Luton Town FC vs Cambridge United (28th Jan 2017)

PUBLISHED 18:20 28th January 2017 Vassell and Cook on target in convincing win for Town

LUTON TOWN 2 Vassell 33, Cook 82 (pen)

CAMBRIDGE UNITED 0

Att: 8,917 (997 away)

The Hatters moved back up to fourth place in the Sky Bet League Two table this afternoon with a convincing 2-0 win over one of the division’s in-form teams.

Cambridge United were only three points adrift of the sixth-placed Town at kick-off, and were unbeaten away from home in eight games since early September, but goals in each half from Isaac Vassell and Jordan Cook were enough to seal three valuable points for Nathan Jones’ men.

With Portsmouth losing 1-0 at home to Exeter and Wycombe in FA Cup action at Tottenham, the victory meant the Town leapfrogged the two sides immediately above them into fourth spot, four points adrift of third-placed Carlisle – who were held at home by Barnet – but with a game in hand.

Boss Jones, who was watching the game from the directors’ box after being handed a one-match touchline ban by the FA, made three changes to the team that drew 1-1 at Wycombe last week.

Two were enforced, with Glen Rea coming in at centre-half for Johnny Mullins, who was sitting out the first of a four-match ban following his second red card of the season at Adams Park, and Vassell replacing Danny Hylton, who will miss two games after collecting his tenth yellow in Buckinghamshire. The other change to the starting XI was in midfield, where Cook came into the team in place of Jake Gray.

The first real opening came the visitors’ way, when Uche Ikpeazu played Conor Newton into the box but just as the midfielder prepared to pull the trigger, James Justin slid in to make a perfectly timed challenge.

It was an opening quarter in which both sides were sizing each other up, neither creating a real chance, but Luke Gambin – making his first appearance for the Hatters at Kenilworth Road – was central to most of the Town’s attempts to string attacking moves together.

The Hatters broke in the 26th minute after clearing a corner, with Marriott laying the ball into Cook’s path midway inside his own half. Cook fed Vassell on the right touchline, and the ex-Truro striker’s cross was spilled by Cambridge keeper Will Norris, but Cook couldn’t profit from the loose ball.

Then, a minute later, Marriott had another crack and when the ball bounced off both Cambridge centre-halves, it looked as if it might fall into Jonathan Smith’s path, but Norris was quick off his line to smother at the midfielder’s feet.

Cambridge were the next to threaten, but Newton’s cross-shot flew well wide of Christian Walton’s far post, then Luke Berry’s effort from the edge of the box after good work from Ikpeazu was deflected behind for a corner.

The breakthrough came in the 33rd minute, and it was a great passing move from the Hatters that brought it about.

Walton claimed a right-wing corner and rolled the ball out to Smith, who found Marriott just inside the Cambridge half. The Town forward then slipped his strike partner Vassell through the middle of the Cambridge half, and the Cornishman held Newton off as he slipped it past the onrushing Norris and inside the far post for his fourth goal of the season.

The goal gave the Town confidence, and within a couple of minutes Gambin was playing one-twos down the right with Justin and Cook to get to the byline and cut a cross back that, on this occasion, Cambridge managed to clear.

Clocking up half-a-dozen corners, the Town were well in the ascendancy without creating any further clear-cut chances, although some of the one-touch football around the box between Marriott, Cook, Gambin and Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu - once again excelling in the midfield holding role and on his way to a man of the match award (pictured below) – was a delight to watch.

In time added on at the end of the first half, Gambin once again tricked his way past Jake Carroll and played Cook inside, but Marriott’s effort at the near post only found Norris’ midriff.

The Hatters started the second half as they finished the first, on the front foot, and when Vassell was fouled to the right of the penalty area, Gambin curled in a free-kick that Glen Rea looked to get on the end of, but was penalised for a foul on Norris.

Smith, who was impressing once again with his energy in midfield, sent a left-footed shot just wide on 50 minutes, then Gambin unleashed a 25-yard drive that moved in the air and Norris did well to get his body behind.

Jones’ side were playing with confidence and in 55th minute Vassell swung in a cross from the left that Marriott headed straight at Norris, then – at the other end – Rea threw himself in front of a Piero Mingoia drive before Jack Senior produced two well-timed tackles on Ikpeazu and Halliday inside the box to halt the visitors’ attacks.

