Luton Town FC vs Exeter City (18th Mar 2017)

PUBLISHED 18:36 18th March 2017 New dad Ollie's big arrival sparks Town into life

LUTON TOWN 1 (Hylton 68)

EXETER CITY 1 (Taylor 59)

Att: 7,657 (415 away)

The Hatters came from behind to take a point from this afternoon’s clash with fellow promotion chasers Exeter City at Kenilworth Road, with top scorer Danny Hylton heading in his 23rd goal of the season a couple of minutes after the game-changing arrival of new dad Ollie Palmer.

Jake Taylor had given the Grecians the lead just before the hour, but in the 67th minute Town boss Nathan Jones threw on sub Palmer – who became father for the first time on Thursday to son, Vinny Donald – and within seconds he had created the equaliser for Hylton.

Palmer had had just seven hours’ sleep since Monday with partner Caitlin going into a 46-hour labour almost as soon as she picked him up following his return home from the midweek trip to Carlisle at 5am on Wednesday.

The sleep-deprived on-loan Leyton Orient striker brought the game to life, however, with a shot cleared off the line, another hitting the bar and then a great right-wing cross for Hylton to net – all within the first two minutes of his arrival in place of Luke Gambin.

Following the midweek draw at Carlisle, Jones made three changes with Jack Senior returning at left-back in place of Dan Potts, who suffered concussion on Tuesday night, while midfielder Jonathan Smith and striker Jack Marriott came back into the side in place of Olly Lee and Isaac Vassell.

The Hatters started positively, with some good interplay around the box leading to a penalty shout when Marriott went down under a challenge by Exeter skipper Jordan Moore-Taylor.

Referee Trevor Kettle waved play on, but Moore-Taylor stayed down injured and – after a chance for Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu went begging – he had to be replaced with what looked like a cut to the head.

In the 15th minute Kettle penalised Troy Brown for a foul on Marriott out wide on the left, and Jordan Cook whipped in a great free-kick towards Glen Rea at the far post, but an Exeter head managed to divert danger away.

Town were playing some decent stuff and Hylton controlled a lovely ball down the left from Senior, taking him past his man inside the box, but Brown got back to block as the leading scorer pulled the trigger.

The Grecians reminded the home defence of the threat that has carried them from the foot of the table just before Christmas to play-off contention, with Reuben Reid getting the wrong side of Rea to the right of the Town area, but Matt Macey made a solid near-post save.

Smith had the Hatters’ next opportunity on 27 minutes, at the end of a good move involving Marriott, Mpanzu and Stephen O’Donnell, but his volley at full stretch proved too high.

Just after the half-hour, Cook curled a 30-yard free-kick inches wide after Mpanzu was fouled, before a smart save from goalkeeper Bobby Olejnik kept Exeter on terms when Marriott met O’Donnell’s first-time cross with a glancing header, Hylton firing the loose ball over.

The Hatters were well on top and another chance came in the 40th minute when Cook threaded an eye-of-a-needle ball through to O’Donnell, who delivered another dangerous cross to the near post that flashed just in front of the sliding Marriott and into Olejnik’s grateful arms.

Exeter had the half’s final chance when Reid’s glancing header from Lloyd James’ deep free-kick drifted wide of the far post, and they also had the first two of the second – Sheehan blocking Reid’s initial shot before the City striker blasted the rebound high into the Oak Road End on 47 minutes.

Five minutes later they went closer still, Brown heading an Ollie Watkins cross against the bar from close range.

That was a let-off for the Hatters, who responded immediately with a thunderous volley from Mpanzu from fully 25 yards that Olejnik beat away in the centre of the Grecians’ goal.

Jones soon introduced Vassell for Marriott, and he was soon looking to get on the end of a cross from Gambin, who had jinked his way to the left-byline and stood up a terrific delivery that the City defence managed to smuggle away.

It was the visitors who took a 59th-minute lead, however, when Jack Stacey raced down the right and cut back for Taylor to fire low across Macey into the bottom corner.

