Luton Town FC vs Carlisle United (21st Nov 2017)

MATCH REPORT: HATTERS 3 CARLISLE UNITED 0

Terrific Town make it ten goals in two games to go back to the top of the table

The Hatters moved back to the top of the Sky Bet League Two table this evening with another convincing victory at Kenilworth Road, dispatching an in-form Carlisle side 3-0 to leapfrog Notts County on goal difference.

In the wake of Saturday’s 7-0 home win over Cambridge, when Town made League history by becoming the first side to score seven or more on three separate occasions before Christmas, boss Nathan Jones had called for his team to back up fine individual results with prolonged consistency.

Here, just as they did when following up last month’s 7-1 win over Stevenage with a 4-1 victory at Exeter to go top for the first time this season, the Welshman’s lads heeded his advice and made it ten goals and none conceded in four wonderful days at the Kenny.

Andrew Shinnie bent in a beauty to set the ball rolling in the 19th minute – the Scot’s first league goal for the club after netting twice in the Checkatrade Trophy win at AFC Wimbledon – before Dan Potts headed in his fifth of the season to double the lead on the half-hour.

Substitute Harry Cornick came on to wrap things up late in the 76th-minute, before Danny Hylton passed up the opportunity to make it an even more emphatic win – and the chance for his 12th of the season – when he saw a penalty saved three minutes later.

In his team selection, Jones - already without the injured Alan McCormack and James Collins, who was the nine-goal top scorer prior to tweaking his hamstring at Cheltenham ten days ago - was forced into two changes.

Johnny Mullins came into the back four in place of captain Scott Cuthbert, who suffered a groin injury early in Saturday’s 7-0 win over Cambridge, and Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu was brought into midfield with Olly Lee ruled out after picking up his fifth yellow card of the season before netting his 70-yard wonder strike from deep inside his own half four days ago.

Carlisle started positively and had the first sniff of goal when Reggie Lambe crossed from the right and top scorer Hallam Hope got his head on it, but Marek Stech’s save was routine.

The visitors had the next chance too, as Shaun Miller took advantage of space in behind Potts, who had ventured forward, to race onto a Tom Parkes ball into the corner and cut back onto his left foot to get a shot in, though Alan Sheehan’s intervention deflected it wide.

Then, in the 17th minute, Hallam Hope pounced on a drop-ball and cracked a low drive just wide of Stech’s right-hand post.

The Hatters had offered little in an attacking sense thus far, but in the 18th minute Elliot Lee burst onto a loose ball 35 yards from goal and drove at the Cumbrians’ box, slipping Luke Berry in to his left, though the midfielder’s delayed shot was blocked.

Fear not, the breakthrough wasn’t long in coming. A minute later, Lee was once more the architect, threading a lovely ball into the left side of the area that looked destined for Mpanzu, who wisely moved aside to let Shinnie bend a beautiful right-footed shot around United keeper Jack Bonham.

Now the Town were well into their stride, Lee relishing the opportunity of a second successive start and picking pockets of space to try to ease his team-mates in, one delightful curling pass into the box just eluding strike partner Hylton’s right boot.

The second goal arrived on the half-hour, and it was that man Potts again – the Town number three making it three goals in three games by meeting Sheehan’s deep, outswinging free-kick with a diving header to double the advantage.

Lee was keen to try his own luck, but, at the end of a flowing move down the left that started with Mpanzu and Glen Rea – who was dominating midfield – on the edge of their own box and continued with Berry, his 25-yard shot after cutting in from the flank as only troubling the scoreboard.

Sheehan, wearing the captain’s armband in Cuthbert’s absence, went into referee Chris Sarginson’s just before half-time after clashing with Hope, who was also shown the yellow card, but the Town went in at the break comfortably in the lead.

The Cumbrians were determined to make the evening anything but comfortable for Sheehan in a physical sense, ref Sarginson earning an ovation from the home crowd for booking midfielder Luke Joyce for a late challenge on the Irish defender, despite letting play go on for a good minute.