Newton and Luke Berry, United’s 15-goal top scorer, both curled efforts over the bar around the hour mark before James Dunne cracked a long-range shot wide as the visitors looked for an equaliser.

The Town broke away on 68 minutes when Vassell once again stretched his legs from deep inside his own half, although his attempted chip didn’t catch Norris out as he backpedalled towards his goalline.

Newton was posing a threat for Cambridge and Rea had to track his run to the byline in the 73rd minute, then Ikpeazu headed the resulting corner high into the Oak Road End.

Another flowing Town move down the right involving Gambin and Cook saw Justin win a corner, from which the ball found its way back to Gambin to the right angle of the box, and the ex-Barnet man curled one towards the top corner, but Norris plucked it out of the air.

Gambin left the pitch to a standing ovation in the 79th minute, and within another three, the Hatters had the killer second goal. It came from the spot, after Vassell – who had terrorised the visiting defence – once again went past Legge and was hauled down inside the box.

With regular penalty takers Hylton and Cameron McGeehan absent, Cook took responsibility and fired past Norris from 12 yards for his second goal in a Luton shirt.

Three minutes later the former Walsall midfielder was at the heart of another rapid break down the left, playing the ball inside for Vassell, who fired a left-footer that had Norris scampering across his line to keep out.

Then, four minutes later, Cook created another glorious chance, this time for Lawson D’Ath, who had come on for Gambin. Unfortunately, the recent signing from Northampton slid his shot wide of the far post, before Norris denied the Town a third in injury time as substitute Craig Mackail-Smith played Smith in, but the midfielder’s powerful drive was parried by the visiting keeper.

It could have been more, but two was more than enough to make it four games unbeaten in all competitions, and put the Town on a roll heading into Tuesday’s game with Cheltenham.

TOWN: Walton, Justin, Cuthbert ©, Rea, Senior (Sheehan 88), Mpanzu, Smith, Cook, Gambin (D’Ath 79), Vassell, Marriott (Mackail-Smith 88). Subs not used: O’Donnell, Gray, Lee, King (GK).

CAMBRIDGE: Norris, Dunne (McDonagh 84), Roberts, Legge ©, Mingoia (Lewis 77), Berry, Dunk (Williamson 46), Carroll, Newton, Ikpeazu, Halliday. Subs not used: Gregory (GK), Wharton, Maris, Clark.

Yellows: Carroll, Newton, Legge

http://www.lutontown.co.uk/news/article/2016-17/luton-town-football-league-two-cambridge-united-3540597.aspx

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WI7yPoqWno

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VUWIoPujl4

League Two: Luton Town 2 Cambridge United 0

Luton Town maintained their record of never having lost to rivals Cambridge United at Kenilworth Road in the Football League, with a hard-fought 2-0 win this afternoon.

Isaac Vassell's first league goal on home soil and Jordan Cook's late penalty were enough for Town to make it nine games without defeat, since their first clash back in 1978.

Victory wasn't straight-forward by any means though for the hosts, who had to dig deep during the second period under some constant United pressure, with Scott Cuthbert and Glen Rea given more than the odd nervy moment by U's man mountain of a striker in Uche Ikpeazu.

Given some superb protection by holding midfielder Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu, who popped up at the right place to clear the danger time and time again, Luton ensured the U's drew a league blank on their travels for the first time since September 3, with the hosts keeping a first clean sheet at home in the division since November 12.

Hatters, who had manager Nathan Jones watching on from the directors box as he served a one-match touchline ban, made three changes to the side as Vassell and Rea replaced the suspended Danny Hylton and Johnny Mullins, while Cook came in for Jake Gray.

Luke Gambin caught the eye in the opening 10 minutes, pulling the strings in the playmaker role, but bar a fine block by James Justin on the rampaging Conor Newton, and the odd corner, there was literally nothing of note until the midway point.

Then, Hatters then had first real moment of excitement, Jack Marriott's shot deflecting into the path of Jonathan Smith, as his heavy touch allowed Will Norris to claim, while United threatened too, Ikpeaz linking with Conor Newton whose half volley flashed behind.

With the game starting to show signs of life, Luton went in front on 33 minutes with a goal that was counter-attacking football at its very, very finest.

