Luton Town FC vs Carlisle United (24th Nov 2015)

PUBLISHED 21:45 24th November 2015 Hatters stunned by Carlisle comeback

LUTON TOWN 3-4 CARLISLE UNITED

The Town threw away a 3-1 lead to lose 4-3 at Kenilworth Road as Carlisle completed an incredible second-half comeback.

An early Jack Marriott goal had the Hatters 1-0 up after four minutes but United levelled a minute before the break through Charlie Wyke’s strike.

But the Town seemed to be on their way to three points when Josh McQuoid and Danny Green struck to make it 3-1 before the hour mark.

However, the Cumbrians – the league’s leading goalscorers who also possessed the leakiest defence – turned the game on its head with three goals in an unbelievable 14 minutes to leave Kenilworth Road stunned.

Substitute Alex Gilliead made it 3-2 on 66 minutes before fellow substitute Jaho Ibehre brought United level on 79 minutes. Then, precisely one minute later, Derek Asamoah completed the turnaround to put the visitors 4-3 in front.

The Hatters, who were brimming with confidence at 3-1, struggled to find a leveller as time ticked down – Green came close with a long-range free-kick but, despite five added minutes, the Town couldn’t find a way through and Carlisle held onto celebrate an astonishing victory.

The final scoreline seemed a millions miles away from the minds of the Town after an hour gone with Marriott, McQuoid and Green’s efforts putting John Still’s side in command.

Marriott, in the starting XI for the suspended Paul Benson, opened the scoring after four minutes with a well-taken effort after being found by Olly Lee. It was the striker’s eighth goal of the season.

Gradually, the visitors worked their way back into the game and the Hatters had Mark Tyler to thank on the quarter-hour to keep out Jason Kennedy’s close-range shot.

United were having the better of the ball as the first half continued but the Town still created the better chances. Marriott rolled a left-foot shot across goal before finding the midriff of Carlisle keeper Mark Gillespie.

But the visitors kept chipping away at the Hatters’ defence and a simple long-ball led to their leveller a minute before the break. Wyke raced on the raking pass forward and coolly slotted past Tyler to make it 1-1.

However the Town needed just 50 seconds after the restart to restore their lead. Green was the creator, whipping in a perfect right-wing cross that McQuoid nodded home from inside the six-yard box for his fourth of the campaign.

Back in front, the Hatters’ early second half verve continued and Green gave the Town a two-goal cushion with another fine goal on 57 minutes to make it 3-1. His free-kick from the edge of the penalty area was blocked by the United wall but the winger received the ball back and looped a fine finish high into the top corner giving Gillespie no chance.

With Kenilworth Road enjoying the Town’s confident football – oles could be heard after one passing passage – what happened next simply left the stadium shell-shocked.

Carlisle’s comeback began on 66 minutes when substitute Gilliead finished well after receiving Wyke’s knock-down and all of a sudden the visitors smelt blood.

United thought they levelled on 72 minutes when Ibehre slid the ball home after Tyler had spilled a long-range effort from Danny Grainger only to see the goal chalked off for offside…but the Town weren’t so lucky on 79 minutes when Ibehre hooked home a shot into the bottom corner following a right-wing cross to make it three apiece.

But worse was to follow for the Town exactly 60 seconds later when Carlisle went in front for the first time. Asamoah picked up the ball on the left flank and ran with the ball to the edge of the area before letting fly with a low shot that crept agonisingly past Tyler.

It was hard to take it all in as the Hatters had gone from leading 3-2 to trailing 4-3 in the space of a minute.

Asamoah threatened a fifth for United on 88 minutes but, as the Town pushed for an equaliser, the closest they came to finding one came when Green’s low free-kick from fully 35 yards was turned behind by Gillespie.

And that was that. The Hatters faced up to the reality of letting a two-goal lead slip for the third time this season to lose in quite extraordinary fashion.

Town: Tyler; Lawless, Griffiths, O'Brien, Cuthbert; Smith, Lee, McGeehan (sub McCourt 82), Green; McQuoid, Marriott (sub Mackail-Smith 70).

Subs not used: Hall, Williams, Doyle, Justham.

Attendance: 7,298, including 169 from Carlisle.

http://www.lutontown.co.uk/news/article/gallery-luton-town-3-4-carlisle-united-2817929.aspx

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pntp5gpZQPQ

League Two: Luton Town 3 Carlisle United 4

Luton Town conceded three times in just 14 second-half minutes to throw away a 3-1 lead and lose 4-3 to Carlisle United at Kenilworth Road this evening.

It had looked like the hosts were going to move into the play-off places with a comfortable victory once Danny Green’s delectable volley opened up a two-goal advantage with just over half an hour to play.

Ole’s were ringing around the stadium which had been deathly quiet even with Hatters in the ascendancy, as home fans saw Luton string together a move of 15-20 passes move as they had finally climbed into the play-off place and all was right with the world.

But in the blink of an eye that was gone as Cumbrians boss Keith Curle brought on Jabo Ibehre and Alex Gilliead.