Carlisle once again had the early sights of goal in the half, Hope firing one in, Grainger cracking a free-kick against the strong Hatters wall – and the rebound out for a throw – before Mike Jones had two shots from range in the 65th minute that were both deflected out of harm’s way.

After a dangerous ball into the Town six-yard box was cleared, Mpanzu carried the ball down the Town right and put in two successive crosses that eased the mounting pressure, the second winning the Hatters a corner.

He was soon having to track back at the other end, however, and became the second Town player to be booked, this one for handball, as Shaun Miller looked to get in on 70 minutes.

Jones made his first change in the 72nd minute, bringing Cornick on for Lee – and within four minutes he had been rewarded.

Moments after Rea had seen a thunderous shot blocked, Stacey tapped a simple little ball down the right from just inside his own half and Cornick raced clear, ignoring Hylton’s instructions to leave it in the belief he’d be offside, and slipped his shot inside Bonham’s near post for the third.

It could have been four in the 79th minute when, after Clint Hill had brought him down in the box after a great nutmeg and wriggle past the veteran defender on the byline, Hylton saw his penalty saved by Bonham, diving low to his left.

Cornick tried to put one on a plate for the top scorer two minutes later when he crossed from the right, but lurking at the far post, Hylton’s header was blocked inside the six-yard box and Carlisle breathed another sigh of relief.

Lawson D’Ath came on for the injured Mullins, who along with Sheehan, had really dug in with some stout defending at 2-0 in the second half, and Jones then brought on teenage centre-half Famewo to add his height to what had become a back five against Carlisle’s towering forward line.

His obdurate Hatters saw it through without scare to make it ten clean sheets for the season, three league games unbeaten and just one defeat in 13 – one in 16 in all competitions – as they move on to Crewe on Saturday as league leaders for a second time.

TOWN: Stech, Stacey, Mullins (D’Ath 83), Sheehan ©, Potts, Rea, Mpanzu, Berry, Shinnie (Famewo 88), Hylton, E Lee (Cornick 72). Subs: Justin, Cook, Gambin, Shea (GK)

Yellows: Sheehan, Mpanzu

Goals: Shinnie 19, Potts 30, Cornick 76

CARLISLE: Bonham, T Miller, Grainger ©, Joyce (Cosgrove 85), Liddle, Parkes (Etuhu 46), Jones (Bennett 74), Hope, Lambe, S Miller, Hill. Subs: Devitt, Brown, O’Sullivan, George (GK)

Yellows: Hope, Joyce, Grainger

REFEREE: Chris Sarginson

ATT: 7,644 (215 away)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=3&v=-ayinWKF8BE

NATHAN JONES ON THE 3-0 WIN OVER CARLISLE UNITED

Nathan Jones praised his side's "brilliant" performance as they moved back to the summit of Sky Bet League Two after a 3-0 home victory against Carlisle United at Kenilworth Road this evening.

Andrew Shinnie notched his first league goal of the season with an outstanding curling finish in the 19th minute, with Dan Potts heading in his fifth goal of the campaign with 30 minutes on the clock to give the Town a 2-0 lead going in at the break.

Substitute Harry Cornick got his second in a Town shirt when he finished off a superb counter in the 76th minute, before Danny Hylton missed the opportunity to add to the lead when Jack Bonham dived to his left to save the striker's penalty after he had been upended by Clint Hill.

The result sees the Hatters move up to the top of League Two on goal difference, after Notts County were held to a drew at Yeovil Town.

Jones said: "[It was] brilliant, absolutely brilliant. Especially the manner of the win as well. Carlisle come here unbeaten in six, in real good form. They have got real good players, experienced at the level – know how to play the game.

"It was a brilliant first half, we score a wonderful goal through Andrew Shinnie, then score another from a set-play, so we go in two up.

"We knew that they would change and we had to weather a bit of play, fair play to Carlisle, they came out in the second half and gave it their all. When teams do that we know we have got a counterattacking threat and we did that. Harry Cornick did that. It was brilliant for him to get a goal. A real good performance and great to be back at the top.

