Luton Town FC vs Colchester United (19th Aug 2017)

MATCH REPORT: LUTON TOWN 3 COLCHESTER UNITED 0

Hatters make it 11 goals in two home matches as U's are comfortably beaten

The goal-hungry Hatters produced another convincing performance on their own pitch this afternoon to beat Colchester United 3-0 – making it 11 in two league matches at Kenilworth Road so far this season.

Olly Lee got the ball rolling in first-half injury-time with his second of the campaign, before James Collins bent a beauty into the top corner seven minutes after the break and Dan Potts added a third late on to seal the points and erase memories of last week’s 1-0 defeat at Barnet.

Manager Nathan Jones described his side’s showing as “more complete” than the opening day 8-2 victory over Yeovil, and the clean sheet preserved by a brilliant second-half save from goalkeeper Marek Stech was just as important to the manager as the goals flying in at the other end.

Jones made two enforced changes to the side that lost went down at The Hive, bringing Glen Rea into his defence as a replacement for captain Scott Cuthbert, who went off injured in north London,

And returning to the starting line-up for this first time this season in the league after his 45-minute Checkatrade Trophy run-out in midweek was last term’s 27-goal top scorer and four-time player of the year, Danny Hylton, who replaced the now-departed Isaac Vassell from last week’s team.

After an impeccably observed minute’s silence in respect of those affected by Thursday’s terror attacks in Barcelona, Stech was the first of the two goalkeepers called into action, the big Czech getting down low to his left to gather Doug Loft’s skidding shot.

The Hatters had caused concern in the Colchester six-yard box early on when Alan McCormack hooked an over-hit cross back and Hylton almost profited, then Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu drove at the U’s defence and played the returning striker in to the left byline, but his cross floated narrowly over the bar.

Hylton’s first real sniff of goal came in the 11th minute, Olly Lee slipping Stacey in on the right and the full-back’s pinpoint cross finding Hylton at the far post, but his header was clawed away from the top corner by visiting keeper Sam Walker.

Playing against a strong wind blowing, the Hatters were attacking the Oak Road End with a purpose, stringing some short, sharp passing moves together and getting into good wide areas, without really creating a clear-cut chance.

The visitors had been struggling to get out of their half for much of the opening exchanges, but Kane Vincent-Young had the game’s next shot at goal, capitalising on some loose passing out of defence by the Hatters to aim a low left-foot drive that fizzed wide of Stech’s left post.

It took until just before the half-hour for the Town to put their next attacking move of note together, but Walker dropped on Shinnie’s scuffed cross-shot as Collins looked to pounce in the six-yard box.

McCormack went into referee Seb Stockbridge’s notepad for a late challenge on Sammie Szmodics right in front of the visitors’ dugout on 35 minutes, and seconds later the Town had their best chance of the half, Hylton the creator this time.

The striker picked the ball up midway inside the Colchester half and played a crisp pass into Olly Lee’s feet, the midfielder turning sharply and aiming an angled drive across Walker, but the U’s keeper managed to get something on it to divert the ball wide.

With 45 minutes up, Stacey burst down the right – as he had done several times – and cut back for Shinnie to fire at goal, but Walker was once again in the right place at the right time.

He could do nothing to prevent the Town taking the lead three minutes into time added on, however, McCormack and Hylton keeping Sheehan’s half-cleared corner live and Olly Lee turning it home from inside the six-yard box.

Within four minutes of the second half getting underway, the Hatters almost doubled the advantage – Colchester once again struggling to clear a corner, this time from Olly Lee on the right, but Walker producing a superb flying save to tip a McCormack piledriver over the bar.

It was two by the 52nd minute, however, and what a strike it was from Collins.

Olly Lee set Stacey racing free on the right for the umpteenth time, and when Tom Eastman headed his deep cross straight up in the air, Collins controlled the ball, played a one-two with Shinnie and curled a beauty into the top corner with his right foot.

Jones off the bench celebrating the stunning strike, praising his team for making a routine they’d been working on in training pay off.