Skipper Sheehan’s shoulder had popped out in the build-up to the goal, but the Irishman showed great determination to stay on the pitch and attempt to lead the comeback.

It was getting nearer in the 64th minute Gambin when got to the left byline again to deliver another dangerous cross, Olejnik punched clear and Cook cracked a volley goalwards that a defender deflected wide for a corner,

Then Jones brought Palmer on for Gambin and the striker almost scored with his first touch in the 67th minute, but Luke Croll got back to clear off the line before the on-loan Leyton Orient man grazed the top of the crossbar with his follow-up effort.

A minute later, however, the Town substitute impacted the game in the best way possible, doing brilliantly on the right to whip in a wonderful outswinging cross that Hylton met with a powerful header beyond Olejnik for the equaliser.

Palmer had another go on 71 minutes, heading Cook’s corner goalward but Olejnik was in the right place once again, then O’Donnell got in on the right once more at the end of a lovely move involving Hylton and Mpanzu, but his low cross was cleared at the near post.

Olly Lee came on for Cook in the 81st minute as Jones made his last change, and from the restart Hylton thought he’d given his side the lead, latching onto Vassell’s flick-on and rounding Olejnik to roll the ball over the line, but the assistant referee’s flag was raised for offside.

Macey had to be alert in the 85th minute to turn Watkins’ low cross-shot behind with his feet, and it was to be the last sense of danger before the Town drove forward looking for a winner.

They had plenty of territory, but it wouldn’t come – Olejnik denying Palmer again as he drove into the area in the last minute of four added on – and they had to settle for a second draw in a row.

TOWN: Macey, O’Donnell, Rea, Sheehan ©, Senior, Mpanzu, Cook (Lee 81), Smith, Gambin (Palmer 67), Hylton, Marriott (Vassell 55). Subs: Moore (GK), D’Ath, Palmer, Justin, Famewo

Yellows: Sheehan, Senior

EXETER: Olejnik, Woodman, James, Harley, Wheeler, Watkins, Moore-Taylor (Croll 6), Taylor (Oakley 86), Stacey, Reid (Tillson 74), Brown. Subs: Grant, Hamon, Ampadu, Sweeney

Yellows: Watkins

REFEREE: Trevor Kettle

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qR5KANs6MX4

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

http://www.lutontown.co.uk/news/article/2016-17/luton-town-football-league-two-exeter-city-3631647.aspx

PUBLISHED 17:47 18th March 2017 The**** gaffer thought his side should have taken all three points

Town boss Nathan Jones said he felt like it was “two points dropped” as his side fought back to draw 1-1 with Exeter City at Kenilworth Road this afternoon.

The visitors took the lead through Jake Taylor when he curled home from Jack Stacey’s cross, before Danny Hylton headed home substitute Ollie Palmer’s cross to bring the game level.

Jones’ team pushed for a winner, but they were unable to break down the Grecians for a second time.

The gaffer said: “It’s definitely two points dropped. Exeter are a good side, but we have to win these games. For our ultimate goal, we have to win these games. It was a very good performance first half, I thought we controlled the game.

“We needed a bit more cutting edge, we needed a bit more about us, but we didn’t quite have that. We started slowly second half, which is something we don’t usually do. That let them into it and they had a couple of chances and then finally scored from a counter attack.

“Then we came into it. We made the changes and we got a goal back. We have missed a fair few chances in the second half to have won the game, so that’s the frustrating thing.

“It went a bit like a basketball game at the end. End-to-end. But it was two sides going at each other and we showed a lot of character to come back and to draw the game.

“Look, I am disappointed because I think it’s two points dropped.”

League Two: Luton Town 1 Exeter City 1

Luton Town suffered further frustration in their attempts to hunt down an automatic promotion place with yet another draw this afternoon, their 14th of the season and fourth in the last six games.

With third placed Portsmouth going down 3-0 at Stevenage, the Hatters had a great chance to put their destiny back into their own hands once more, but despite a rousing last 20 minutes, could only leave Kenilworth Road with a point yet again.

However, although Luton remained in fifth place, defeat for Pompey meant the Hatters did actually close the gap on their south coast rivals to five points, still with that game in hand at Newport on Tuesday night.

