches in all competitions now, and 31 goals in nine home matches as the Town prepare to entertain Carlisle United back here on Tuesday night.

Who’d miss it? See you here!

TOWN: Stech, Stacey, Cuthbert © (Mpanzu 53), Sheehan, Potts (Justin 79), Rea, O Lee, Berry, Shinnie (Cook 73), E Lee, Hylton. Subs: Mullins, Cornick, Gambin, Shea (GK)

Yellows: O Lee, Hylton, Shinnie

Goals: Potts 24, O Lee 31, Hylton 35, 81, E Lee 45+3, 88

CAMBRIDGE: Forde, Halliday, Carroll, Deegan, Taylor, Leege ©, Mingoia (Lewis 46), O’Neil (Osadebe 46), Maris (Amoo 46), Brown, Elito. Subs: Dunk, Taft, Mitov (GK), Davies

Yellows: Lewis, Brown

REFEREE: Nick Kinseley

ATT: 8,721 (642 away)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyk7uRlYt4Y

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7DVWMp7sqhY

NATHAN JONES ON THE 7-0 WIN OVER CAMBRIDGE UNITED

Town boss Nathan Jones spoke of his pride in his players after they ran out 7-0 winners against Cambridge United at Kenilworth Road this afternoon.

It was a stunning 90 minutes for the Hatters as Dan Potts opened the scoring after 24 minutes, before Olly Lee hammered home from inside his own half to double the lead in remarkable style.

Danny Hylton netted ten minutes before half-time as he tucked the ball into the bottom right corner, with Elliot Lee rounding off the scoring in the first half with audacious volley from 18 yards.

The game settled in the second half until the 81st minute, when Hylton tapped home from close range, before Elliot Lee smashed it past David Forde from 25 yards to make it 7-0.

Hylton then went joint top of the scoring charts in Sky Bet League Two as he completed a perfect hat-trick, heading in from Alan Sheehan's free-kick in injury-time.

Jones said: "We've have won 8-2, 7-1 and now 7-0. Considering the opposition, it's a fantastic result, as the others have been. I thought from start to finish we were excellent.

"Cambridge were bright, they wanted to do certain things, but we pressed them early on and I think we had a real clinical edge about us. Some of those goals were top, top drawer. I am so proud of them today, because it's the third time we have done it.

"The first time it could have been a freak result, second time we were clinical, but third time – that's not luck. It could have been more, let's not make no bones about it. I am so delighted, I am so proud of the group.

"This was my first game in charge 19 months ago and I didn't know what I was going to get from that game. We drew 0-0 here, it stopped the rot a little bit, I didn't know what I was going to get from that group of players.

"I knew what I was going to get today, I didn't know we were going to get seven, but I knew I could rely on that group and they repaid me hugely. It was a wonderful performance and a wonderful result."

Lee scores from his own half as Hatters hammer seven past United!

Lee scores from his own half as Hatters hammer seven past United!

League Two: Luton Town 7 Cambridge United 0

Being a Luton fan is a whole lotta fun at Kenilworth Road this season as they gorged on yet another glut of goals this afternoon.

The Hatters plundered seven past rivals Cambridge United, including a number of absolute beauties, making it a stonking 31 goals in just nine home games this season for the home faithful.

Nathan Jones's side made history in the process as after hitting seven against Stevenage and putting eight past Yeovil, this thrashing made them the first Football League side to score seven goals on three occasions before Christmas.

Make no mistake, this was no easy opposition either, the U's coming into the game with a miserly defensive record, the third best in the division in fact, but they were simply blown away by a Hatters who produced an opening 45 minutes of sheer, sheer quality.

On another day, Danny Hylton's perfect hat-trick would have grabbed the headlines, or Elliot Lee's double after being recalled to the side, but this belonged to his brother Olly, who scored from fully 70 yards, ending any goal of the season competition before December.

Prior to kick off, Jones made two changes, Elliot Lee in for the injured James Collins, while Andrew Shinnie replaced Harry Cornick, Town switching back to the diamond formation.

They were given a boost to see a U's side without either of their main goal threats in Uche Ikpeazu and Jabo Ibehre too, as U's, who were powderpuff at best throughout, fielded a starting XI with just six league goals between them.

The hosts had a great chance inside two minutes when Dan Potts's cross was met by a glancing header from Hylton, keeper David Forde diving full length to save.

Elliot Lee then had a shot blocked for a corner as Forde proved his worth once more on nine minutes, clawing away Scott Cuthbert's snapshot, before claiming Alan Sheehan's follow up cross.

The recalled Lee's on-running battle with Forde, whose time-wasting tactics had already become a real bore, continued in the 19th minute, cutting in from the right to shoot low, the keeper keeping it goalless with his left hand.

However, he was finally beaten on 24 minutes as Hylton reached the byline, his cross volleyed goalwards by Shinnie, with left back Potts positioned perfectly at the far post to make no mistake.

Town thought they had a second on 26 minutes, Potts thumping a downward header home from Alan Sheehan's perfect free kick, but the flag was raised.

It mattered little though as Luton were 2-0 to the good on the half hour in a goal that will definitely fall into the 'I was there when' moments.

