Luton Town FC vs Forest Green Rovers (28th Apr 2018)

REPORT: LUTON TOWN 3 FOREST GREEN ROVERS 1

Hylton nets his 50th goal for the Hatters before Olly and Pelly ice the promotion cake

The Hatters rounded off a fine home campaign this afternoon with a 3-1 win over Forest Green Rovers as a sell-out Kenilworth Road crowd celebrated promotion from Sky Bet League Two in style.

Danny Hylton netted his 50th goal for the club in his 89th appearance to set the ball rolling in the 20th minute, before Christian Doidge equalised for Rovers after half-time.

Late goals from Olly Lee and Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu put the icing on the promotion cake, and although Accrington Stanley’s 1-0 win over Lincoln put the title out of Town’s reach, Nathan Jones and his squad were cheered to the rafters as they were presented with the runners-up trophy and medals before going on a lap of honour after the game.

Jones had named an unchanged team for a fourth successive match as his side looked for a victory to keep the pressure on Accrington.

The Town secured automatic promotion with a draw at Carlisle last week, but a win today coupled with defeat for Stanley at home to Lincoln would see the title race go down to the final day of the season.

They were looking to make it five matches unbeaten – with three wins in the last four – as they aimed to get the post-match promotion celebrations started with another impressive home performance.

An outrageous piece of skill by Elliot Lee by the right touchline led to Mpanzu whipping in a cross that Collins put in the back of the visitors’ net on eight minutes, only for the striker to be shown a yellow card for using his hand.

Dayle Grubb had a shot deflected wide at the other end two minutes later, before Sheehan brought the ball out of defence to trigger a move that ended with Mpanzu dragging his left-foot shot well wide as he entered the area.

Rovers keeper Cameron Belford pulled off an unbelievable save to prevent Potts’ header from Olly Lee’s right-wing cross finding the top corner.

The lead wasn’t long in coming, and it had to be that man Hylton who was there to finish off another fine move that started with Elliot Lee slicing open the visitors’ back four with an inch-perfect pass into Collins’ path.

The ex-Crawley man’s shot was half-saved by Belford, but Hylton was there to slot the loose ball over the line from inside the six-yard box for goal number 23 of the season – all of them from inside the penalty area.

Belford was soon making another good block to prevent Hylton adding to that tally from close range, just before the striker joined Collins in referee Lee Collins’ notepad for pulling back Reece Brown as he raced down the right.

Elliot Lee was running the show from the tip of the midfield diamond, and after another couple of drops of the shoulder, he arced a 20-yard shot that was destined for the bottom corner until Belford flew across his line to push it around the post on 27 minutes.

A lull in proceedings followed until Elliot Lee found Mpanzu and the midfielder played a slide-rule pass into Hylton’s path, but somehow the top scorer’s shot ricocheted between Belford’s legs and skipped across the six-yard box, before Mpanzu pierced the Rovers defence with another terrific pass, this time for Stacey, but the right-back’s cross just eluded Collins at the far post.

With 45 minutes on the clock Shea had to be alert to keep out Scott Laird’s left-footed piledriver, but it had been a half of Hatters’ dominance as they punched the ball around the wet surface with aplomb.

Rovers were back in the game eight minutes after half-time when Doidge took a pass from Iasiah Osbourne a yard inside the area and thumped a right-footed shot past Shea into the bottom corner for his 25th goal of the season.

The Town had started the second half in second gear, and a mix-up between McCormack, Sheehan and Rea almost presented Doidge with another opportunity on the hour, Rea blocking the striker’s eventual shot, before sub Tahvon Campbell fired an angled shot just wide of the post.

Shea was called into action once again by Brown, getting down low to his right to push the ball away, before Elliot Lee led a charge with 20 minutes to go after Mpanzu had won the ball in his own box, but referee Collins waved appeals for a penalty away as the 12-goal forward went down under a challenge from Farrend Rawson.

Forest Green had asked most of the second half questions, but with just over ten minutes to go the Hatters mounted a period of sustained pressure that ended with Elliot Lee firing into the side-netting, with the aid of a deflection, before Sheehan went down in the box as he prepared to shoot, but again ref Collins waved appeals away.