Three minutes later the Town had to call on Stech to preserve the two-goal cushion, and – just as he did in the previous home game – the former West Ham stopper produced a save right from the top drawer to claw Szmodics’ close-range header away from the top corner.

The woodwork denied Hylton goal in the 66th minute when McCormack’s dink over the United defence found the striker’s head 12 yards out, but his effort came down off the underside of the crossbar and bounced out.

McCormack was pulling the strings with some delightful passing in the middle of midfield, and the Irishman quickly bounced up to run off a worrying looking bang to his thigh to clip another terrific ball over left-back Lewis Kinsella’s head for Stacey to latch onto.

That time it came to nothing, but in the 72nd minute the woodwork was troubled again – Stacey this time drilling a terrific cross to Sheehan on the left edge of the area, and the Town captain cut across a volley with that wonderful left foot of his, only for it to bounce off the top of the bar.

Colchester sounded an increasingly rare warning shot in the 76th minute when Vincent-Young cut in from the right and fired a left-footed shot just wide.

But by the 83rd minute the result was beyond doubt when Sheehan arced another wonderful set-piece towards the far post after Stacey had been fouled on the right, and Potts was there to steer it home for his second goal for the club.

Collins, Shinnie and Hylton left the pitch to standing ovations with three minutes to go – the latter lasting 27 minutes longer than expected, according to the gaffer – as a good day in front of goal proved just as prolific in getting game time into the striker’s legs.

Now it’s a week’s work on the training ground in preparation for next Saturday’s trip to Mansfield, with the Town sitting in third place in the infant league table.

TOWN: Stech, Stacey, Rea, Sheehan ©, Potts, McCormack, O Lee, Mpanzu, Shinnie (Cook 88), Collins (Cornick 87), Hylton (E Lee 88). Subs: Justin, Mullins, Gambin, Shea (GK)

Yellows: McCormack, Potts

Goals: O Lee 45+3, Collins 52, Potts 83

COLCHESTER: Walker, Kinsella, Lapslie © (Murray 54), Kent, Wright (Issa 76), Loft, Szmodics, Kpekawa (Johnstone 63), Eastman, Mandron, Vincent-Young. Subs: O’Sullivan, Gilmartin (GK), James, McKeown

Yellows: Kinsella, Kent

REFEREE: Seb Stockbridge

ATTENDANCE: 7,865 (445 away)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-QVrP8_po_Q

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5b4RZMKxS4g

NATHAN JONES ON THE 3-0 WIN OVER COLCHESTER UNITED

Olly Lee, James Collins and Dan Potts all got on the scoresheet for the Town

Town boss Nathan Jones was delighted with "every aspect" of his side's performance in their 3-0 victory over Colchester United at Kenilworth Road this afternoon.

Man of the Match Olly Lee stabbed home from close range just before the break, before James Collins' fantastic curling effort doubled the lead in the second half, with Dan Potts sealing the victory – directing Alan Sheehan's free-kick past Sam Walker from close range.

Jones said: "I am delighted with every aspect. Performance wise, I thought we were outstanding. That was actually a better performance than the opening day of the season in terms of our all-round performance, we had a clinical edge to us as well and we saw out the game professionally. I was very very pleased."

Danny Hylton made his first league start of the 2017/18 season with the gaffer impressed with his striker's performance, even if he did stay longer on the pitch than anticipated.

"It was 27 minutes longer than we thought we were going to give him," Jones continued. "We were going to give him an hour because he is important to us, so we wanted to bring him back, but yes, he is an outstanding footballer and we know that. I am sure he is going to be a handful up there with James Collins.

"I am really pleased. We showed a real good defensive edge. We won the first ball, we moved the ball fantastically well.

"Their keeper had an outstanding game. Ours had one real good save to make,which he made. But their keeper was outstanding and if it wasn't for him it would have been more. But I am not going to dwell on things like that because we had a real professionalism about us today and I thought we were excellent."