The two subs combined to superb effect as Carlisle ripped open Luton’s ponderous defence with ease as Gilliead (66), Ibehre (79) and Derek Asamoah (80) left home supporters both angry and quite frankly stunned that the three points had slipped through their grasp.

The hosts were forced into two changes from Saturday’s goalless draw at Stevenage as Paul Benson was suspended and Luke Wilkinson ruled out with a thigh strain.

That meant Jack Marriott came into partner Josh McQuoid upfront, with Mark O’Brien alongside Scott Cuthbert at the back.

Hatters had the perfect start to the game on five minutes Olly Lee fed the ball into Marriott who cleverly turned his man before arrowing his shot beyond Mark Gillespie and into the far corner.

Town looked for a second with McQuoid heading Green’s corner over, while the winger then showed signs of Luton’s shoot on sight policy, ignoring McQuoid’s run to shoot narrowly over.

Carlisle managed to keep the deficit to one and showed their own attacking intentions, an unmarked Jason Kennedy forcing Tyler to parry smartly.

The hosts then dropped their upbeat tempo badly, with Michael Raynes hooking over and Danny Grainger heading wide from close range.

Tyler was by far the more over-worked keeper by now as first, the Town stopper missed his punch with the loose ball fired wide, while on the half hour, Mark Ellis lofted a very presentable chance over.

Luton’s opportunities were mainly from range, Smith sending an ungainly volley wide and Lee over the top, while Marriott did break into the area, swivelling to shoot at Gillespie, before scuffing another attempt wide.

There was no doubting Carlisle deserved an equaliser though and it arrived on the stroke of half time though as a long ball wasn’t dealt with and Charlie Wyke reacted quickest to easily beat Tyler.

As they had in the first period, Luton then made a glorious start to the second, Lee switching play to the right and Green’s marvellous delivery headed home by McQuoid.

Hatters were starting to get Green on the ball with more regularity as United picked up two bookings trying to stop him, the second from Hery giving Town a free kick they took full advantage of.

Green’s first effort was charged down but the rebound came back to him and he took a touch before unleashing a superb volley into the far corner.

However, Luton’s defending, which without Wilkinson had flattered to deceive all evening, started to completely collapse, with sub Gilliead firing past Tyler with his first touch.

Ibehre thought he had made it 3-3, turning in after Tyler could only parry Grainger’s fierce blast, but was flagged offside.

However, the experienced striker wasn’t to be denied for long, left woefully unmarked in the box to volley home Gilliead’s cross.

In a flash, Carlisle then had the lead, Asamoah allowed to run at a shell-shocked defence and slotting low beyond Tyler, stunning Kenilworth Road.

With that, Luton’s heads dropped as, bar a long range free kick from Green that Gillespie parried behind, they never looked like levelling.

Hatters boss John Still now needs to somehow lift his players’ morale off the floor ahead of a trip to an improving Newport County this weekend.

Hatters: Mark Tyler, Alex Lawless, Scott Griffiths, Scott Cuthbert (C), Mark O’Brien, Danny Green, Jonathan Smith, Olly Lee, Cameron McGeehan (Paddy McCourt 81), Jack Marriott (Craig Mackail-Smith 70), Josh McQuoid.

Subs not used: Elliot Justham, Sean Long, Curtley Williams, Ryan Hall, Nathan Doyle.

United: Mark Gillespie, Tom Miller (Jabo Ibehre 64), Danny Grainger (C), Luke Joyce, Michael Raynes, David Atkinson, Jason Kennedy, Charlie Wyke (Anthony Sweeney 85) Bastien Hery (Alex Gilliead 63), Derek Asamoah, Mark Elllis.

Subs not used: Dan Hanford, Gary Dicker, Joe Thompson, Alexander McQueen.

Attendance: 7,298 (169 Carlisle).

Booked: Grainger 53, Hery 56, Green 67.

Referee: Lee Swabey.

Luton Town 3 Carlisle United 4

What fresh hell is this? Luton threw away a commanding 3-1 lead as three second half goals and two in a minute saw Carlisle United come from behind to win at Kenilworth Road one day short of the 43rd anniversary of their last triumph.

Last minute sucker punches have been regular home fare this term for the Hatters and, while they have been tough to swallow, this kind of capitulation is the sort that can so often leave a lasting legacy on the psyche of a football team. At very least this will certainly be responsible for sleepless nights, en masse.

Luton began the evening one point and one position behind the Cumbrians in League Two but, in failing so spectacularly to see off them off, the worry is that their home form of just three league victories all term is gradually starting to cast John Still's men as promotion also rans once again, with the play-offs remaining always just out of reach.

Twice Town led through early goals in each half as Jack Marriott netted his eighth of the campaign in the fourth minute and Josh McQuoid bagged his fourth in six games 50 seconds into the second half after a soft Charlie Wyke leveller.

And when, in the 57th minute, Danny Green scored a sumptuous third – his fourth of the season – all looked rosy for the hosts.