Results elsewhere too saw the chasing pack bunch up even more though, with 10th placed Wycombe just four points adrift, making Luton's trip to Wales in midweek one that is now considered must-win at all costs.

Hatters made three changes for the match, with Jack Marriott, Jonathan Smith and Jack Senior in for Isaac Vassell, Olly Lee and Dan Potts.

The visitors were forced into a switch after just five minutes, when Jordan Moore-Taylor clattered into Marriott and had to be taken off with a head injury, Luke Croll on in his place.

Luton started promisingly, Marriott and Danny Hylton seeing their shots charged down, but Exeter had the first serious effort on 15 minutes, Reuben Reid outmuscling Glen Rea and forcing Matt Macey into a save at his near post.

Although enjoying the majority of possession, all Town could muster in the opening half hour was Jonathan Smith's volley at full stretch from 12 yards that flew over.

Jordan Cook then sent a 30-yard free kick narrowly wide of the target, while Marriott went even closer, his glancing header from Stephen O'Donnell's superb first time cross drawing the best out of Bobby Olejnik, who tipped away, Hylton missing the follow up.

The visitors should have led moments after the break, as Jack Stacey took advantage of a mix-up in Town's backline to square the ball for Reid, just eight yards out.

His first time shot was superbly blocked by Alan Sheehan, with the forward then hammering the rebound woefully over from eight yards in what was a truly glaring miss.

The visitors went even closer on 52 minutes, as a brilliant delivery into the box saw Hylton of all people make a wonderful goal-line clearance as his header cannoned on to Troy Brown and clip the bar on its way over.

Mpanzu then tried to take matters into his own hands, blasting goalwards, with Olejnik palming away, but Exeter looked the most likely to break the deadlock and soon had their just rewards on 59 minutes.

Luton were caught out from their own corner as Exeter launched a quickfire counter attack, with the impressive Stacey once again providing the final ball, and this time Jake Taylor kept his nerve to calmly slot past Macey.

The hosts tried to respond quickly, Cook's volley deflected behind, with Town soon inches away from levelling, sub Ollie Palmer's effort cleared off the line by Croll, with his follow up volley scraping the bar.

Palmer, who was to impress during his cameo, figured prominently in Luton's equaliser when it came on 68 minutes, sending over a glorious delivery for Hylton to power home a header from close range, his 23rd of the season.

The on-loan Leyton Orient man continued to be a nuisance for City's defence, dragging an effort wide at the far post, while Hylton thought he had put Town ahead, racing on to a flick from his strike partner and beating Olejnik, only for the offside flag to curtail any celebrations.

With Isaac Vassell also on by this stage, Luton went direct in the closing stages, but couldn't manufacture anything clear cut, and had to be careful at the other end too, Macey denying Ollie Watkins with his legs.

Palmer almost wriggled through to find the winner his own personal display heralded, Olejnik making a sprawling stop, while the forward couldn't sort his feet out in time to make anything of the loose ball as the spoils were shared.

Hatters: Matt Macey, Stephen O'Donnell, Jack Senior, Alan Sheehan (C), Glen Rea, Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu, Jonathan Smith, Jordan Cook (Olly Lee 81), Luke Gambin (Ollie Palmer 66), Jack Marriott (Isaac Vassell 54) Danny Hylton.

Subs not used: Stuart Moore, Lawson D'Ath, Akin Famewo, James Justin.

Grecians: Bobby Olejnik, Craig Woodman, Lloyd James, Ryan Harley, David Wheeler, Ollie Watkins, Jordan Moore-Taylor (C, Luke Croll 5), Jake Taylor (Matt Oakley 85), Jack Stacey, Reuben Reid (Jordan Tillson 74), Troy Brown.

Subs not used: Joel Grant, James Hamon, Ethan Ampadu, Pierce Sweeney.

Booked: Watkins 37, Sheehan 56, Senior 83.

Attendance: 7,657 (415 Exeter).

Referee: Trevor Kettle.