Hatters return to winning ways with comfortable Colchester triumph

League Two: Luton 3 Colchester United 0.

Luton Town bounced back from defeat at Barnet last weekend to emerge comfortable victors over what was a negative Colchester United side at Kenilworth Road this afternoon.

After a frustrating first half, in which the visitors displayed little or no ambition to make a game of it, crucially, Olly Lee netted at the second attempt from a corner on the stroke of half time to send the Hatters into the break a goal to the good.

That saw an end to the spoiling tactics on display from a U's side without a win so far this season, as they were forced to actually venture into the opposition half with a greater amount of urgency and regularity.

With space finally available in behind the visitors defence, it allowed Town to pick them off in style, courtesy of further goals from James Collins and Dan Potts to climb back up to third in the table.

Luton boss Nathan Jones had made two changes to the side that lost 1-0 to the Bees, with Danny Hylton in for his first league start of the season, while as expected, Glen Rea replaced injured skipper Scott Cuthbert.

United had looked capable of showing some adventure early on, Alan McCormack making a a crucial block from Frankie Kent and Marek Stech down low to collect Doug Loft's daisycutter.

A lovely ball by Lee then released Jack Stacey and from his cross, Hylton's header was parried by Sam Walker, in what was one of the only real serious attack in the opening stages for Town.

However, Hatters' brief spell of pressure was quickly extinguished, and United had a go from range, Kane Vincent-Young missing the bottom corner.

With neither side creating anything to write home about, Luton finally put a move of real quality together on 35 minutes, Hylton's incisive pass finding Lee, whose superb backheeled control left him one-on-one with Walker, the keeper excellently deflecting behind for a corner.

Town had appeals for a penalty turned down five minutes before the break, as Dan Potts went over in the box, only to see referee Seb Stockbridge dish out a yellow card for what he interpreted was a dive.

With the home support finding their voices to berate the official, Luton finally started to crack up the tempo, Stacey galloping down the right, as he did throughout, and from his cut back, Andrew Shinnie's first time thudded into the gloves of Walker.

However, Hatters did have the lead in the first minute of time added on, as they showed their further potency from set plays this term as Colchester didn't properly clearing their lines from a corner.

McCormack headed back into the area, Hylton knocked down for Lee, who saw Walker block his first effort, but not the second, volleying in his second goal of the campaign.

Buoyed by the goal, Luton came out for the second half and unlike previous seasons where they constantly started on the back foot, inviting pressure on to them, noticeably went for the jugular in an attempt to grab the game by the scruff of the neck.

McCormack was denied in truly stunning fashion by Walker who had no right tip over his thunderous blast from just inside the box, but somehow managed to do just that.

There was nothing the keeper could do to prevent James Collins from notching on 52 minute though as some lovely play on the right between Lee and Jack Stacey saw the full back deliver a cross to the back post.

Town's hitman picked up the loose ball, played a one-two with Shinnie, before beautifully picking out the top corner, Walker rooted to the spot.

Stech ensured there wasn't an immediate reply as he made what can only be described as a truly wonderful save from Sammie Smozidics, changing direction almost mid-air to stick out a hand and divert his close range header away from goal.

With the game now opening up, Hylton almost had a goal on his comeback, unluckily denied by the crossbar from McCormack's marvellous dink over the top.

Alan Sheehan also saw his cross rebound off the woodwork although he was to have an integral part in Luton's third, swinging over a delightful free kick that Dan Potts touched home for his first of the season.

Late on, United saw a few potshots fly high and wide, but Luton's maiden clean sheet of the campaign was never seriously threatened, as they can now head to what were the bookies favourites Mansfield next weekend with a real spring in their step once more.

Hatters: Marek Stech, Jack Stacey, Dan Potts, Scott Cuthbert, Glen Rea, Alan Sheehan, Alan McCormack, Olly Lee, Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu, Andrew Shinnie (Jordan Cook 88), Danny Hylton (Elliot Lee 88), James Collins (Harry Cornick 88).