The Town regained the lead in the 86th minute when Cornick picked out Olly Lee with a low cross from the right and the midfielder lashed in his seventh goal of the season from 12 yards.

Then Mpanzu netted his second in as many home games, with the aid of deflection, from 25 yards to really get the party started in the 89th minute.

TOWN: Shea, Stacey, Rea, Sheehan, Potts, McCormack (Cuthbert 90), Mpanzu, O Lee, E Lee, Hylton, Collins (Cornick 82). Subs: Justin, Jervis, Downes, Gambin, Stech (GK)

Yellows: Collins, Hylton, McCormack

Goals: Hylton 20, O Lee 86, Mpanzu 89

ROVERS: Belford, Laird, Collins ©, Grubb (Campbell 60), Doidge, Brown (Reid 85), Gunning, Rawson, Clements (Cooper 63), Hollis, Osbourne. Subs: Simpson, Wishart, Pickering (GK), Hendy

Yellows: Collins

Goals: Doidge 54

REFEREE: Lee Collins

ATT: 10,029 (117 away)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hytZ37FDook

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybEDHQ3AKes

Party time for the Hatters as late goals secure final home win

League Two: Luton Town 3 Forest Green Rovers 1

Late goals from Olly Lee and Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu ensured the Hatters brought the curtain down on life in League Two at Kenilworth Road in style this afternoon.

It had looked like the hosts were going to be denied a victory in front of their own fans by the plucky visitors, who had by far the better of the second period, until Lee swept home from inside the area and then Mpanzu added the late gloss.

At half time, you couldn't see anything other than a comfortable home win for Luton, who absolutely dominated proceedings, with visiting keeper Cameron Belford easily the stand-out performer.

Luton, who named an unchanged side for the fourth game running, had the ball in the net through striker James Collins on nine minutes from Mpanzu's whipped cross, but did so with one of the most blatant handballs you could wish to see, rightly booked by official Lee Collins.

Mpanzu then went alone on his left foot, shanking wide, before a combination of Danny Hylton and Dan Potts were denied in stunning fashion from a spreadeagled starfish save by Belford.

The Rovers stopper demonstrated excellent reflexes to repel Hylton's point blank effort from the ensuing corner too, as the scores somehow remained level.

Visiting striker Christian Doidge served notice of his talents, with an effort easily stopped by James Shea, before Luton moved ahead in the 20th minute.

Elliot Lee, who was superb in the first half at the tip of the diamond, showed great vision and weight of pass to set Collins away on the left.

He advanced on goal and although his effort was again parried by Belford, there was no stopping Hylton, who gleefully tucked the rebound home for his 50th Luton goal.

Belford was to prove Town's nemesis once more, Jack Stacey's deflected cross missed by Collins, with Hylton nipping in to prod goalwards, the keeper's legs again getting in the way.

He proved just as competent with his hands, when Elliot Lee twisted and turned before unloading from 20 yards, the stopper flying to his left this time to palm away.

Town weathered a brief spell of pressure from the visitors, Glen Rea making a brave block, but as half time approached, Luton upped the tempo.

Mpanzu broke on to Elliot Lee's pass and sent Hylton through, who cut back on to his left, only to find Belford in top form once more, with Collins inches away from Stacey's low cross at the far post.

Scott Laird's daisycutter was kept out by Shea, while after the break, the hosts made an uncustomary poor start, gifting possession and territory to Rovers.

They made them pay too when Doidge took Reece Brown's pass and with no tackle coming in, had time to pick his spot beyond Shea, which he did with ruthless ease.

Town couldn't find their way back up the gears during the second period, as they didn't enjoy anywhere near the amount of dominance they had in the first period.

It almost proved costly, Reuben Reid inches away, while Shea had to claw away Brown's low effort, with Doidge swivelling to put another effort over.

Town were struggling to create any chances of note, but with Mpanzu dragging the hosts on to the front foot, they managed to get the party into full swing with five minutes to go.

Harry Cornick, on as a late sub, found some space on the right and his low cross was turned in by Olly Lee for a ninth goal of the season.