A U's corner was claimed authoritatively by Christian Walton, who quickly rolled the ball into the path of Smith. He fed Marriott as the striker set off on mazy run, beating Brad Halliday and finding Vassell who showed tremendous pace, strength and a cool head on his shoulders to speed away and slide past the advancing Norris.

Now ahead, Luton set about trying to add a second, Marriott missing good chance on the stroke of half time, when Gambin spied a clever pass to Cook, he teed up the striker, whose finished was scuffed and easy for Norris.

In the second period, Cambridge came out with a far more attacking intent, although Hatters still had their moments, Gambin's ambitious potshot handled by Norris and Vassell turning provider with a cross for Marriott whose header didn't unduly worry United's custodian.

Rea had to be alert to thwart a fierce Piero Mingoia drive, while the visitors should have levelled when Newton exchanged passes with Ikpeazu, only to scoop over from a presentable position.

The big striker, an ex-Watford man to boot, was starting to relish his task against Town's centre halves, outmuscling Rea and crossing for Luke Berry to miss the target, with James Dunne's long ranger flying well wide too.

With Ruddock Mpanzy never once neglecting his defensive duties, making a number of last-ditch clearances, while never forgetting his attacking instincts too, Luton crucially managed to weather the storm.

As ever, Jones' side remained a threat on the break, no more so than when Vassell set off at blistering pace once again and managed to stay on his feet until Leon Legge brought him down in the area with eight minutes left.

Despite already being booked, the centre half remained on the pitch and without Hylton and McGeehan, Cook took the responsibility from 12 yards, confidently finding the bottom corner.

With the points wrapped up, Hatters could and should have added more, Vassell putting the afterburners on again, testing Norris from 20 yards.

Sub Lawson D'Ath then fluffed the best chance of all, sent completely free by Cook's clever through ball, but with just Norris to beat, he side-footed the wrong side of the post.

Luton gave one final demonstration of their counter-attacking prowess, with late addition Craig Mackail-Smith bursting away to find Smith, whose swerving attempt was repelled by Norris.

Results at the top end went for the Hatters too, Carlisle held at home by Barnet and Portsmouth losing to Exeter, meaning Luton climbed up to fourth in the table and now trail the automatic spots by a mere four points, with their game in hand against Cheltenham at Kenilworth Road on Tuesday night.

Hatters: Christian Walton, James Justin, Scott Cuthbert, Johnny Mullins, Jack Senior (Alan Sheehan 87), Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu, Jonathan Smith, Luke Gambin (Lawson D'Ath 79), Jordan Cook, Isaac Vassell, Jack Marriott (Craig Mackail-Smith 87).

Subs not used: Craig King, Jake Gray, Stephen O'Donnell, Olly Lee.

United: Will Norris, James Dunne (Gerry McDonagh 84), Mark Roberts, Leon Legge (C), Piero Mingoia (Paul Lewis 77), Luke Berry, Harrison Dunk (Ben Williamson 46), Jake Carroll, Conor Newton, Uche Ikpeazu, Brad Halliday.

Subs not used: Scott Wharton, David Gregory, George Maris, Max Clark.

Attendance: 8,917 (997 United).

Booked: Carroll 58, Newton 66, Legge 71.

Referee: Seb Stockbridge.

Hatters MOM: Pelly-Ruddock MPanzu. Excellent going forward, but even better at the back.

Hatters chief Nathan Jones revealed Town’s players turned down the chance to have today off in order to leave no stone unturned for Tuesday night’s home clash with Cheltenham at Kenilworth Road.

Luton take on the struggling Robins after an excellent 2-0 victory over Cambridge United saw them climb back into fourth in the table.

A win in midweek could put the Hatters just one point away from third placed Carlisle United and six adrift of Plymouth in second, as Jones was delighted by the level of commitment shown from his squad to make sure their preparation remains spot on.

Speaking after the game, he said: “I gave them the choice, they could have either come in tomorrow or they could have had the day off.

“I said whatever you do, you’re professional enough to know that Monday and Tuesday we’ve got to be right at it because I don’t want to be a hard luck story on Tuesday night, I want to follow this up now.

“We’re in good form, so we’ve got to follow that up, they’ve said ‘yes okay, we want to come in, we want to do things right,’ so credit to them.”

Isaac Vassell’s fourth goal of the season gave Luton take the lead against Cambridge yesterday, with Hatters then weathering a concerted spell of pressure to seal victory through Jordan Cook’s late penalty.