Subs: James Shea, Johnny Mullins, James Justin, Luke Gambin.

United: Sam Walker, Lewis Kinsella, Tom Lapslie (C Sean Murray 54), Frankie Kent, Drey Wright (Tariq Issa 76), Doug Loft, Sammie Szmodics, Cole Kpekawa (Denny Johnstone 63), Tom Eastman, Mikael Mandron, Kane Vincent-Young.

Subs not used: Tommy O'Sullivan, Rene Gilmartin, Cameron James, Eoin McKeown.

Booked: McCormack 34, Potts 39, Kinsella 61. Kent 72.

Referee: Sam Stockbridge.

Attendance: 7,865 (445 Colchester).

Hatters MOM: Olly Lee. Good in possession and notched the crucial opener.

Jones: U's win was better than Yeovil thrashing

Hatters boss Nathan Jones admitted he was more impressed by his side’s display in their 3-0 victory over Colchester this afternoon than during the 8-2 hammering of Yeovil Town a fortnight ago.

Goals from Olly Lee, James Collins and Dan Potts saw Luton produce an excellent response to last weekend’s 1-0 defeat at Barnet, as they kept a first clean sheet of the season as well to climb back up to third in the table.

Speaking afterwards, a hugely satisfied Jones said: “I thought it was pretty much complete really, I thought it was a better performance than against Yeovil in terms of being complete, the test we had too.

“Defensively we were excellent from the start, we started slowly and then had a real, real good tempo to our play, and we carved open a lot of opportunities before we finally got the first.

“Second half we showed a clinical edge and a real professionalism as we limited to them to anything outside the box, and that was pretty much it, so I’m very, very pleased, it was excellent.

“We carved up some real good chances, yes we missed a few, but that sometimes happens and their keeper was excellent. He made two or three wonderful, wonderful saves and barring him, it could have been slightly more, but we've won 3-0 at home, fantastic performance, clean sheet, so I'm delighted.”

Although it took Town until the stroke of half time to break the deadlock, Lee netting at the second attempt, Jones felt his side were always in the ascendancy and deserved to make it more comfortable in the second period.

He continued: “Without being disrespectful to anyone, we were the better side first half and after the first 15 minutes we settled down, we had some real good play.

“We worked the ball, we moved the ball, got our full backs into great positions and probably it was only for a little bit of quality in the final third, as we might have got more.

“But lets not forget, James Collins put in a great ball for Danny Hylton for a great opportunity, so I’m pleased in terms of our attacking play as we work a lot on it and it showed.

"I'm pleased with the clean sheet too because they saw out the game very, very well and limited them to shots outside the box, so that was pleasing.”

The one controversial point in the game saw goalscorer Potts booked for what referee Seb Stockbridge deemed was a dive in the first half, a decision that Jones felt was on the harsh side, adding: "It’s not a free kick, but it’s not a booking.

“I spoke to the referee and the referee had an excellent game I thought, one or two things, but it’s difficult for the refs at times, I understand.

"I thought a booking was slightly harsh as he didn’t try to con him, he went down and he should have just waved play on.

“But I thought he was excellent, so I’ve got no qualms with that.”

Hatters chief delighted as Luton show steel to kill off United

Luton’s ability to kill teams off this term is a hugely pleasing step forward for boss Nathan Jones.

The Town chief saw his side move 1-0 in front just before half time against Colchester yesterday through Olly Lee’s goal.

However, rather than try and sit on their advantage in the second period and get caught out, as has happened in previous season, Hatters went for the jugular, James Collins’s wonderful curler gave them breathing space, before Dan Potts added a third.

It was something Jones pointed too afterwards, saying: “The pleasing thing for me is there’s been games, Leyton Orient last year here for example, where we’re one up and absolutely cruising in the game.

“They come out and for some reason we’ve taken our foot off the pedal and we’re 2-1 down in eight, nine, 10 minutes.