"Last year we drew both games against Carlisle and they had similar aspirations to us, and they have them this season as well.

"They have got good experience. People like Clint Hill, Liddle, Grainger – real experience at the level. So to beat them 3-0 at home, it didn't flatter us in anyway and I thought we were excellent, I really did.

"The manner of it after winning by seven at home on the weekend to come here and do that, it was a professional performance. Two clean sheets and ten goals in a week is absolutely wonderful. I am delighted, I really am."

"It was a brilliant first half, we score a wonderful goal through Andrew Shinnie, then score another from a set-play, so we go in two up.

"We knew that they would change and we had to weather a bit of play, fair play to Carlisle, they came out in the second half and gave it their all. When teams do that we know we have got a counterattacking threat and we did that. Harry Cornick did that. It was brilliant for him to get a goal. A real good performance and great to be back at the top.

"Last year we drew both games against Carlisle and they had similar aspirations to us, and they have them this season as well.

"They have got good experience. People like Clint Hill, Liddle, Grainger – real experience at the level. So to beat them 3-0 at home, it didn't flatter us in anyway and I thought we were excellent, I really did.

"The manner of it after winning by seven at home on the weekend to come here and do that, it was a professional performance. Two clean sheets and ten goals in a week is absolutely wonderful. I am delighted, I really am."

Town go back to the top by beating Cumbrians

League Two: Luton Town 3 Carlisle United 0

Luton Town returned to the top of the table with a professional 3-0 victory over Carlisle United this evening.

Although the encounter may have at times lacked some of the pizzazz that was on show during Hatters' goal-laden win from the weekend, the end result was exactly the same, with Nathan Jones's side picking up another precious three points towards their goal of automatic promotion.

They moved to the summit too, on goal difference, Notts County held 1-1 at Yeovil Town, with the gap to fourth placed Exeter now five points too.

The Luton chief made two enforced chances with skipper Scott Cuthbert injured and Olly Lee suspended, meaning Johnny Mullins and Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu returned.

There was a slight sense of after the Lord Mayor's show in the early stages, as the visitors, themselves on a seven game unbeaten run, showed first, Hallam Hope's header too close to Marek Stech, Shaun Miller's effort deflecting narrowly over and Hope not too far away from 20 yards.

However, Town took the lead on 19 minutes with their first real attack as Elliot Lee's ball was cleverly left by Mpanzu, rolling perfectly into the path of Shinnie, whose finish was exquisite, curling beyond Jack Bonham and into the corner.

It took the Hatters just a further 10 minutes to extend their advantage too, Sheehan's wonderful free kick met by Dan Potts with a full length diving header for his fifth of an increasingly prolific season.

Now into their stride, Luton looked for a third, Lee trying to replicate his shot from the weekend, firing well over the top.

In the second period, Hope curled off target, while Luton had to do plenty of defending their box at times, which they did, ensuring Stech had very little serious work.

Danny Grainger blasted a free kick into the wall, while he had a better attempt midway through, a long range effort, straight at Stech, before Jones brought on Harry Cornick which proved a masterstroke.

The attacker suddenly gave Carlisle's back-line something to think about, harrying the defenders and running the channels, with Luton now possessing an out ball.

It took just four minutes to pay off too, Cornick breaking the offside trap to run half the length of the pitch and use Danny Hylton as a decoy before slipping the ball into the corner.

Luton could even afford the luxury of missing a penalty as well, given when Hylton was sent tumbling in the area by Clint Hill, the striker's tame effort easily repelled by Bonham.

The only worrying sign for Town was Mullins having to hobble off in the closing stages, but Hatters kept their opponents at arms length and can reflect on a perfect week so far, scoring 10 goals, picking up six points and keeping two clean sheets too.

Roll on Crewe!

Hatters: Marek Stech, Jack Stacey, Dan Potts, Johnny Mullins (Lawson D'Ath 82), Alan Sheehan (C), Glen Rea, Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu, Luke Berry, Andrew Shinnie (Akin Famewo 88), Elliot Lee (Harry Cornick 72), Danny Hylton.