Within moments, there even more reasons to celebrate, Mpanzu taking aim from 20 yards, his drive deflecting into the corner of the net.

Glen Rea almost had a fourth in stoppage time, but Hatters had done enough and even news of the title going to Lancashire, with Accrington beating Lincoln 1-0, could do nothing to dampen the spirits of the 10,000 crowd, who are in for yet another good night.

Hatters: James Shea, Jack Stacey, Dan Potts, Glen Rea, Alan Sheehan (C), Alan McCormack (Scott Cuthbert 90), Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu, Olly Lee, Elliot Lee, Danny Hylton, James Collins (Harry Cornick 82).

Subs not used: Marek Stech, James Justin, Luke Gambin, Jake Jervis, Flynn Downes.

Rovers: Cameron Belford, Scott Laird, Lee Collins (C), Dayle Grubb (Reuben Reid 59), Christian Doidge, Reece Brown (Tahvon Campbell 85), Gavin Gunning, Farrend Rawson, Chris Clements (Charlie Cooper 64), Haydn Hollis, Isaiah Osbourne.

Subs not used: Jordan Simpson, Daniel Wishart, Harry Pickering, Sam Hendy. Referee: Lee Collins.

Booked: Collins 9, Hylton 26, McCormack 58, Collins 67, Mpanzu 90, Gunning 90.

Attendance: 10,029 (117 Forest Green).

Hatters MOM: Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu. Drove the side on and scored at the death.

Jones: We should have been out of sight by half time

Hatters boss Nathan Jones felt his side should have had the points in the bag long before late goals from Olly Lee and Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu secured their final home win of the season, defeating Forest Green Rovers 3-1 yesterday afternoon.

Town utterly dominated the first period, but only had Danny Hylton’s 50th goal for the club to show for their efforts, denied on a number of occasions by the brilliant reflexes of visiting keeper Cameron Belford.

Rovers then came out and pulled level through Christian Doidge, as they did their best to spoil the party atmosphere with chances of their own in the second half, before Lee swept home Harry Cornick’s cross with five minutes left and then Mpanzu netted via a deflection.

Jones said: “I’ve got to be honest with you, first half was at times as good as we’ve played and we should have been out of sight, absolutely out of sight.

"It should have been two, three, four, but these are a dangerous side and they play with real freedom, and they did that second half and caused us problems.

"They got the goal from poor defending, and it looked like it was going to peter out, then we made a real positive change, brought (Harry) Cornick on, changed the shape a little bit, and then finished, really, really strongly, and we have that.

"If sides don’t take their chances against us, and Forest Green had one or two, then we know we can punish teams, but it’s just a wonderful occasion.

"We can dissect the game, first half we were wonderful, game should have been done, but it wasn’t, then we came under a little bit of pressure and that happens.

"But we’ve won the game, I’m delighted, it’s another win and it gives the fans something to really get behind once again.”

There was no wavering of the home support throughout the game even when Doidge equalised and the celebrations afterwards saw fans congregating on the pitch, as the players partied in the directors box.

Jones was also thrilled for the squad to be able to complete a lap of honour with the families too, adding: “It’s a wonderful occasion to be able to do that with your family, your children or whoever you celebrate with, because people don’t realise how much sacrifice families make.

"My fiance, what she has to put up with, she has to sacrifice massive parts of her life so that I can follow my dream and she’s a constant support, she’s a rock.

"My parents are here today and it’s great for everyone they can do that and walk around, as hopefully these aren’t few and far between as we want to go again.

"But you’ve got to cherish these moments as you work 50 weeks, or 47 weeks or whatever for these moments and you’ve got to enjoy them and it’s good to enjoy them with your team-mates, but also good to enjoy them with the people you love.

“I’m very proud and delighted, the fans deserve it, the club deserves it, we do things the right way. Ever since I’ve come here, there were things in place before I came here, but we’ve done things the right way.

“We’ve gone about it, and we’re building a football club and this is just the first phase of what we’d like to achieve. I think we thoroughly deserve it and I’m very, very proud to be manager of this football club.”