“Those are the things we have needed to eradicate really and we have a little bit more steel about us now, a little bit more experience and we started very well, came out of the blocks and the goal was wonderful.”

On Town’s crucial second strike, which saw Andrew Shinnie tee up Collins for his fourth of the season already, Jones continued: “We worked on things Thursday and had combinations for them as at home we get into the final third quite a lot and it was a great goal, clever play, great awareness.

“We said he (Shinnie) only touched the ball, but he touched the ball one or two yards, and invited that kind of finish, as he just showed wonderful technique to do that."

Town’s other two goals came from set-plays, another factor that the Hatters struggled with last term but are now looking more of a constant threat from.

First Lee netted at the second attempt from a corner, with Jones also aware that taking the lead was crucial to open up a United side clearly set up to frustrate.

He said: “It is, especially here as we play, we like to cause people problems, we train that way, but the longer that the game goes 0-0, the better the chance they’ve got of nicking one.

“So what we have to do and what we’ve bought here this year, there’s a little bit more quality than we’ve had.

“We’ve tried to improve the quality year in year out or window by window, so when you get the first one, it does invite the other team out and hopefully we can capitalise.

“I thought the routine for the goal was good, the finish was pretty standard for Olly. Second goal was wonderful, and the third one’s well worked, so we’re happy today, it’s a good day for us.”

Full back Potts was on hand to turn home a wonderful free kick from Alan Sheehan to put a gloss on the scoreline, as even though it saw Luton up third, Jones had a touch of frustration they weren’t at the summit again.

He added: “Yes, we’re disappointed with that (being third) to be fair, but pleased after last week we bounced back.

“In terms of Dan, Dan’s started well, he’s a threat, attacks the ball well and it was a wonderful ball in from Sheez, absolutely wonderful ball in.

“He took the goal well, so we’re very happy today. We won’t get carried away as got a big, big test next week, but I’m very pleased in terms of my team out there today, I couldn’t criticise anyone.”

Hylton's** comeback goes better than Jones expected**

Luton boss Nathan Jones admitted striker Danny Hylton’s return to the first team fold is going even better than expected

The forward missed all of Town's pre-season campaign with a leg injury, but was back in for the Checkatrade Trophy clash with Spurs U21s on Tuesday night.

He then completed 88 minutes of the 3-0 win over Colchester, before being replaced with the victory in the bag, as on his first league outing of the season and newlook partnership with James Collins, Jones said: “I’m more surprised he didn’t get booked to be honest, but he’s worked hard. He’s a grafter and when you do things naturally and do things well, for long periods of your life, that enables you to come back.

“We thought an hour, we wanted an hour of him, we kept checking on him and he said, 'no I feel good'. He showed that in his performance as I thought him and Collins were absolutely outstanding and I’m very pleased.”

Hylton came within inches of his first goal of the campaign too, meeting Alan McCormack’s wonderful clip over the top and heading against the underside of the bar with keeper Sam Walker beaten.

Jones added: “It was unfortunate for him as Danny was looking to get off the mark, as he has real pride.

"I thought his performance today was wonderful, considering the time he’s had out and the game time he’s had so far. It was a wonderful, wonderful performance, I'm really proud of him.

"It was nice to be able to enjoy a performance and a win too. We’re in a decent place at the minute and just want to make sure we capitalise on that.”

AN early contender for goal of the season from James Collins took his tally to four for the season as Luton easily overcame Colchester United yesterday afternoon.

Returning to home league action for the first time since the 8-2 demolition of Yeovil Town, The Hatters righted the wrongs of last week's 1-0 defeat at Barnet, returning to winning ways with a team performance which left the Luton faithful purring.

Luton had control of the game from the off, with Colchester content to sit back and soak up the pressure, with Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu and Danny Hylton having early chances for the hosts.

While Colchester offered little going forwards in the early exchanges, content to sit back, the almost capitalised on a mistake from Dan Potts with 20 minutes gone.

Potts lost control of the ball which was picked up by a waiting Kane Vincent-Young, who darted past McCormack and left fly with a strike from distance which fizzed past Marek Stech's left hand post.