Jones urges players to 'seize the day' after Exeter draw

Hatters boss Nathan Jones has urged his side to ‘seize the day’ if they want to achieve their ambition of a top three place this season.

Luton were held to a 1-1 draw against Exeter City this afternoon, after Danny Hylton's 23rd goal of the campaign after 68 minutes cancelled out Jake Taylor's goal on the hour mark.

The result saw Town move one point closer to third placed Portsmouth who lost 3-0 to Stevenage, as they trail the south coast side by five points, with Tuesday night's game in hand at Newport County taking on massive significance.

Jones said: "It's two points dropped and I'm bitterly disappointed.

“Especially after the first half, we dominated the game, controlled the game, got into real good areas, and then we just didn't quite get the first goal.

"And then the biggest disappointment was the first 10 minutes of the second half as we started slowly, didn't do the normal things we usually do and that allowed Exeter to get into the game and then obviously they scored.

"They had one or two chances to be fair, one opportunity was clear cut, but we've had so many opportunities second half to win the game and got into great areas.

“They get the byline, they cut it back and score, we got to the byline three times, nothing comes of it.

“I'm proud of my players as they showed a load of character to come back into this game, so I want us to end positively in this interview.

“If we win our game in hand it takes us three points off automatic. It’s a great position to be in with eight games to go, but we have to take these opportunities, these opportunities don’t keep coming, keep coming, keep coming.

“We’re still going to be in touching distance when the games run out, so I’m putting it on my players, they now need to respond.

“Because they’re a great group, a fantastic group in how we go about our work and do everything. We try to play well, and sides, Exeter changed their shape for us today, so we earned that respect.

“But we then have to make sure that we rubber stamp that respect, by taking our opportunities, by doing our dominance and by taking our chances.

“That’s what we didn’t do today, but we’re in a great position.

“Its disappointing. We’re still well in the hunt, but we have to start seizing the day, a bit more carpe diem about us as time is running out.”

The draw was Luton’s 14th of the campaign so far and a fourth in their last six matches, as Jones admitted it’s been far too high a percentage this term.

He added: “For me it’s the ones we dominate games and they nick a goal, Mansfield, Cheltenham, today, are games against the run of play people nick goals against us, Stevenage away.

“We dominate games and we don’t put teams to bed. Now look, they’re a young, talented group, splutterings of experience in there, so that’s something we need to learn.

“The naivety in today’s goal was unbelievable, and that’s the sort of thing we have to learn. We show them, so hopefully we do learn, but it’s those draws that have cost us and it isn’t for want of trying as I can’t make anymore positive substitutions.

“I can’t play any other way in terms of being more positive as we mix it up, we try to play, try to create, have inventive set-plays. I sign talented individuals to score goals and we should be and on the balance of play we should have done.

"A point's a point, at least it keeps Exeter at bay for a little but but it gives us an opportunity that if we win our game in hand we go three points, then it’s just one win, and it’s a big rest of this month, a big April and we haven’t actually been on a run of wins yet.

"We’re the only side up there to not go on a run if wins, so that says something. Surely we’re going to have one and again we’re keeping positive and then if we do, we’ll end up where we think we should.

A POINT gained, or two points lost?

It was definitely the latter in the mind of Hatters boss Nathan Jones, as Luton came from behind to take a point at Kenilworth Road against Exeter City yesterday. But he insists the Hatters remain in a good position in the race for automatic promotion, providing they win their game in hand at Newport County on Tuesday evening.

Following the game, Jones didn't mince his words, saying: "I'm bitterly disappointed, especially after a first half where we dominated the game."

For all the Hatters' dominance in the opening 45 minutes, Exeter were quite happy to sit back and soak up the pressure and wait for opportunities on the break – and they did the job well.

This was despite a big loss in the first minute when centre back and captain Jordan Taylor-Moore went down in the box following a collision with Hatters striker Jack Marriott, which drew half-hearted penalty appeals. After lengthy treatment for a cut to the head, he was substituted for Luke Croll.