Picking the ball up fully 70 yards from goal, Olly Lee spotted Forde off his line and with unerring and pinpoint accuracy, lobbed the backpedalling keeper, as Kenilworth Road simply erupted.

It drew comparisons to Liverpool star Xabi Alonso's effort back in 2006, which was from virtually the same spot, but this was far, far better, as Lee had the added barrier of a goalkeeper in his way, and was rightly engulfed by his team-mates.

As Hatters have shown on more than one occasion this season, when there dander is up, there are few, if any better, and it was demonstrated once more on 35 minutes.

They swarmed around Piero Mingoia to snaffle the ball back and Berry fed Hylton who found the bottom corner with his left foot.

There was even better to come on the stroke of half time too. Hylton's clever ball over the top saw Elliot Lee unleash a wonderful instinctive volley with his left foot into the top corner, which on any other day, would have been easily the best goal of the afternoon, but for big brother Olly.

The visitors responded by making a triple substitution at half time, while Luton were forced into a shuffle of their as Cuthbert went down injured after being fouled clearing his lines and was worryingly stretchered off, Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu on in his place.

With the result done and dusted, unsurprisingly Town couldn't quite hit the same kind of heights as they did in the first period, Shinnie striking the post from 20 yards and Elliot Lee over the bar.

U's finally improved a tad, which wasn't hard, Marek Stech having to turn a cross behind, Brad Halliday scooping over from the short corner, while Town's underworked stopper had an actual shot to catch from Jevani Brown on 70 minutes too.

Shinnie almost had his name on the list of exquisite finishes, when he turned his man and curler beyond Forde, but not Leon Legge, who had retreated to his line and headed away.

You got the sense that as Town had done in the past, they were saving themselves for a big finish and boy did they deliver in the final 10 minutes.

With eight minutes to go, the fireworks started, as Olly Lee released Stacey on the right and his cross was turned home by Hylton, to reach double figures for the campaign.

Then it was six, Elliot Lee advancing and simply hammering past Forde from 20 yards to double up for the afternoon.

Hatters weren't finished their either, as in stoppage time, Hylton completing his hat-trick, and a perfect one at that, peeling off the defence to head Alan Sheehan's free kick home, rounding off another sensational 90 minutes at home this term.

Hatters: Marek Stech, Jack Stacey, Dan Potts (James Justin 79), Scott Cuthbert (C), Alan Sheehan, Glen Rea, Olly Lee, Luke Berry, Andrew Shinnie (Jordan Cook 74), Elliot Lee, Danny Hylton

Subs not used: James Shea, Harry Cornick, Luke Gambin, Johnny Mullins.

United: David Forde, Brad Halliday, Jake Carroll, Gary Deegan, Greg Taylor, Leon Legge (C), Piero Mingoia (Paul Lewis 46), Liam O'Neil (Emmanuel Osadebe 46), George Maris (David Amoo 46), Jevani Brown, Medy Eliot.

Subs not used: Harrison Dunk, George Taft, Dimitar Mitov, Leon Davies.

Booked: Olly Lee 18, Hylton 32, Shinnie 37, Lewis 63, Brown 90.

Referee: Nick Kinseley. Attendance: 8,721 (642 Cambridge).

Jones hails his 'brilliant' Hatters after Cambridge thrashing

Hatters boss Nathan Jones lavished praise on his free-scoring side as they hammered seven goals for third time this season by beating Cambridge United 7-0 at Kenilworth Road this afternoon.

Danny Hylton notched a hat-trick, his second for Town, while Elliot Lee notched twice, with Dan Potts on target and Olly scoring a wonder goal from inside his own half.

The result saw Luton become the first Football League side to ever hit seven goals in a game three times before Christmas, as Jones said: “From start to finish they were brilliant.

“Considering the opposition because they're a good side, they don't concede many goals and the manner of the performance, the manner of the win, I couldn't be anything other than very, very happy.

“Defensively we were sound, but going forward, wow, I think there was some unbelievable stuff at times.

“When we finally got the breakthrough, as their goalkeeper was being very clever, he’s very experienced and was controlling the game, and we had to create all the tempo and we did that.

“We pressed them high, they wanted to play, when we finally got the first goal, I felt the goal was coming and then we got it.

“The second goal was from a different planet, so was the fourth, and the sixth, wow, just a real, real good performance. “Last week we had a very good away performance, I was very pleased, it was a minute and a half of sloppiness that cost us the three points, but the performance level was there.

"Today the performance level was there with a real cutting edge, so I’m going to be delighted and any manager that wins a game 7-0 albeit never mind if it’s the third time it’s happened, it’s a great day and we’ll enjoy these times because they don’t come around too often.”

Although the result took Luton back into the automatic promotion places, they couldn't recapture top spot from Notts County, who defeated Cheltenham 3-1.

However, it was of on concern to Jones as he added: "We can’t affect Notts County, Notts County are in wonderful form, Kev’s (Kevin Nolan) got them playing and doing great up there.

"They're top of the league, they’ve got to maintain it, we’ve got to try and maintain it, all we can do is try and win our games.

"We can’t affect Notts County, the only time we’ll be able to take points off Notts County is when they come here, so we've got to try and do that and continue our form.

"In terms of us looking at our own garden, we’re reasonably happy."