Luton started upping the ante as the interval drew closer, with Olly Lee coming close to scoring following a great turn in the box to lose his marker, but Colchester goalkeeper Sam Walker was equal to his effort.

A penalty shout was waved away soon after when Dan Potts was brought down in the box, with the defender booked for diving.

For all of Luton's effort, it took for almost the last kick of the half to find a breakthrough, despite the pressure they put on the visitors and the chances they created.

A corner from Alan Sheehan was only cleared as far as Alan McCormack, who headed the ball back into the box where it was collected by Olly Lee, who tapped in from inside the six yard box.

The U's started the second half with purpose as they looked for an early equaliser, but it was Luton who came closest in the early exchanges with Alan McCormack forcing a superb stop from Walker with a 20 yard strike.

Soon after, Luton doubled their lead with a wonderstrike from James Collins.

Collins had been relatively quiet up until this point but made his mark in the 55th minute, meeting a cross from Jack Stacey, playing a neat one-two with Shinnie on the edge of the box before curling a 25-yarder into the far corner with Walker helpless.

Ten minutes later the Hatters could have had a third when Hylton was played in by an excellent looping through ball from McCormack, beating Walker with a header which cannoned back off the underside of the bar and to safety.

With 72 on the clock, the woodwork was left rattling again when Sheehan's cross-come-shot looped over Walker and bounced back off the bar.

The three points were wrapped up with 82 minutes played, with a wonderfully worked set piece which was finished off by Potts.

Sheehan whipped in a free kick from the right which the left back got his toe on the end of to poke past Walker.

It may only be August, but this sparked chants of 'the Town are going up' from the Hatters fans in the Oak Road End.

Premature it may be, but based on this performance, you would be foolish to bet against them.

Hatters: Stech, Stacey, Rea, Sheehan, Potts, McCormack, Mpanzu, O. Lee, Shinnie (Cook, 87), Hylton (E. Lee, 87), Collins (Cornick, 87)

Attendance: 7,865 (445)

Nathan Jones delighted with 'outstanding' Luton Town display in win over Colchester United

Nathan Jones was thrilled with the professionalism of Luton's performance in their 3-0 victory at home to Colchester.

Olly Lee, James Collins and Dan Potts were all on target as the Hatters earned a comfortable win as they moved into third in Sky Bet League Two with three games gone.

Hatters boss Jones said he could not fault the display from his side against a Colchester outfit still searching for their first league win of the season.

"I am delighted with every aspect. Performance-wise, I thought we were outstanding," he said.

"That was actually a better performance than the opening day of the season (an 8-2 drubbing of Yeovil) in terms of our all-round performance.

"We had a clinical edge to us as well and we saw out the game professionally. I was very, very pleased.

"We showed a real good defensive edge. We won the first ball, we moved the ball fantastically well.

"Their keeper had an outstanding game. Ours had one real good save to make, which he made.

"Their keeper was outstanding and if it wasn't for him it would have been more.

"But I am not going to dwell on things like that because we had a real professionalism about us today and I thought we were excellent."

Danny Hylton so important to Luton Town, says Nathan Jones after Colchester United win

Nathan Jones admitted Danny Hylton had a longer run-out than planned in Luton's 3-0 triumph at home to Colchester.

Hylton, who made his comeback from a leg injury in last Tuesday's 2-2 draw at home to Tottenham under-21s in the Checkatrade Trophy, was in the starting line-up for yesterday's Sky Bet League Two game.

And last season's top scorer ended up playing all bar two minutes of the match before being replaced by Elliot Lee, having seen one headed effort parried away by Colchester keeper Sam Walker and another come back off the bar.

Hatters boss Jones said: "It was 27 minutes longer than we thought we were going to give him.

"We were going to give him an hour because he is important to us, so we wanted to bring him back.

"But, yes, he is an outstanding footballer and we know that. I am sure he is going to be a handful up there with James Collins."