Victory was no mean feat too as United had gone into the game unbeaten on their travels in the league since September 10, and had not failed to score away from home since September 3 as well.

Jones added: “It took us a bit of time to get going. There was no tempo in the game early on, which I was a little bit disappointed with, but apart from that, I thought we were decent.

"It was a good, solid performance. It wasn't as fluent as we normally are, but we deserved our win and could have rounded it off nicely with Lawson’s (D'Ath) goal, but everything that they had, we stood up to. We cleared balls from our box, headed stuff and we limited them to very few chances.

"So I'm very, very pleased as these are a difficult side to play against. They're in some wonderful form, they've beaten teams, but we seem to be coming up against a lot of form teams and I thought we were excellent."

RVP, LVG, AVB; football is fond of an acronym and after Luton beat Cambridge United 2-0 you can add PRM into the mix – Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu. Pretty Ruddy Marvellous, more like.

The Luton ace wasn't even involved in the goals from Isaac Vassell and Jordan Cook, but the Hatters may have just found the former West Ham man's best position as a dynamite defensive midfielder.

Boss Nathan Jones – sat in the Kenilworth Road director's box serving a one-match touchline ban for telling referee Mark Heywood a few home truths after last week's draw at Wycombe – had a more elevated view than normal of Mpanzu's colossal performance. What a sight it must have been.

After spells in virtually every position, bar goalkeeper, he threatened to be a jack of all trades and a master of none. Not any more.

Town's eighth clean sheet owed a great deal to Mpanzu's almost omnipotent showing, not least because he blocked, he tackled, he closed down and he shut out, but because he's more than just a water carrier, more than just the centre half he left Upton Park as.

When used as an attacking midfielder for Luton he has lacked the goals to put him in the same bracket as the injured Cameron McGeehan but he has all the other tools to break out of the backline and be a menace. Power, pace and an eye for a killer pass, but here it was the nitty-gritty stuff done with aplomb.

United rarely had a look in and when they did keeper Christian Walton barely had to lift a finger.

While Mpanzu is now another string to Town's miserly rearguard, they have fallen down too often this term by not doing the business at the other end.

The absence of top scorer Danny Hylton – suspended for two games – provided opportunity and concern in equal measures, but any worries at the sharp end were eased by Vassell's fabulously taken 33rd minute opener.

On any other day the forward would have taken all the plaudits. He also won the penalty for Cook's late second, but he'll take grabbing his opportunity with both hands to help the Hatters leapfrog Portsmouth into fourth place in League Two, just four points off the top three with a game in hand on Carlisle.

Another pleasing aspect of this performance against promotion rivals was victory when Town weren't at their free-flowing best. Cambridge – who had not lost in eight away games, stretching back to September – had spells of dominance in each half, but on each occasion the hosts hit them on the counter, to devastating effect. Luton perhaps should have made the scoreline more emphatic at the death.

But after a dreary half an hour, Vassell's opener was a classic of the art. Jonathan Smith picked out Jack Marriott,

Marriott could have doubled Luton's lead on the stroke of half time when Luke Gambin and Cook combined in the build-up, but it wasn't to be his day in front of goal.

It certainly wasn't Cambridge's either. A one-two between Uche Ikpeazu and Conor Newton left the midfielder eyeing the top corner, but his effort was more top of the stratosphere, while Luke Berry clipped over soon after when well-placed.

The visitors threatened to get back into the contest until Vassell ensured no late slip-ups as he steamed into the box and to the deck at the expense of Leon Legge. Referee Seb Stockbridge pointed to the spot and Cook found the corner.

Pretty Ruddy Marvellous indeed.

Luton: Walton, Smith, Cuthbert, Cook, Marriott (Mackail-Smith, 88), Rea, Mpanzu, Vassell, Senior (Sheehan, 88), Gambin (D'Ath), Justin

Unused subs: O'Donnell, Gray, Lee, King

Cambridge: Norris, Dunne (McDonagh, 84), Roberts, Legge, Mingoia (Lewis, 77), Berry, Dunk (Williamson,45), Carroll, Newton, Ikpeazu, Halliday

Unused subs: Wharton, Gregory, Maris, Clark

Referee: Seb Stockbridge

Attendance: 8,917 (997)