But a double United substitution just after the hour turned the tide as substitutes Alex Gilliead and Jabo Ibhere both netted to level again. But worse was to come a minute after the visitors' equaliser as Derek Asamoah danced into the Luton penalty box to deliver the killer blow.

This was a stark contrast to Saturday's 0-0 stalemate with both teams playing swashbuckling stuff and while Luton's goals were things of beauty – capitalising on Carlisle's record of having the joint worst defence in the league – they failed to take heed that the Cumbrians were also the division's joint top scorers. Even without that ominous record, the living is decidedly dangerous when you can't defend properly. There were question marks over three of the four away goals on a night where centre back Luke Wilkinson was ruled out with a thigh strain. All this after three straight clean sheets in the fourth tier.

"We were shocking, defensively," boss John Still said afterwards, as the spotlight shone brightest on that in the final reckoning.

But the immediate impact of Marriott – back in the side for the suspended Paul Benson as the second of two changes – set the Hatters off on a positive spin. For 15 minutes they looked rampant but Carlisle were comfortably the better side in the opening half from there on.

Mark Tyler produced a magnificent stop and Luton rode their luck but that expired just before the break when Scott Cuthbert got caught out by a long ball and Wyke stroked in with ease.

Luton didn't let the sucker punch sting for long and McQuoid glanced Green's pinpoint cross beyond goalie Mark Gillespie before a minute had passed.

Provider then turned goalscorer when he improvised after his free-kick cannoned back off the wall, lofting over the keeper and inside the far post via a slight deflection from the edge of the 18-yard box.

Town looked comfortable but then four minutes after coming on as a 63rd minute substitute Newcastle loanee Gilliead was given the freedom of Kenilworth Road to stroke in after a defensive mix-up in the penalty box.

Ibhere had the ball in the net after Tyler spilled a Danny Grainger daisy-cutter – having headed over moments earlier – but fortunately the linesman's flag was raised to maintain the Hatters' advantage.

It was brief relief because, just as it had in the first half, an equaliser was in the post and the big man delivered it at the third time of asking – but worse, much worse was to come.

Town were still trying to catch their breath when Asamoah ran unchecked into the Luton box and buried in the bottom corner.

The question now is how deep the damage will be for the Hatters. Bloody hell, they don't do things easily.

Luton: Tyler, Smith, Cuthbert, Lawless, McGeehan (McCourt, 82), Green, Griffiths, Marriott (Mackail-Smith, 70), Lee, McQuoid, O'Brien

Unused subs: Hall, Justham, Long, Williams, Doyle

Carlisle: Gillespie, Miller (Ibehre, 64), Grainger, Joyce, Raynes, Atkinson, Kennedy, Wyke (Sweeney, 85), Hery (Gilliead, 63), Asamoah, Ellis

Unused subs: Hanford, Dicker, Thompson, McQueen

Referee: Lee Swabey

Attendance: 7,298 (169)

Luton Town boss John Still labelled his side's defending "absolutely shocking" after they conceded three goals in 14 second half minutes at home to surrender a 3-1 lead and lose 4-3 to Carlisle United.

The Hatters were in cruise control after goals from Jack Marriott, Josh McQuoid and Danny Green – the first time they've scored three goals at home in League Two this season – but a Cumbrians double substitution paid dividends as Alex Gilliead and Jabo Ibhere came off the bench to draw them level with Derek Asamoah finishing them off a minute later.

It was the first time they have conceded four goals at Kenilworth Road in four years and Still highlighted, as his case for the prosecution, the first, second and fourth goals.

"I thought we were shocking, defensively," the manager said, adding: "I thought we were good going forward but, if I'm being honest, in both halves we were poor defensively, very poor.

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"If there's one area we work our socks off in training then it's defending but we were shocking defensively.

"[They're] my players, I pick them and coach them, so I have to take that responsibility but the defending…there was one goal where we had three players on the floor in the box. It was absolutely shocking defending and we have to be better than that.

"But, as I said, I coach them, I bring them [here], so I have to take the responsibility of that."

Luton were dealt a blow before the game with the omission of regular centre back Luke Wilkinson who was withdrawn with a tightness in his thigh. Mark O'Brien was drafted in for only his second league start of the season and it will be one the Irishman will want to forget, as will captain Scott Cuthbert who was caught short by a long ball at the end of the first half for United's first.

Still said: "The two centre halves, together, it wasn't good. Both full backs were OK but you've got to defend as a unit and I'm not really sure we did.

"In fairness to Mark, he hasn't played, but it's one of them things; if you get an opportunity you've got to try to take that opportunity. Don't get me wrong, I'm not pinning the poor defensive display on Mark O'Brien, I'm putting the poor defensive display on our back four, of which Mark was part of.

"I thought the goals were poor, defensively, and when it was over you can't look back at it and say, 'we were a bit unlucky there' because I don't believe in luck. I believe in players being able to defend.

"We've scored three goals at home, which is terrific, absolutely terrific, but we've conceded four and I have to take the responsibility for that."