Luton Town FC vs Dartford (17th Sep 2013)

REPORT: TOWN 3-0 DARTFORD

The Town bounced back from Friday’s defeat at Wrexham with a comfortable 3-0 victory over Dartford at Kenilworth Road.

Two goals in four first half minutes from Paul Benson and Luke Guttridge got the Hatters on their way before Alex Lawless – making his first start of the season – added a third mid-way through the second half to seal victory.

It was no more than the Hatters deserved following a slick display of football that could have led to more goals on a night dominated by the Town.

Lawless was one of two changes to the side that lost in North Wales, with Jim Stevenson also given his first start in Town colours. Mark Cullen and Shaun Whalley were the ones who missed out.

After a quiet start, slowly the Hatters began to assert their superiority and Benson was denied a first goal for the club by an offside flag after he found the back of the net inside the six yard box following lovely link-up play between Guttridge and Jake Howells.

Howells sent a left-foot drive inches wide on 19 minutes as the Town increased the tempo before Lawless was also off target with an effort from the edge of the box on 21 minutes.

Dartford had barely entered the Hatters penalty area in the opening 20 minutes but Tyrone Sterling fired a warning shot when thumping a well-hit drive over Mark Tyler’s crossbar.

But that came against the run of play and the Town deservedly took the lead shortly before the half-hour when Benson grabbed his first goal for the club. Lawless was the architect, finding space down the right to dig a cross out and find an unmarked Benson who did the rest, nodding home from inside the six yard box.

Four minutes after the Hatters went in front they doubled their lead when Guttridge’s heavily deflected effort left Darts keeper Alan Julian stranded. Visiting skipper Elliott Bradbrook’s should have headed the Darts level when connecting with Lee Noble’s corner but the Town broke following that chance and Guttridge was able to score his third goal of the season.

Jim Stevenson came within a whisker of adding a third before the half-time whistle when he sent a low, well-hit shot just wide of the post.

It was much the same after the break. It was all hands on deck for the Darts at the back as the Town pushed for a third and it was almost 3-0 on 59 minutes when Guttridge was denied a second goal when his fierce effort was cleared off the line by Noble.

However the Town were not to be denied a third goal and Lawless got the goal his performance deserved on 65 minutes when he rounded Julian to tuck home neatly from an acute angle after great one-touch play between Benson and Jonathan Smith.

With the Hatters playing some eye-catching football they thought they should have two penalties in the space of 10 seconds on 66 minutes when goalscorers Benson and Guttridge went down in the box but referee Whitton remain unconvinced and waved away the loud appeals for spot-kicks.

Benson then came close to adding his second and the Hatters’ fourth on 77 minutes and after a series of subs, the Town closed out an impressive victory and ensure a sixth clean sheet in nine matches.

Town: Tyler; Henry, Griffiths, McNulty, Parry; Smith, Guttridge, Stevenson (sub Taiwo); Lawless (sub Whalley), Howells (sub Martin), Benson. Subs not used: Justham, Gray.

http://www.lutontown.co.uk/news/article/gallery-town-3-0-dartford-1060892.aspx

http://www.bedfordshire-news.co.uk/Sport/Luton-Town-FC/PICTURE-GALLERY-Luton-Town-3-0-Dartford-20130918010435.htm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOjdK0GOeVo

Darts destroyed by lethal Luton on morale-boosting night at Kenilworth Road

Skrill Premier: Luton Town 3 (2) Dartford 0 (0)

Returning midfielder Alex Lawless inspired Hatters to a morale-boosting victory over Dartford tonight, writes Mike Simmonds.

The Welshman was handed his first start of the season after recovering from injury and was in superb form all evening, capping his display with a richly deserved goal in the second half.

Town boss John Still made two changes to the side who had been beaten 2-0 at Wrexham on Friday night as Jim Stevenson came in for his full debut, alongside Lawless, with Shaun Whalley dropping to the bench and Mark Cullen missing out completely.

Hatters thought they had finally broken their first half hoodoo when Paul Benson slid Jake Howells’ cross home on nine minutes, but the winger had been flagged offside.

Luton once again failed to create any major chances of note in the opening 20 minutes, bar pot shots from Howells and Lawless that flew off target.

The hosts had one scare at the back as Tyrone Sterling volleyed wide when well placed, but Hatters were quickly on the front foot once more.

After one glorious Lawless low delivery was just cleared, the midfielder engineered another crossing position. This time, his delightful dink was met by Benson, who nodded in his first goal for Town via the post, as Luton finally scored in the opening half for the first time this season.

Darts should have been level on the half hour when the completely unmarked Elliot Bradbrook headed Lee Noble’s corner wide from a matter of yards.

That miss was to instantly prove costly as Town broke away and, after a scything Howells run, Luke Guttridge tried his luck from 20 yards, the ball taking a huge deflection to beat the wrong-footed Alan Julian.

Dartford weren’t without their moments though as Adam Birchall headed over Mark Tyler’s bar from Noble’s penetrating cross.

Luton almost had a third in the dying embers when Stevenson, who displayed plenty of endeavour, volleyed narrowly off target.

In the second period, Benson’s looping header was cleared, while Stevenson once again came within a whisker of his maiden Town goal, curling narrowly wide.

The Darts to their credit still tried to go forward, Birchall’s turn and shot easy for Tyler, while Hatters almost notched again as Guttridge’s low blast was cleared off the line by the retreating Noble.

Just as Darts looked to have upped their game, the third arrived as Jonathan Smith advanced and clipped a lovely ball through that Benson flicked on for Lawless, who rounded Julian and fired into the net from an acute angle.

Hatters had two shouts for a penalty as the game rather petered out in the latter stages, with Guttridge and Benson brought down in the area within seconds of each other, but nothing was given.

Town rang the changes towards the end, Lawless getting a deserved standing ovation on his comeback, while importantly the hosts warmed up for the visit of Lincoln on Saturday with yet another shutout, their sixth in nine games this season.

Hatters: Mark Tyler, Jonathan Smith, Steve McNulty, Alex Lawless (Shaun Whalley 85), Jake Howells (David Martin 79), Scott Griffiths, Andy Parry, Luke Guttridge, Ronnie Henry (C), Paul Benson, Jim Stevenson (Solomon Taiwo 88). Substitutes not used: Elliot Justham, Andre Gray.

Darts: Alan Julian, Tyrone Sterling (Jason Prior 64), Kenny Clark, Ryan Hayes (Alex Woodyard 73), Lee Noble, Elliot Bradbrook (C), Danny Harris (James Rogers 74), Nathan Collier, Adam Birchall, Matt Fry, Lee Burns. Substitutes not used: Uche Ibemere, Deren Ibrahim.

Booking: Guttridge 39, Fry 69.

Referee: R Whitton. Assistant referees: A Neil and N West. Fourth official: C Francis. Attendance: 5,433 (142 away).

Star Hatter: Alex Lawless. Superb return.