Subs not used: James Shea, Luke Gambin, Lawson D'Ath, Jordan Cook.

Cumbrians**:** Jack Bonham, Tom Miller, Danny Grainger (C), Luke Joyce (Sam Cosgrove 85), Gary Liddle, Tom Parkes (Kelvin Etuhu 46), Mike Jones (Richie Bennett 74), Hallam Hope, Reggie Lambe, Shaun Miller, Clint Hill.

Subs not used: Jamie Devitt, James Brown, John O'Sullivan, Shamal George.

Booked: Sheehan 44, Hope 44, Joyce 50, Mpanzu 70, Grainger 90.

Referee: Chris Sarginson.

Attendance: 7,644 (215 Carlisle).

Star Hatter: Glen Rea - excellent display once more.

Jones: It’s wonderful to be at the summit again

Luton Town boss Nathan Jones was left to reflect on pretty much the perfect week so far as his side returned to the League Two summit by beating Carlisle United 3-0 last night.

The Hatters leapfrogged rivals Notts County to top spot with the Magpies held at Yeovil Town, thanks to goals from Andrew Shinnie, Dan Potts and Harry Cornick.

That came after hammering seven past Cambridge United at the weekend, to make it 10 goals, six points and two clean sheets in two games, as Jones said: “Unless you’re the most pessimistic human in history, I think that’s as good as it gets.

“To go back to the top of the league is wonderful, but it’s the level of performance we’re churning out at the minute which is the most pleasing thing.

“As we know we have quality, but the work-rate, the desire to do well, the desire to do the ugly things and all the stuff that doesn’t bring the glory, is the fundamental foundation that we’re based on.”

Jones felt that coming up against a side of the standard of the Cumbrians helped his team maintain their focus after Saturday’s thumping victory.

Keith Curle’s side had been unbeaten in seven ahead of the fixture, beating Grimsby 1-0 at the weekend too, as Jones continued: “If you keep clean sheets then we have firepower that can definite get a goal a game, but it wasn’t an anti climax after the weekend and that was the professionalism they needed to show, because it would be easy to get carried away with a 7-0 home win.

“But I think the level of opposition we came up against, made sure we were at that level because these have the same aspirations as us.

“So we knew we needed to be right at it to get the three points, and praise the lord we were.

“We knew it was going to be a difficult game, because Carlisle coming here, in real good form, got real good players, especially for the level, experience, they’ve got a good blend of everything.

“We knew they’d try to make it hard for us, changing shape, going three at the back and I just thought it was a real good night. “We were excellent first half, we moved the ball well, scored a great first goal, scored another one from a set play because we’re proving potent from those now.

“Then second half we knew they’d have to come out a little bit so we knew, one, we’d have to defend well, but two, we were always a threat on the counter and I thought we were and it was an excellent performance.”

The Hatters could have won by more had Danny Hylton converted a late penalty too, but Jones felt the final result was a deserved one for his table-toppers.

He added: “We were the better side first half, they tried to hit us on the counter, tried to play, it was a real good tactical battle first half, and these are a good side.

“But to get two up, we knew second half that we just had to be disciplined. If we’re disciplined, we defended well, didn’t give them something early, we knew that we’d get opportunities and it could have been a little bit more as we did actually miss a penalty as well.

“I don’t think the scoreline flattered us in any kind of way either.

“I didn’t envisage we’d win it by three, I thought it would be a tight game, they’ve got real good players, look at the midfield two, (Mike) Jones and (Luke) Joyce, real experience.

“Clint Hill, he’s got more promoted more times than Alan Sugar, so (Danny) Grainger, (Gary) Liddle, have got great experience.

“We knew it would be a tough, tough game, but we’re in good form at the minute and when we get up and get goals up, then we know it’s difficult to peg us back.

“As to peg us back you have to come out and when you come out, we have threats on the counter as well.

“As I said, with slightly more of a cutting edge and Danny finishing his penalty, it could have been more.”