Luton had the bulk of the possession in the first half, but chances were few and far between with the first half chance coming in the 11th minute when Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu whipped a ball into the box which winger Luke Gambin was a whisker away from getting a toe on.

The best chance of the half for the visitors came with 19 minutes gone when Reuben Reid was played through down the right and forced Luton stopper Matt Macey into action, forcing the ball out for a corner.

Mpanzu looked most likely to make something happen for the Hatters, with a number of darting runs from the midfield into dangerous areas but the Exeter defence held firm to stop his efforts from being fruitful, while dealing well with Hatters hotshot Danny Hylton.

That the best chance of the half came from a free kick said a lot about the first 45, when Jordan Cook's 35 yard effort drifted just wide of Bobby Olejnik's right hand post.

Just minutes into the second half, the visitors had the first clear cut chance of the game. Hatters found themselves outnumbered at the back, Jake Taylor crossed in for Reuben Reid – whose effort was blocked on the line by skipper Alan Sheehan – and the Grecians' striker's follow-up was blasted over the bar.

With 52 gone, Troy Brown rattled the crossbar for the visitors and just before the hour mark they took a deserved lead, based on the balance of play in the half when Taylor slotted the ball into the bottom corner past the diving Macey.

The goal sprung the Hatters into life after the goal as they looked for the equaliser but it wasn't until Ollie Palmer came off the bench that they really looked like getting back into the game.

With almost his first kick off the game he had a shot cleared off the line, which rebounded back to his feet and the follow-up rattled off the bar. But minutes later he played a key role in what proved to be the equaliser when his cross was met by the head of Danny Hylton to level the tie with 68 minutes gone.

The Hatters pressed for a winner and thought they had it with 81 minutes gone when Isaac Vassell played in top scorer Danny Hylton, who rounded Olejnik and tapped home.

However, the goal was ruled out for offside.

An end-to-end finish ensued where both sides looked for an elusive winner. The Hatters came closest with almost the last kick of the game.

Palmer darted in from the left wing in the fourth and final minute of stoppage time and crossed into the six yard box, only for the ball to bounce back his way and get caught under his feet and roll harmlessly out for a goal kick, with referee Trevor Kettle blowing the final whistle as soon as Olejnik took the kick.

Again, it was case of 'what might have been' for the Hatters.

Luton Town: Macey, O'Donnell, Rea, Sheehan, Senior, Gambin, (Palmer, 65) Mpanzu, Smith, Cook (Lee, 19), Hylton, Marriott (Vassell, 54). Unused subs: Moore, D'Ath, Justin, Famewo

Exeter City: Olejnik, Stacey, Moore-Taylor (Croll, 5) , Brown, Woodman, Wheeler, Taylor (Oakley, 86), James, Harley, Reid (Tillson, 74), Watkins. Unused subs: Hamon, Grant, Ampadu, Sweeney

Attendance: 7,657 (415)

Luton boss: Draws could cost us

Drawing too many games could prove costly to Luton Town's promotion hopes, manager Nathan Jones fears.

The Hatters have only been on the losing side eight times all season – with only leaders Doncaster having lost fewer games.

But only Carlisle, out of the other teams currently in the promotion picture, have drawn as many as Luton, with both teams notching up 14 stalemates.

Yesterday's clash at Kenilworth Road saw the spoils shared once more, Danny Hylton's equaliser earning a point against Exeter City.

Jones said: "We've drawn too many games this season, and it's normally when clubs have nicked something off us against the run of play. That's the frustrating thing for us, but we're still in the hunt.

"It's definitely two points dropped, and we have to win these games if we want to achieve our goals. We showed a lot of character to come back and draw the game, but I'm disappointed because it's two points dropped.

"First half we controlled the game but needed a bit more cutting edge. Then we started the second half slowly, which we don't normally do, let them into it, and they had a couple of chances and finally scored.

"We came into it, then made some changes and got a goal back, but missed several opportunities to win the game. It ended up like a basketball game in the end, end to end with two teams both going at each other.

"We dominated possession and got into good positions without really putting them to the sword. Overall, a good point against a good side, but we ended the week on a less producive note than we would have liked."